Today we’d like to introduce you to Carlo Lorenzo Garcia.
Hi Carlo Lorenzo, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
One of my acting teachers once told me that if there was anything else I would rather do other than acting, to do that instead. For me, there was nothing else I’d rather spend my life doing that acting, directing and producing live theatre and film.
I got my start in Chicago, primarily as an actor. I worked in Chicago for 12 years, acting, directing, and producing theatre and film before moving to Austin, Texas in 2016. Over the years, I’ve been able to work with so many great theatres like The Goodman Theatre and Lookingglass Theatre in Chicago, as well as Jarrott Productions and Street Corner Arts here in Austin. I’ve appeared in tv shows like Chicago PD and Empire and produced some web series as well.
The beauty of theatre and film for me is the spirit of collaboration, being able to work with some many other great artists over the years has taken my career to the level of where it is today. You can not help but learn something new from the people you work with and the projects you work on. It’s a career that asks you to continue to grow and learn to better yourself and your craft. If you’re not learning, you’re not doing.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Any smooth road is not worth traveling, it’s the bumps and challenges along the way that truly help you grow as an artist. Learning to adapt and navigate difficult terrain makes you a more flexible and well-rounded artist. There have been struggles along the way, this industry is filled with daily disappointments and rejection, but you have to develop a thick skin. You can only control what you can, and for me as an actor, I can only control my performance, my preparation, and my brand. I’ve learned over the years, especially when it comes to auditioning, that once you send in the self-tape or leave the audition room, that you have to let it go and move on to the next one. If you linger and obsess over trying to book the role, you can potentially obstruct your commitment to the next one.
Most recently, the pandemic has presented a new challenge for artists like myself to overcome. We work in an industry that is built upon the live audience experience, we need to gather in groups to create and perform our work. Being isolated, not being able to perform in front of a live audience has forced us to adapt. We are doing our best to embrace the virtual medium in efforts to recreate the live experience via livestream and video.
In December of last year, I focused on writing for stage and for virtual performance. I looked for inspiration and found it all around me. I wrote a one-person play called A Portrait of My Mother and pitched it to Jarrott Productions for a virtual performance. We recently filmed the performance like a theatre production, shot the whole show in one take with multiple cameras and it turned out beautifully. It’s a blend of storytelling, visual art, theatre and film to create this moving and heartwarming story of my mother. It’s available online on the Jarrott Productions website until July 31st, 2021.
I also produced a show written specifically for the virtual medium, The Spin by Spenser Davis was given a production by Street Corner Arts. This presented a new challenge to me as an artist, as I had to research all the various streaming platforms and programs to find the perfect way to present this performance via livestream.
As an artist, it’s important for me to acknowledge the challenges presented and find ways to overcome, in doing so, I find that I learn so much more about myself and what I am capable of achieving.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I like to consider myself an artist of all trades, a master of some. I’m an actor for theatre, film, and tv, but I also love to direct for these mediums as well. My father was a contractor, so I also enjoy building and construction, I have built many a theatrical sets over the years. I have a love for music and audio, I’ve written songs and designed sound for stage productions. I am also a writer and enjoy writing plays for the stage, film, and tv scripts.
I’m probably most proud of my work on the stage, whether acting or directing, I find a lot of enjoyment and fulfillment in working on theatrical productions, past and present.
I think what sets me apart is my giving nature as an artist, I firmly believe in the importance of collaboration and most importantly, listening. I’ll be the first to admit that I may not have the best idea in the room at all times, so I try to maintain an open floor, to listen to the other artists I’m working with so that we can collectively create the show that we want to present. I’m always ready to learn and try out ideas, whether mine or not. The story must always come first, and how we get there is through working together.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
If this pandemic has taught me anything, it’s that virtual theatre will be hanging around for a bit. While it’s been difficult for a lot of artists and companies to create during this time. I believe that virtual productions of some form or another will allow for many companies to expand their presence outside of their community and it has the potential to reach out to those folks who may be living areas without access to the performing arts.
When live performance returns, we as artists and companies will need to adapt once again to implement programs and strategies to keep performers and audience members healthy and safe. It’s a challenge that will teach us and help us to grow.
Contact Info:
- Email: carlo@carlogarcia.com
- Website: https://www.carlogarcia.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlolgarcia/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarloLorenzoGarcia/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/carlolgarcia
