Creative FulFillment in Unexpected Places

I recently returned from Chattanooga, Tennessee, where I performed a show I wrote and produced for the annual Gala at Sculpture Fields at Montague Park. The piece was a one-hour journey through the impact story of a world-class sculpture park, told through songs and stories shaped from interviews with stakeholders across the community.

The experience was deeply fulfilling because it required the full spectrum of my creative skill set—producing, writing, performing, staging, music directing, integrating interdisciplinary elements, directing a 25-person children’s choir, managing logistics and budgets, interviewing Board and community members, and navigating the mission and politics of nonprofit work.

Coming home to teach my TCE Ensemble class, I was reminded how important it is to show young creatives the many ways their skills can evolve across a lifetime. Training should be holistic, not just tactical. It must go beyond scales, kick-ball-changes, and stage directions. Creative training should build resilience—so artists can move through different seasons of life and remain creatively fulfilled whether or not they’re currently cast in a show. There are countless avenues for creative expression, and we don’t talk about them enough.

That’s why I’m especially proud of my TCE Ensemble students, who are currently devising their own show to present on June 8 at Carroll Baldwin Hall. They’re learning to write, produce, direct, music direct, market, collaborate, and create as an ensemble. They’re exploring interdisciplinary performance, songwriting, creative aesthetics, choreography, musicianship, and vocal performance. Most importantly, they’re learning to take ownership of their creative path and build work that expands their process and skills.

The truth is, we don’t have to wait for permission or the next casting opportunity. Every day offers a chance to practice creativity the way an athlete trains—consistently and intentionally. When we look beyond traditional performance paths, we discover the many visible and invisible ways creative work comes to life. A whole world exists alongside the stage. Stay open to it, and you may find fulfillment in places you never expected.