Creativity and Self-Discovery with Ellen Kaplan

Ellen Kaplan is an actress, writer, and director, and professor emerita of acting and directing at Smith College. She performs and directs internationally, in places like Pakistan, China, Israel, Costa Rica, Argentina, and Puerto Rico, and she recently edited the new book Theater Responds to Social Trauma: Chasing the Demons. Ellen joins me to talk about her work in and out of the classroom, dealing with “the shoulds,” how easy it is to get in our own way, why we are each a culture unto ourselves, what we’ve each learned from our students, and more.  Read this week's article, on how Apple accidentally told the truth about technology and creativity, here.   Episode breakdown: 00:00 Introduction 03:15 Self-discovery through teaching experiences 08:42 Importance of humility, listening, and respect 12:27 Cultural differences observed while teaching ESL 18:15 Embracing individuality in students 22:30 Influence of "should" on decision-making 28:05 Pressure of being an expert vs. staying open to learning 34:14 Value of revision in the creative process 38:50 Saying yes in improv and life 44:35 Creating healing spaces through storytelling 48:52 Career serendipity and intrinsic experiences 54:18 Commodification's impact on creativity 58:23 Kitsugi and the beauty of imperfections 01:03:41 Ellen's work in conflict zones and peace efforts 01:09:56 Improvisational recalculating of identity and work   Want to Reignite Your Creative Spark? Contact me here. Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack. Please leave a review for this episode and in it, tell us about a time when you got in your own way. If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend. Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in theatre.