We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful SKY Palkowitz. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with SKY below.
SKY, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you have an agent or someone (or a team) that helps you secure opportunities and compensation for your creative work? How did you meet you, why did you decide to work with them, why do you think they decided to work with you?
In the midst of Pandemic in quarantine, in solitude, completely withdrawn from Society, I went to work to once again, to rebrand and recreate myself, and to find the right agents. I started Acting at the age of 14 in New York, and haven’t stopped since. I’ve been acting professionally for over 35 years on stage and screen, toured the country with 7 solo shows, and been in Hollywood working hard for 23 years. I’ve had many agents over the years and a few managers here and there, but I hadn’t quite hit the plateau of ongoing consistent auditions that lead to gratifying, paying work; the dream I came to Hollywood to live, and so many others do, too.
Just before Pandemic, I had decided to transition from my focus on mostly live, stagework (which included everything from Performance Art, to Shakespeare in the Park, musical theatre to stand-up comedy, singing and playing original music in clubs, clowning, creating and producing avant-garde “happenings”…), making a conscious switch from avant-garde performance art into television and film, mediums that could actually sustain me financially. When Pandemic struck, it seemed like a good time to figure out how to get some new and improved reps, to form a team that works for SKY. The “SKY Team”.
After a long process of online coaching and classes, and rebuilding my tools and assets for the new era of being stuck at home and having to still connect to the industry and show off your stuff, I was ready to reach out to Hollywood’s hundreds of agents to find the right ones in the mix…
After a series of calculated efforts, I had gained the interest of and had meetings with 14 agents, and out of that had 13 solidly excited offers. The dilemma became which ones to choose! Ultimately, I chose wisely, and signed theatrically with one wonderful agent, and for commercials and voiceovers with a completely different agency and agent, as well as a bi-coastal manager, so that I could still be considered for New York work and Broadway theatre.
Since signing with my new team, I have had more auditions in the last two years than I have had in the last two decades between all of my past agents combined! I am happier than ever, and now love to coach and guide others on how to find the agent of their dreams, and how to up their game, regardless of level of experience as an actor or artist; with the intention of setting up my clients to land Acting work that is fulfilling, both financially and artistically.
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 was born and raised in New York and started acting at the age of 14 in high school musical theatre. I had been singing and competing in musical competitions since the age of 8, and had some dance training in Manhattan from a very early age. I used to get all of the kids of the neighborhood together and write and direct little plays and scenes to perform for our parents. So in freshman year, when my high school theatre department was auditioning for “Bye Bye Birdie”, I envisioned bringing my comedy skills to the stage. I was great at mocking people and doing accents. I dressed myself up in Grandma’s clothes, determined to get the role with the most jokes. I had the best first audition of my life, and was quickly cast as the role of the Jewish Mother, Mae Peterson. This was a life-changing moment.
I GOT A STANDING OVATION AT MY AUDITION! In the stressful situation of an open audition, having to perform for the first time in front of hundreds of my peers, (many of whom were not the nicest of children), I found “my calling”, and my unique ability to make people laugh. That set me on my journey of being an entertainer. It is very rare to find one’s calling so early in life. I feel very fortunate to have found my purpose, and over the years to develop so many different mediums of expression in my work. I have a vast amount of specialized training in so many areas of the Live Arts. And my mission to entertain, while also educate, has been my drive and passion, my life’s work, and defines my existence of living life as an Artist.
I love to inspire other artists, actors, writers, poets… and to help them along their journeys. For we as Artists must help each other to create. It is our responsibility to Humanity, for through the Arts, worlds are explored, audiences enlightened, and the possibility of progressing change, moving the Planet forward in collective consciousness, is birthed. Acting, writing, making music, painting, being a creator of any sort, is a gift, a service to be fulfilled, and a duty to the Planet. We are the essential workers of Life.
DELUSIONAL DIVA PRODUCTIONS. I coach actors privately in auditioning techniques, self-tape execution, cold readings, monologues, scenework, etc… all of the traditional concepts of Acting. I also offer Consulting packages for aspiring, as well as professional actors, and work with them one-on-one to pinpoint their branding, and create the tools they need to present themselves in the industry as prepared professionals, with content that shows them off in the markets they intend to be successful in. We work rigorously together on choosing the right headshots, perfecting resumes, acting reels, self-tapes, press, social media, casting sites…the whole acting package.
