We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Parker Lauren. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Parker below.

Alright, Parker thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?

When I was in high school, I decided to make a box with a drawer out of popsicle sticks for my mom as a gift. I was crafting it during lunch and putting the final touches on it. My friend saw it and mentioned she needed a gift for some of her family members. I said I could make more of these if she wanted. I think I made about $20 in total after making five or so boxes, and I started to make mini boxes as well for people. I totally undercharged, but it was fun! My mom still has it on her dresser.

Parker, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

There is a lot to unpack in my overall story! In terms of becoming an actor, artist, and creative, it started very early on, making “food” out of dirt and weird elements from outside as a kid. Always playing outside allowed my imagination to go to crazy places. I’d act as if I was being chased by witches on brooms while riding my bike, then fake crashing at the bottom of the hill and having everyone that was chasing me circle around me, and I’d have to escape or hide from them. Building forts from things we could find and coming up with ways to adventure through the nearby wooded areas was a daily activity for me! It also comes from watching my biological mom sew and make these elaborate costumes for us for Halloween!

I started acting when I was very young in church productions. It was always built into me to be a performer. My first memory was when I was playing an angel in the Christmas production for church. We were supposed to come out as a group of angels and sing “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.” Well, we had an adult leading us, and she missed our cue to start entering. I started to nudge the line and shout, “We’re gonna miss it! Go! Go!” Since then, I have been performing as much as possible. I would put on small skits for my biological family, carry the camcorder on my shoulder and act as a camera operator, or pretend I was a waitress and take people’s orders in the living room (a profession my biological mom had). It was always one thing or another!

Around the age of seven, my entire world changed. For many years, I was passed around from one relative to the next, went into foster care, survived every style of abuse, and eventually found a family that was willing to take me in and care for me. The ones I call Mom and Dad were just people who saw a 13-year-old girl struggling and couldn’t deny her a home. They opened their family to me and provided the support I needed to grow into the person I am now!

I was mostly supporting myself in my senior year of high school because my Mom and Dad said, “If you want more than what we’re offering to pay for, then you have to fund it on your own.” So, I got a job at McDonald’s and found a way to pay for all of the trips, senior photos, and things I wanted! From grade nine, I was performing in every musical and play possible, sang in choir, and then joined the band the summer before my junior year. I took a flute home for the summer, taught myself how to play, and achieved 2nd chair for concert band. In my senior year, I auditioned and was accepted onto the flag line for the marching band and decided to switch instruments to French horn and accessory percussion for concert and symphonic band, respectively. I was fully immersed in the artistic world, and I wanted more!

In college, I studied theatre and dance! I started at Hocking College and, after three years, transferred to Otterbein University, where I graduated with a BA. My time at Hocking allowed me the opportunity to perform on the West End in London, UK twice, and it’s where I first felt the rush from an entire house giving a standing ovation for my solo. I knew at that moment that I couldn’t follow any other path than that of a performer, a person with the ability to move those looking for an escape! Through the years, I have become the person I needed back then through my art. Someone to bring me joy and life when all I had was darkness! A common comment I received performing in community and pre-professional theater was, “I couldn’t stop watching you; you were in it and brought me with you. Thank you.”

Moving to Los Angeles from Ohio was a solo adventure. I had decided that I wanted to become a screen actor and was doing short films at the time. I mentioned to a friend that I wanted to start working as a production assistant so I could understand how sets run and what is required. Eventually, I made connections in Los Angeles, which gave me the opportunity to leap! In 2017, I took a week to drive out here and lived in a hostel for the first month while working on a show! Once here, things just started rolling, and I knew I was home.

After lockdown, I realized I had become so caught up in working production that I was allowing acting to become secondary. I decided to do a hard stop and fully commit to acting! Since then, I have been able to live as a professional actor and am super happy with my team at Tassel Talent Group and Daniel Hoff Agency!

My other passions are still here, though! I make my own formal gowns and clothing pieces for events. I’m still a dancer, currently competing in West Coast Swing. I have not given up on my musical theatre background or my theatre roots. I bring the skills I learned from the stage to my work as an on-camera performer!

My overall goal with performing is to bring light to those who have had a lot of hardships and to be an inspiration that will guide others to their dreams!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

My dad had a hard time understanding my choices early on. He works as a machinist, and the company provides a program where employees’ kids who are in college can apply to work for the summer. I was accepted to work the summer after my freshman year. Before the school year ended, I had auditioned for “The Secret Garden” to be performed with a local company and, unfortunately, didn’t get cast. Well, two weeks into my factory job, I got a call from the production of the show. They needed to fill a replacement, and I was their choice. It wasn’t even a question in my mind. I said, “Yes!” and had to leave in the next couple of days to go back! My dad couldn’t wrap his brain around why I would give up a $10/hour job to go and perform for free!

As a non-creative, it is hard to visualize or choose a non-logical path in life. You’re wired differently. As a creative, we are constantly seeing the thing that will get us to the next level, the next inspiration, the next creative fix! We will find a way to make things work if we want them badly enough! Yes, it is scary, and sometimes we’re resorting to PB&Js for all our meals, but it is a need in our gut that we can’t ignore!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My entire childhood is the reason I am insanely resilient! Being passed around from family to family, constantly being abandoned and abused – those things are terrible for a child to have to go through. I choose to see what skill it gave me instead! It still hurts to be rejected in this industry, don’t get me wrong! However, I am able to bounce back quickly and just go “Okay, onto the next thing” or “How do I improve so they can’t say ‘no’?”

Contact Info:

• Website: www.parkeronset.com
• Instagram: @parkeronset

Image Credits
Bella Saville Photography IG@bellasavilleheadshots (for the headshots and main photo only)