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

Alright, Ronald thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I am fortunate enough to earn a full time living from my creative work. It was not like that from day one. I left college after my sophomore year to pursue a career in acting. For two years it was a lot of auditioning and working behind the scenes at local theaters. Fortunately, my mentor, Carol Mitchell Leon, who was over the theatre department at Clark Atlanta University, allowed me to sit in on acting classes and cast me in plays at the University ( this was before the turn of the century. The University’s policies are much different now). So, even though I wasn’t earning a living, I was still able to receive training and hone my craft and in 2000 I booked my first professional acting job. I was hired to be apart of a Children’s Theatre touring company( CLIMB Theatre, St. Paul Minnesota). From there my career was peaks and valleys. I continued working in Children’s Theatre doing a paid internship at the St. Louis Black Repertory Company from 2001-2003. My family and I moved to Chicago in 2004. Whenever you move to a new city it takes a couple of years to get your footing. Fortunately I was able to find a day job as an actor. I was an atmospheric performer at Navy Pier. The turning point in my career was in 2007. I got cast as the lead in August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson and also, booked a national commercial campaign for Coors Light. There was one more valley in my journey when I moved to L.A. In 2010. I didn’t work for the next two years. Feeling defeated, in 2013, my family and I moved backed to Chicago and began the process of reestablishing myself in the city. In 2017 I booked my first Recurring Guest Star roles on the Showtime series The Chi and HBO Max’s series Southside. From there, I’ve been a full time actor up until today. I don’t know if there was anything I could have done to speed up the process because I only know what I know now because of what I learned along the way.

Ronald , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I got into the industry simply through sending my headshots and resumes to talent agents. Once I signed with my agents it was just about auditioning until I started booking. What I’m most proud of is over the years I’ve been able to expand my creative talents. I’ve gained skills in writing, directing, producing and editing over the past four years. My proudest achievement as an actor is in May of this year I will have performed in all 10 plays in the August Wilson Century Cycle.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is working with other artist. As we create stories to hopefully have some impact on the community, there is a familial bond formed. And even after the work is done the bond last forever.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When my family and I moved back to Chicago in 2013 I was not able to work consistently as an actor. There was a job here and a job there but not enough to be able to support my family. I got a 2nd job, scrubbing boats on Chicago’s Riverwalk. It was 10 hours a night four nights a week. There days that I had to get off work, go home, shower and change, and then head to an audition. There were also days that I may be in a show and right after curtain call I would have to go and work a 10 hour shift . I did this for two years until finally I booked a recurring guest star role on The Chi.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @theronaldconner
• Facebook: Ronald Conner

Image Credits

Michael Brosilow