I work with artists from all over the world through Zoom classes and meetings. Regardless of where you live, you can actively work on your career and get clarity on how to “up your game” and move forward in your credits and accomplishments. Since Pandemic began, the way casting works is completely different than the past, as now you can be anywhere in the world and audition for a production.
Perfecting one’s art of creating moving, eye-catching, professional quality self-tapes is a highly important and essential part of the process. I have clients all over the country who are getting great representation, and creating the careers they yearn for, getting in front of casting directors who can make a difference. Gone are the days of walking into a casting office and auditioning live. This gives out-of-town actors opportunities they never had to be seen and discovered.
I also direct, dramaturg and produce solo shows for stage, and help artists to create multimedia content that can be shared with the world. Over the last few years, I have produced and created over a dozen short films with clients, that have been screened in film festivals around the world and viewed online. A great way for an artist to advance themselves and their visibility in the industry is to create their own content, and cast themselves in the roles they want to play. I can help with that.
I am ultimately proud of my clients and students. They are making such strides in their work. Some people come to me with little to no experience in acting, and after a few months of in-depth training with me, they are living their passion of acting, and turning it from a dream or hobby, to a profession and living, getting reps, booking roles, DOING IT! This makes me super excited, as many of them have called me their Acting Mentor. Having a coach is highly recommended when you want to up your game. Let me be that coach and inspire you to your greatest potential. We only have one life, and it’s never too late to chase your dream!
Do you already Act? Do you want to Act? If you are looking for someone to hold you accountable and work with you one on one, reach out to Delusional Diva Productions and book a FREE CONSULTATION with me. Send an email to [email protected] and let’s see if we are a good fit!
I offer hourly rates, as well as customized packages, according to your long-term goals and what it is you want to accomplish in the world of Acting, TV, Film, Stage… Whether you are stuck in a corporate job, or you’ve been at it for years, I would love to help you follow your heart and live your dream. Let’s figure out what you need to get it going. You could be the next Johnny Depp or Meryl Streep. You never know until you try. Working with me assures you that someone is working alongside to support you, and you are not alone on this quest. With my many years of expertise and taking from all that I have learned from other Entertainment Industry professionals, I am confident that the work we do together will propel you into an exciting life of creation and success!
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative is making a difference. Brightening someone’s day and making them smile, helping others, educating through art and entertainment, knowing that someone benefitted from the work I put into my creation, my expression. Spreading enlightenment, teaching through my characters. Expanding the connection to each other. Offering a path to respecting our differences, while uniting us through our commonalities.
I love it when magic happens in the theatre. I love it when someone is changed or affected by my performance. I love channeling and losing the concept of my “self”, in order to become someone else. The greatest compliment I have received as an actor was when an audience member told me that they no longer saw SKY on stage, that I had completely vanished and they only saw my character. I was no longer recognizable. My performance was so credible that they believed I was another person. That means I was doing my job as a performer to create the “willing suspension of disbelief.” That means that the message intended was received.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
I want to grow old and work in the Arts my entire Life. I have been thinking a lot about Legacy; creating a body of work to add to my already full history of creations, that moves the Planet forward in some way, helps Humanity along. I want to reach as many people I can while I am alive through TV, FILM, Theatre, Art, Music…and continue to develop a repertoire of archives that will live on for future generations, and that will make a difference and influence positive changes in Society.
Ultimately, I have always lived my life as an Artist. I want to continue to create my own work, and to be cast in diverse, meaningful and positive-driven works. I am committed to continuing on my path, and to helping others on similar paths. As my mentor, the late, great Rachel Rosenthal once said, “MAKE ART, MAKE ART, MAKE ART. It is the only way to live. The only way to ride this wave we call Life.”
Contact Info:
- Website: www.DelusionalDiva.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/DelusionalDiva
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/DelusionalDiva
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/delusionaldiva/
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/DelusionalDiva
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/DelusionalDiva
- Other: www.SKYPalkowitz.com www.CosmicAlienArt.com
- http://www.imdb.me/DelusionalDiva
Image Credits
Deidhra Fahey, Orit Harpaz, SKY Palkowitz