Today we’d like to introduce you to Joey Frangieh.
Joey, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My parents immigrated to the US from Lebanon in the 1980s. They did this to give my brothers and me more opportunity. Growing up in the Middle East during a time of extreme turmoil, neither of my parents had access to the theater. Luckily for me, they raised us to choose our own paths in life.
But little did they know that my journey would be a bit more colorful than they could have anticipated. When I told them that I needed to dedicate my life to the arts, it’s safe to say they were a bit shocked.
They may not have always understood why I need to create (and some of my more ‘experimental productions’ have probably left them quite confused), but I consider myself very lucky that they have supported me.
After receiving my Bachelor of Arts in Theater, I lived by two rules: First, always say “yes” to every theater job. Second, surround myself with people smarter than me.
I am where I am today because countless people have led me, guided me, inspired me, and at times literally picked me up. But the thing that keeps me going is knowing that, when I work on a show, I am one part of a team.
I am something bigger than just myself, and this simple fact inspires me each morning to be my best self.
Has it been a smooth road?
It has had its ups and downs but I will say… by definition artists are fighters. We can go on a 10-mile run, spend 8 hours in a theater, and then splash some glitter in our hair and dance the night away.
When working in an industry where you will statistically fail, of course, struggles exist, but the more one accepts that rejection is a part of the career, the easier it gets!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Boston Theater Company story. Tell us more about the business.
I started the Boston Theater Company (BTC) 4 years ago.
BTC is built on three pillars: Artistic, Education, and Athletic. The artistic mission is to create new work while pushing the boundaries of theater. We do this by exploring new ways to tell stories. Our Education program revolves around the belief that theater and creative drama can unlock a child’s creativity, confidence, and penchant for collaboration.
Our athletic wing, the Artist Athletic Association (AAA), consists of artists and supporters of the arts who believe in teamwork, dedication, and commitment. The mission of the AAA is to promote health and wellness through physical activity while breaking the stereotype that arts and athletics are separate. We compete in athletic events with as much (biodegradable) glitter as possible.
We are one of the few companies that is dedicated to doing new work, but what makes us unique is that we focus on new ways to tell stories. We tell innovative stories that showcase the complexity of the human condition, using modes from verbatim documentary theater to movement-based non-verbal projects.
Currently, we are workshopping a handful of new projects, including an action movement piece titled Move Your Face, which will preview at the Boston Playwrights Theater from March 9th to March 18th. We will also be working on a new documentary play which will premiere in 2020, and we are collaborating with ImprovBoston on a new musical.
Our artist athletic association is certainly one of a kind. We believe that the arts and athletics are for people of all genders, races, abilities, sexual preferences, classes, and identities. We strive to break down the boundaries that separate us as humans and hope to confront and challenge the constructed gender binary imposed between artists and athletes.
While the theater is not a sport in the traditional sense, it requires people to come together in peak health and wellness to accomplish a unified goal. Actors and artists must lead a dedicated and committed life in all aspects.
Artists must constantly be training their voices, bodies and minds, and possess the qualities of endurance and perseverance. We believe this strongly mirrors the mindset and lifestyle of athletes, and the AAA works to demonstrate these connections by participating in athletic events and by weaving physicality into our educational and professional work.
Where do you see your industry going over the next 5-10 years? Any big shifts, changes, trends, etc?
The arts are a choice. We as artists choose to do this with our life. We may feel that it’s not a choice because it is embedded in us and feels so right, but we are choosing to dedicate ourselves to it. However, many artists have a lot of help making this choice because of available resources and support.
Many of us are privileged and don’t have to worry about how we will pay our next rent check. I think as artists we need to do better at being inclusive and figuring out how to fix the system that is stacked to help those who already have help.
I have been inspired by some incredible people who are actively working to create social change and address these inequities. I hope that over the next 5 – 10 years these movements continue to gain traction and we start to see real change.
Contact Info:
- Website: bostontheater.org
- Instagram: instagram.com/bostontheaterco
- Facebook: facebook.com/BostonTheaterCompany
- Twitter: twitter.com/BostonTheaterCo
- Other: joeyfrangieh.com
Image Credit:
Marc J. Franklin, Nie Hawver/Nile Scott Studios, Grant Terzakis, Paul Marotta
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