We recently connected with Shawnee Badger and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Shawnee, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
Sorry but I have two projects tied for most meaningful.
First was when I got cast in my first leading role. I played the title character in Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl. It was a part that required a depth of emotion that was both challenging and beautiful to take on and also something quite familiar to me and close to home: love that runs deep and loss that cuts deep. It was a part that really allowed me to share my full heart. Funny enough, I almost did not go to the audition but, something was calling me to get in my car and go. Not only is it one of my favorite roles I’ve played to date, but I also met my boyfriend, who was in the production. It was fulfilling, meaningful work and I got to meet a pretty wonderful guy, to boot.
Second, was the first show my theatre company put up, Barefoot in the Park by Neil Simon. I produced the play and cast myself as the leading role of Corie Bratter. I had a heavy hand in every step along the way, from building the set to finding rehearsal space to designing the program. We had a gorgeous set, by the way, that I worked so hard to make possible! The show couldn’t have happened without an incredibly dedicated, hardworking creative team. I juggled all that while taking on a character who barely leaves the stage. It was an amazing experience and I can honestly say that makings moves to create opportunities for myself as a performer has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I’m Shawnee Badger. I’m first and foremost an actor. I discovered my love of performance after both a successful career in modeling and performing at a magical theme park. After working with various clothing brands, being published in Elle Girl Japan, Vogue Italia and many other paper and digital magazines and clothing campaigns, and after bringing dreams to life for people from all over the world at my amusement park day-job, I chose to dive head first into studying the craft acting. I chose to go to the California Institute of the Arts for my BFA in Acting and studied at various studios around Los Angeles, falling in love with acting while studying the Meisner technique in particular.
I also was deeply involved in activism for a number of years. I have always remain passionately engaged in electoral politics, human rights, animal rights, and environmental justice issues. I also aim to inspire that passion into those around me. Activism and acting go hand in hand for me. Both require a deep love of people and humanity, empathy, using your own voice to uplift the voices and stories of others, with an end goal of changing the hearts and minds of the world.
I started a theatre company where I aim to tell stories that do just that, whether that be comforting the disturbed or disturbing the comfortable. I think my drive to create those opportunities for myself and others is something that really sets me apart. I have a deep determination for making things happen for myself, from producing plays to climbing mountains to running marathons. I push myself both artistically and on the business side of things in my acting career. I think really that fire was ignited in response to my turbulent upbringing. I was faced with a lot of hardship and trauma from a young age, having to rely on myself to safely make it through my days. I came out on the other side of that as a person who refuses to just wait for things to fall into my lap and, rather, take control of my path and never give up on my dreams.
Have you ever had to pivot?
When I was in high school, a lot of my day dreams were about, “how can I make money and give myself a different life than that which I grew up in?” I thought I was going to become some kind of doctor. I even studied in the field of dentistry for a time, thinking I could find financial success and thereby happiness. My whole life changed after a really horrific car accident that could have ended my life, which had been preceded by the end of a long relationship that defined me and shaped what I thought would be my future life. My whole perspective shifted when that ended and a Hummer slammed into the back of my car at full speed on the freeway. It then suddenly set in, that we have a finite number of days on this beautiful planet and I had to chase my dreams.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
During my childhood, I was often in an environment where I was emotionally and physically torn down. I grew up voiceless and without even a sliver of confidence. In fact, I lived in a state of constant fear and anxiety. I felt that my voice was useless, powerless, meaningless…so why speak? Like, ever? I just didn’t. Why not just live an average life? I could be a wife maybe, work a job, make some money…There was no way that I could do anything great or grand. I absorbed so many hurtful, hateful words, I couldn’t imagine a future where I wasn’t just those things.
Acting, stepping out on a stage, using my voice and my heart to brings words to life, that was when I found my voice. I had to unlearn so much. I was not worthless, an idiot, obnoxious, too loud, etc., etc. Speaking up was not going to put me in harms way, not on the stage, not here. The outcome of speaking on a stage would be different than speaking up at home! Standing up on a stage in front of people who loved my heart, my soul, who wanted to hear what I had to say, opened up and unlocked a well inside me. I still have so much left to say and so much left to share of my heart.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.shawneebadger.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawneebadger/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shawneebadgerofficial
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnee-badger-0146797a
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/shawneebadger
- Other: https://digdeeptheatre.com/ https://www.etsy.com/shop/pigmentofimagine https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8258803/
Image Credits
Dana Patrick Tara Rochelle