037 Expressing Ourselves Creatively

Welcome back to Overheard at Chica’s Café, where the coffee is strong, the conversation is flowing, and the occasional biscotti mysteriously disappears. Today, we’re talking about something every entertainer knows too well: what do we do between gigs? Those in-between stretches where your phone is quieter than a stagehand after a blackout cue.You know, people think actors, musicians, or performers are constantly in the spotlight. But the truth? A lot of our lives are spent waiting. Waiting for auditions, waiting for callbacks, waiting for the gig that finally makes your family stop asking when you’re going to get a “real job.”But here’s the secret: the waiting doesn’t mean we stop expressing ourselves. In fact, those in-between times are prime creative hours.Think about it—expression doesn’t only happen on stage or onset. It happens in the things you do to stay alive and sane. Podcasting? Yep. Writing a poem no one else will ever see? Absolutely. Starting a memoir even if the first line is just, “Dear Diary, Hollywood is weird”? Go for it.Maybe it’s designing or decorating your place. I once rearranged my living room so many times between gigs, my couch now qualifies as a traveling performer. It’s seen more blocking than some actors I know.And cooking counts, too! Whipping up a new recipe? That’s performance art with edible applause. Just don’t burn the garlic bread, or the critics will be harsh—and by critics, I mean your own smoke alarm.The point is: as entertainers, we need to express. If we cork the creativity while we’re waiting for the next “yes,” we start to feel like unopened soda cans—eventually, something’s going to explode.So, write that song. Start that podcast. Paint the wall neon green if it makes you laugh—though maybe check with your landlord first. Expression isn’t about waiting for permission. It’s about keeping your creative pulse alive so when that next gig does come along, you’re not rusty. You’re ready.So, whether you’re in rehearsal, in between jobs, or just staring at the ceiling fan wondering if it could double as a set piece, remember: creativity doesn’t clock in and out. It’s who you are.And until that next big gig shows up—express yourself anyway. You might surprise yourself with what you create.Thanks for joining me here at Chica’s Café. Don’t forget to grab a refill on your way out—and maybe, just maybe, rearrange your couch tonight. It might inspire your next masterpiece. "Modern Jazz Samba" Kevin MacLeod(incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/