We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Peyton Calhoon a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Peyton, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The Summer of 2016, I started my first season with Summer Stock Austin (SSA). Summer Stock Austin is an acclaimed production and educational theatre company that produces high-quality musical theatre in Austin, Texas. It is an audition only based company, where high school and college-aged participants can apply as performers, technicians, and/or interns and work alongside industry professionals to put on a massive repertory season. All of this and its entirely free. Not a single person has to pay to be there. I had auditioned once or twice before, but was not accepted. I wanted it so bad. I wanted to be pushed and be surrounded by like-minded individuals. I remember going to my audition in the Spring of 2016 and I got to stay for such a long time. I met the creatives, read bits from the new work that was going to be produced, and met a lot of insanely talented people. When I finally found out that I would not only be a part of the Summer Stock Company, but would be originating a leading role in Allen Robertson and Damon Brown’s new work “The Steadfast Tin Soldier”, I was beside myself. Walking into rehearsal on the first day, I was so nervous. I had done my homework. I was prepared. However, every one of my friends was in “The Addams’ Family”, which meant we weren’t rehearsing at the same time. Nevertheless, I pushed myself and made the most incredible, lifelong friends. This show had so much heart. It was about never letting anyone judge a book by the cover. “It’s not what we are made of, it’s what we are made FOR.” While this project, being my first SSA show, was extraordinarily impactful, it really was the entire program of Summer Stock Austin that I knew was my home. These were my people. I went on the perform in two more seasons after 2016. I moved to NYC in 2019 with my now fiancé, Donelvan Thigpen, who I met through SSA. It wouldn’t be until 2020, in the midst of a pandemic, that we found our way back home. With a baby on the way and a lost sense of self, SSA was there. We came back home and dove straight into the thought of “how can we ensure everyone has an opportunity like this?” We came together with my greatest mentor and friend, Ginger Morris (founder of SSA), and decided to create Impact Arts, the umbrella 501c3 nonprofit that would house the existing Ginger Morris-created programs and give us space to continue to grow. I went from the girl who didn’t get into the company to now acting as Associate Artistic Director, Associate Producer, and Administrative Director of Impact Arts. Life is very funny and I never thought I would be capable of doing all this (sometimes I still don’t), but SSA taught me that I can achieve more than what I ever thought I could.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Peyton Calhoon is an Austin native whose career spans performing and leadership roles. She studied at Shenandoah Conservatory, worked in New York City, and starred as a soloist in Las Vegas’ Purple Reign: The Prince Tribute Show. Now the Administrative Director and Marketing Manager for Impact Arts, as well as an Associate Producer for Summer Stock Austin, Peyton brings her extensive experience to new facets of the production process, excited to shape the future of performing arts.

I grew up performing and studying in Austin. I performed for years at TexArts in Lakeway under the incredible direction of Darren Gibson and Keenah Armitage. As mentioned before, I really started to take my career seriously once I became a part of Summer Stock Austin. I began majoring in Acting at Shenandoah Conservatory and then left to move to NYC to train. I continued studying while in NYC. I switched my major to Hospitality Management and studied with Purdue Global online. I did this while balancing nannying in New York. I was living with my now fiancé, Donelvan Thigpen, who had just graduated from one of the most prestigious Musical Theatre schools in the country, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (CCM). A few months after living in New York. Donny got a call for an audition for a “Prince Touring Musical” …That is not what it was, but we were so excited nonetheless. He flew out to find that this would be the first ever, second cast for Las Vegas’ Purple Reign: The Prince Tribute Show headlining on the Vegas Strip. He was offered the role on the spot and next thing I knew I was flying out to Vegas with him to audition for the role of his soloist dancer. I also booked, which was so incredible! Not only were we going to go on this crazy adventure together, but I realized something I ad missed terribly: performing. I had been so apprehensive to thinking I was “good enough” or “worthy”. But, I did it! WE did it! As they say in the business: “Booked and Blessed!” Donny and my 20 year old self packed up our 42nd street apartment and moved into a casino in Vegas (rip the Tropicana). We performed for about a year and then the pandemic hit. And to add a cherry on top, I was pregnant.

So, feeling lost and scared, we came back home to Austin, TX. I tell this whole story to show that “success” is not linear. It might not even present itself to you the way you imagined.

That’s when we started talking with Ginger Morris again. Donny and Ginger then co-founded the 501c3 nonprofit of Impact Arts. The mission of Impact Arts is to transform our community through accessible arts education and artistic experiences that exceed expectations, creating impactful stories and experiences for students, audiences, and communities. We have worked on developing all of the various programs: Summer Stock Austin, Texas Arts Project, The Heller Awards for Young Artists, College Audition Program, and more. At the foundation, Impact Arts IS accessible arts education. We strive to ensure no one is unable to reach their fullest potential due to cost/accessibility. All this while producing the highest quality artistic experiences we can. We connect industry professionals with young artists who push students to achieve more than they ever thought they were capable of, whether that be at an overnight summer camp, during our productions over the summer, or even as they apply to colleges.

