Today we’d like to introduce you to Marylee Fairbanks.

Hi Marylee, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

I feel as though I have lived so many different versions of myself that it’s difficult to answer this question. I have shaped and re-shaped my interests and careers many times over the years and now, at the stage of my life, and I have found ways to weave them all together.

It’s an interesting experience, reshaping and reigniting my career in my 50’s. There is something very freeing about jumping in at this age, a fearlessness that didn’t exist for me in my 30’s. Often, in our society, women are given subtle (and not so subtle) signals that aging is unacceptable and we should quietly fade into the background. When I was a teenager in 1986, Newsweek magazine warmed women if they were not married by the age of 40, they were doomed to spinsterhood. The message? “You are not good for much after 40.”

But, aging is a gift. As we age we let go of people pleasing and learned to accept change. Challenges have given us faith in our inner strength and inner voice. We become more powerful and attain self knowledge.

Every career that I have had, teaching yoga, writing, singing, performing, has led me to this new phase of podcasting and producing. The lessons, craft, friendships and knowledge from those domains, are intertwined to create something new.

I feel fortunate to have had opportunities and the support system around me that allowed me to jump in and try.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

If a road is too smooth, you will never learn the value of hard work, problem solving, teamwork, and resiliency. I try to remember this, as a mom as well. Letting our kids struggle to problem solve is sometimes hard to watch but, it is the bet thing for anyone. Life is filled with roadblocks and challenges. It’s how we view and handle them that leads to the end goal.

If we focus on the difficulties, they grow. That is one of the universal laws, “ What you think about multiplies”. The chatter in our minds and the words we speak matter. It’s important to be aware of what we tell ourselves and how we frame challenging times.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

When my son entered high school and become more independent, I reached out to old friends to see if there were opportunities to work on something new. I had been out of the theater industry for about 15 years and knew I wanted to be a part of the world again. I just wasn’t sure in what capacity. The days of standing in long audition lines and hoping to be picked were over. So I called on old and trusted friends. I founded Tima Productions with LaChanze and we won the Tony Award for The Outsiders Musical and Stages Podcast, which is entering its fifth season with more than 100 episodes, was founded with Stephanie J. Block. Both women I have know for 25-30 years! One of the keys to successful is nurturing trusted relationships.

The shows I picked to produce and the interviews on Stages Podcast are enhanced by the fact that I was a performer for so long. When I read a script or see workshops of potential new shows, I have an understanding of flow and rhythm from all the years spent on a stage.

I feel it is important to understand why we are telling a particular story. There must be some edifying reason. What are we putting out into the world and why?

Our interviews on Stages Podcast are extremely candid. We don’t just talk about resumes and how a person got the job. We explore the creative and spiritual connection to being a performer. It takes a lot of courage and energy to give of yourself. Whether you are a writer, a director, performer or composer, you expose a piece of ourself for others to judge. It’s challenging and takes a lot of courage, but you do it anyway. And artists try to balance that with parenthood,, being on the road, the financial struggles that often come with this business, and how difficult it is to get a project up and going. It makes for a very important conversation. Stages Podcast is a learning tool for young people looking to get into the theater in whatever capacity.

We speak to some of the best people in the industry and dig into how they frame the work, the struggles, and the joy.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?

I’m very organized. I am a list maker and can be task oriented. I try to frame and reframe the reasons that I am investing my energy and time into a project. And, as I mentioned earlier, have trusted relationships.

But perhaps the most important thing is that I’m not afraid to go out and figure out all the things that I don’t know how to do. I just dive in if I make mistakes.

One of the things My husband and I try to teach our son is that the key to life is to make mistakes. Make them fast, frequently, and originally. The key is to not make the same mistake twice. .

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.maryleegfairbanks.com
• Instagram: @ maryleeGFairbanks
• Facebook: @ MaryleeGraffeoFairbanks
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marylee-fairbanks-3775459/
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/marylee-graffeo-fairbanks
• Other: https://Www.stagespodcast.net

Image Credits

Justin Patterson
Jenny Anderson