We recently connected with Paul Surace and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Paul thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Too often the media represents innovation as something magical that only high-flying tech billionaires and upstarts engage in – but the truth is almost every business owner has to regularly innovate in small and big ways in order for their businesses to survive and thrive. Can you share a story that highlights something innovative you’ve done over the course of your career?

So I’ve been working in the field of therapy and counseling as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for the past 20 years or so. And I very much enjoy the therapy field as it has provided “purpose” and great satisfaction (in helping others) and financial security for me for many years now. And yet, I also see myself as a “creative” and have been writing and producing theatrical plays since my teen years in New York, and here in Los Angeles as well— In fact, it was my writing is what brought me out to Los Angeles — many years ago when Walt Disney Company offered me and my good friend and writing partner a job for a Screenplay that we’d written together. And I was very happy that Disney paid us for two years to create and write screenplays back in the mid-nineties. And two of those screenplays went into “development” here in Hollywood but neither got made. After that, my writing partnership broke up and I wasn’t able to make a living as a solo Screenwriter– so I turned to teaching and then back to Graduate School so I could study Clinical Psychology and enter the field of therapy once I graduated. All that to say— that those are the two great passions that I’ve pursued in my life (Counseling & Writing) and I’ve now written and published two books of my short plays. I”ve also produced over a half dozen theatre shows in Los Angeles and several in New York City (prior to moving to Los Angeles).. The two books are called: “Hearing Voices– 15 Short Plays by a Psychotherapist” and “Hearing More Voices– 14 More Short Plays by a Psychotherapist.” Both books are available on Amazon, and both discuss how my therapy background figures into and informs the plays I’ve written. Even more so, in the later book, where I’ve written short Afterthoughts or Reflections for each of the plays that proceeds it — explaining what inspired the play– and what are the psychological “threads” that are running through the play.. And in a sense– I like that I was able to combine my two passions– for both Therapy and Playwrighting– in each of these books.

Paul, 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?

I got into the therapy field when it occurred to me that I was not able to make a sustainable living selling screenplays to Hollywood and recognizing that my more natural gift was playwrighting (which doesn’t tend to pay the bills). HOWEVER, because I was gainfully employed as a full-time therapist for the past 20 years– I was able to buy myself the time to write my plays,, and then cast my plays with talented actors in the LA Community, and then produce my plays— as I had enough of my own money to pay the full costs of local productions in smaller venues in Hollywood. And would mostly sell out these smaller theatres with colleagues I worked with and with families and friends of the actors cast in the plays. That said, I had the rare experience of being playwright–casting director– producer– and sometimes a performer in many of the plays I wrote.
I also believed in giving back to the community– and was most proud of the two fundraisers I wrote and produced—specifically a Christmas show (TINSEL & COAL) where all the proceeds were donated to TOYS 4 TOTS. And another benefit show (GLIMMER OF HOPE)– to raise monies for Suicide Awareness/Prevention where all the proceeds went to several organizations set up to prevent suicide. I really like that I have the ability to tell stories in comic or dramatic plays that illustrate the challenging issues that bring people into therapy. And to give voice and illustrate thru my characters– the courage and resiliency that I’ve seen and been inspired by in the clients, and family and friends I’ve known over the years.
NOTE: If you want any more info–This was a pretty “exhaustive” interview I did for Playwright’s Spotlight– can be found at this link– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0OIgilmkBg

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

When my Screenwriting partner and I broke up our partnership— after the Disney gig— I pivoted first to teaching in S. California’s LAUSD (Public school system) where I taught English and Creative writing, and then I went back to GRAD SCHOOL to study clinical psychology so that I could use my “creative” talents in the field of therapy— whereby I could make a good living and help people who were looking for positive change in their lives. And this is also when I turned back to my skills for Playwrighting which is more of a natural gift than Screenwriting. And in the past 10 years— while working full-time as a therapist for Kaiser Permanente in Southern California—I’ve published two books of my short plays (that are informed by my work as a therapist) and produced more than a half dozen theatrical projects of my own original works– here in Los Angeles.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

As I wrote in my first book of plays- “Hearing Voices– 15 Short Plays by a Psychotherapist” — My approach to this troubled world and difficult life that has us all struggling to stay hopeful is “Don’t curse the darkness, Light a candle.” (which is a quote from Confucius).
That said, my writing tends to place troubled and relatable characters into harm’s way– putting them more in emotional vs, physical danger– whereby they will need to face their fears, and push forward to the best of their ability and see what awaits them. Thus, I chose to publish my two books of plays under the publisher called– Candlelight Plays. And to create my website which can be found under the heading of www.candlelightplays.com.

Contact Info:

• Website: wwwcandlelightplays.com
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=paul+surace
• Other: E-mail: [email protected]

Image Credits
Michael Veritas (for first pic of Paul with his arms folded).