We also are in the business of not only helping students achieve greatness in their professional/creative endeavors, but also helping them become better humans. I could write a million things, but Allen Robertson (Emmy-Award winning writer and Summer Stock Austin original film/Theatre for All writer) said it best:

“A diverse group of young, passionate, talented, human beings come together from all parts of our community and then, against all odds with limited resources, problem solve and they create something beautiful in a community that is constantly supportive of each other that is full of love and full of purpose and pursuing excellence. Whether that happens in the rest of their life, or that happens in business, or government, or their family ,if they learn that here, they can take that in all aspects of their lives. This program is doing it because Austin‘s greatest export is our young people, our greatest natural resource is our young people, are best investment in the future is our young people. So if we can teach those problem-solving community skills here and then export that to the rest of the world, maybe that’s the best thing we can do.” – Allen Robertson

My personal goal is carrying out the mission of Impact Arts and all of it’s programs. Arts education is always at the forefront of my mind. I also work as an Instructor and Director. I was formally the Artistic Director of Balance Dance Studios’ Elevate Musical Theatre Company and now lead The Adderley School in Austin, TX. I have traveled all over the country with The Adderley School teaching primarily in Santa Barbara, CA and New Orleans, LA. Every student I meet, I am reminded of the principals I was taught when I was younger and am fueled by the goal of helping these young artists reach their fullest potentials.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I wrote about this more before, so I have copied some of it here and have expended on it.

After the crazy journey of getting accepted to Shenandoah Conservatory, realizing it wasn’t the right place for me, moving to NYC and changing my major to hospitality management, moving to Vegas to perform in a show headlining The Strip, to moving back home to start our family, a new nonprofit, and begin teaching, I am reminded that “success” is not linear. It might not even present itself to you the way you imagined. I always dreamed of being on Broadway. I never could have even imagined the track my life has taken. And quite honestly, it’s just getting started because I am only 25 years old.

I was really hard on myself for not auditioning in NYC and taking classes. I was only 19 at the time and felt like the smallest fish in the biggest pond. But then, Purple Reign gave me a lot of confidence. I definitely had my hard moments of imposter syndrome. Its hard when you’re the youngest one in the room and constantly feel like you have to get people to believe in you. I still feel this way daily, but I don’t let it stop me. I think we all go through periods of time where you feel out-of-place, but when we reclaim that energy and use it to our advantage, that’s when we can succeed. I try to tell my students that all the time.

Once I had my daughter, Aliyah, I really had to start all over. I had to reinvent myself without forgetting who I was and aspiring to be even better. I definitely had thoughts like “Oh, I’ll never perform again…” but now I ask myself: “Why on Earth would you think that?!” For Summer Stock Austin’s 20 Seasons Spectacular this summer, I was able to perform again. Being on stage with the man I love and the greatest friends I could have ever hoped for celebrating the organization I love so deeply, while coordinating marketing and fundraising efforts, lobby activations, and babysitters solidified the very principal at the cornerstone of the program we were celebrating: we can achieve more than we thought we were capable of. The cherry on top was our daughter watching in the audience, cheering on mommy and daddy all night long. I can do hard things. I can balance 3+ jobs while caring for our daughter. I can help run and develop a nonprofit. I can be a working creative.

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

I wrote about this more before, so I have copied some of it here and have expended on it.

The mission of Impact Arts is to transform our community through accessible arts education and artistic experiences that exceed expectations, creating impactful stories and experiences for students, audiences, and communities. At the foundation, Impact Arts IS accessible arts education. We strive to ensure no one is unable to reach their fullest potential due to cost/accessibility. All this while producing the highest quality artistic experiences we can. We connect industry professionals with young artists who push students to achieve more than they ever thought they were capable of, whether that be at an overnight summer camp, during our productions over the summer, or even as they apply to colleges.

We also are in the business of not only helping students achieve greatness in their professional/creative endeavors, but also helping them become better humans. I could write a million things, but Allen Robertson (Emmy-Award winning writer and Summer Stock Austin original film/Theatre for All writer) said it best:

“A diverse group of young, passionate, talented, human beings come together from all parts of our community and then, against all odds with limited resources, problem solve and they create something beautiful in a community that is constantly supportive of each other that is full of love and full of purpose and pursuing excellence. Whether that happens in the rest of their life, or that happens in business, or government, or their family ,if they learn that here, they can take that in all aspects of their lives. This program is doing it because Austin‘s greatest export is our young people, our greatest natural resource is our young people, are best investment in the future is our young people. So if we can teach those problem-solving community skills here and then export that to the rest of the world, maybe that’s the best thing we can do.” – Allen Robertson

My personal goal is carrying out the mission of Impact Arts and all of it’s programs. Arts education is always at the forefront of my mind. I also work as an Instructor and Director. I was formally the Artistic Director of Balance Dance Studios’ Elevate Musical Theatre Company and now lead The Adderley School in Austin, TX. I have traveled all over the country with The Adderley School teaching primarily in Santa Barbara, CA and New Orleans, LA. Every student I meet, I am reminded of the principals I was taught when I was younger and am fueled by the goal of helping these young artists reach their fullest potentials.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.impactarts.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactartsatx/ OR. https://www.instagram.com/peytoncalhoon/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/impactartsatx/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@peytoncalhoon?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc