We recently connected with Tristan Sojka and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Tristan, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
I think the most meaningful project I’ve ever been apart of was during my sophomore year at Georgia Southern University when I worked as the assistant stage manager for the theater department’s production of “Fairview.” The play itself is a take on how white people often times control the narratives about the black community and misconstrue them in a way that consistently puts them in a negative light. Besides the important social issues that this play tackles, it became meaningful to me because of the lifelong friendships I created and the passion I found for not just being on stage, but also being part of something bigger than myself. The process of this show was overwhelmingly inspiring in many different ways from seeing the performers work hard everyday to tell the story truthfully, being part of a small team that all were working towards a similar goal, and seeing the profound impact that the final performances had on the audience as well as my family that came to see it. Being a part of this production truly taught me the value of art being used as a tool to spread truth and empathy to a world where both of those things are becoming increasingly rare. I am eternally grateful for this being one of my earliest experiences in theatre and will take the memories/lessons I gained to every production I am apart of in the future.
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.
What initially led me into becoming a theatre artist was my love for storytelling combined with my desire from a young age to do something special one day. Growing up, my main extra curricular passion was being an athlete where I played multiple sports from kindergarten up until my freshman year of high school. Eventually I made a change from sports to the arts where I started by joining the choir at Southeast Bulloch Highschool. From there I found my way to the drama program where I discovered my love for theatre and decided that it was the direction I wanted to take my life in. From there I went on to spend the next fours years in college working to understand the craft and eventually came to have a deep respect for theatre and what it has given me in life. Part of what I love about acting is the intimate perspective it gives you on a life different than yours and how you can use that to connect with an audience to not only entertain them but also to educate them on important issues and themes within our society. My hope is to provide that educational experience with every creative work that I am apart of or to at least use any platform I am provided to speak about important topics related to the work. I think something that sets me apart from others is my drive and work ethic for the work that I do. Once I get set on a process for a character, the work I do goes everywhere with me. I believe that the only way to a truthful and vulnerable performance is to immerse yourself enough in the script through reading, practicing, and educating yourself on the circumstances and characters you are portraying. What I’m most proud of though are the relationships that I have formed since I have been around theatre because community is such an important aspect in my life and this profession has allowed me to meet and interact with so many amazing people that I otherwise may have never met. No matter where I go or what project I’m working on, the nature of this business allows you to make deep fulfilling connections with people while working together to create art that is enriching to the soul. This is one of the biggest draws for me to keep going in this field because I know that I will always have a community to turn to when I feel lost or alone in the world. What I would want potential followers to know about me is that my goal is to always change the world through my words or my actions and that I hope to inspire anyone to do the same if they hear me speak or see my performances.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
To me, the most rewarding experience as an artist is for other people to be moved by my art. There are a few instances during my short career where I’ve had audience members not only compliment a performance but also express that their perspective on a topic has been altered in a new and positive way. Unlike material rewards that I gain from acting, these are moments that I can continue to take with me wherever I go and they never expire or go away. Knowing that I can have a profound impact on someone’s life without having to provide them with material possessions is one of the most fulfilling things I have ever done in my life. This is the part of acting that keeps me motivated to work as hard as I can to give truthful performances that people can connect to and hopefully be inspired to take their own action whether it also be through art or though other means of making a positive impact on other people’s lives.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
I think something that people can do to provide a supportive ecosystem for artists is to support their position in society whether someone is heavily involved with art or not. Many people don’t realize that just because there are famous artists, doesn’t mean that art, specifically theatre, is widely accepted in all communities. It is usually extremely hard for artists to find support unless they are recognized in the small percentage of those that are in big movies or Broadway performances. Just in my small community of Statesboro, I have seen how the arts are able to provide entertainment for audiences, but also provide a safe space for those that are consistently rejected by society for their interests or culture. Unfortunately, many of these spaces are maintained by the artists themselves who do most of the fundraising, maintenance, and planning along with performing. This leaves many artists burnt out or not willing to pursue their dreams because of how difficult it is to survive as an artist while also not feeling supported by those around you until you “make it big.” Encouraging some form of artistic consumption or participation in schools and other organizations could make a huge difference in supporting young artists and creating an ecosystem where people appreciate the importance of art and how it can have a positive impact on a community.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: The_Sojka
- Facebook: Tristan Nicholas Sojka
- Other: tristansojka@gmail.com
Image Credits
Abbey Hoekzema – Georgia Southern Theatre Department Photographer