Chryssie Whitehead: "In Her Own Little Corner"

Chryssie Whitehead  is originally from South Carolina and began her career as a Radio City Rockette right out of highschool. 20 years later she would go on to perform the role of Velma on Broadway in Chicago, as the understudy. Her brilliant career has spanned 25 years working bi-coastal in Los Angeles and New York, acting in over 13 television shows (Greys Anatomy), film (West Side Story  and is known for Revenge of the Bridesmaids,  the romantic comedy with Raven Simone. 

She made her Broadway debut in the revival of “A Chorus Line” where she is featured landing the role of Kristine in the documentary, Every Little Step. She leads a creative, artistic life teaching across the globe and now spends a lot of her time directing and choreographing.  She is a proud Co-Founder of Broadway Arts Community, the mentoring & performing arts educational company she founded with her best friend and is dedicated to passing it onto the next generation of artists. 

Most recently, she wrote a one woman show focused on mental illness, a true story shared with the goal to spread hope and awareness globally.  In My Own Little Corner, A Work in Progress with Bipolar Disorder made its New York debut on November 5th, 2022 at The Riverside Theatre. 

@chryssiewhitehead @imolcetheshow

Transcript

Lisa Hopkins: 0:00

This is the stop time podcast. I'm your host, Lisa Hopkins, and I'm here to engage you in thought provoking motivational conversations around practicing the art of living in the moment. I'm a certified life coach, and I'm excited to dig deep and offer insights into embracing who we are and where we are at. So my next guest is originally from South Carolina and began her career as a Radio City Rockette right out of high school. 20 years later, she would go on to perform the role of Velma on Broadway in Chicago as the understudy. Her brilliant career has spanned 25 years plus working bicoastal in Los Angeles and New York, acting in over 13 television shows. Just turn on the TV you're gonna see. A lot of people know her for revenge of the bridesmaids, the romantic comedy with Raven Simone. She made her Broadway debut in the revival of a chorus line where she is featured lending the role of Christine in the documentary every little step. She leads a creative artistic life teaching across the globe, and now spends a lot of her time directing and choreographing. She's a proud co founder of Broadway arts community, the mentoring and performing arts educational company she founded with her best friend, and is dedicated to passing it on to the next generation of artists. Most recently, she wrote a one woman show focused on mental illness, a true story shared with a goal to spread hope and awareness globally. It's called in my own little corner, a work in progress with bipolar disorder, and it made its New York debut on November 5 2022, at the Riverside theatre. It's with great pleasure, I can finally sit down with Chrissy Whitehead welcome, Chrissy.

Chryssie Whitehead: 1:46

Yay. Thank you so much, Lisa, that's so funny here and you're, you know, you, you type out the bio, and you send it to people all the time, and then you forget about what it says. So that was nice of you reading it out. It's so funny how the highlight sounds so great, don't they? The highlights just sounds so good.

Lisa Hopkins: 2:03

No, I know, how do they feel when you hear it back?

Chryssie Whitehead: 2:09

I feel like it's just just a quarter of my story. You know, it's like they say, because they say that, like your life is really in between your resume. It's everything that's happening in between. And so that got that from my business partner, Alexis. She got that from somewhere. But I really liked that because we're like, it's what you're doing in between. So it feels good. Because you're like, gosh, you have dreams, you have goals and but I got lucky. I mean, you know, this business, it's a lot of its luck. I mean, you can be as talented as you possibly can be. And then I just got I just happened to be a Christine they liked for A Chorus Line. But there was a plethora of Christine's that were right. For that role. You know, I just got lucky. So I'm, I'm, I'm, it's an honor to be on the other side of it now. So it feels good to hear those things. It feels good to hear that about the show. Because the show isn't about me, it's about the message and the mission. And, and I'm only doing it because it's about that.

Lisa Hopkins: 3:10

Yeah. So much to unpack. But first of all, hell yeah. About It happens in between, you know, I mean, I'm writing I'm writing a thing called the places where there are spaces and it's what I've always always believed. That's where the dancing is right? Lifestyle.

Chryssie Whitehead: 3:28

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's what grows you makes you it molded you I think that performing got really vacant for me after a while because I I think what I love about theater is the connection, and the talking and the community. And that's why we named our business that brothers community is the communal aspect of what theater can do. So for me after a while there applause and people telling you how great you are and how talented you are, can only go so far. But actually having deep conversations and looking into people's eyes and, and having real conversations, I think are really special.

Lisa Hopkins: 4:12

Yeah, no, first

Chryssie Whitehead: 4:13

I don't, I don't like knock, knocking, performing. I think there's a beautiful space for performers, I coach performers and teach performers. But it can be very self indulgent. And I think there's a fine line between self indulgence and like, what is your WHY basically the what what are my earlier what is your why? Why are you why are you? Why do you want to porn?

Lisa Hopkins: 4:36

Yeah. Well, it is tricky for young people with talent like yourself. I mean, I'm curious if this resonates with you. I mean, sometimes, you know, in their effort to elevate and support and celebrate us parents and or people around us that are older than us when we're young. You know, if you say oh, you know, Chrissy, you're so talented that you should audition for this or maybe I should put her dance class or maybe she because they're looking when they're trying to help, right, but sometimes it's received in a way when you're a child that, Oh, I get more attention, love safety, all of that when I'm doing what they say I do well, and it's amazing. That mixes messages when you're young. Right? What do you think about that?

Chryssie Whitehead: 5:18

It mixes with your worth a little bit, you know? I mean, yeah, I felt very bashful when people responded to my work, especially young it because of the dancer, too. I mean, it was a very emotional dancer. And that's what they made people tell me and made me want to do acting was because I was just so emotive when I danced and I just so got into the moment. But I, there's pressure that comes with that with Oh, you're so good. And, and then you think, Okay, I'm so good. And then oh, I am really good. Like, I was winning all the competitions. And then they're thinking, Okay, now, you need to do XY and Z. And if you don't do xy and z, then what are you? It's like chorus line, right? If I'm not a dancer, an actor and a singer, what am I? Huh? It's like, I think I think a lot of people feel we all have this like field of work, and especially if we love our work. Yeah, what happens when we can't do that work anymore? You know? Yeah, I didn't mind the pressure. I really enjoyed it. I didn't, I didn't like it. When I when I didn't deliver what I did, quote, unquote, deliver in the way that I thought I should.

Lisa Hopkins: 6:24

I wanted to really, just take a moment to celebrate you and what you're doing currently now, in your life. You know, your one woman show your mission to spread hope and global awareness around mental illness. I mean, I watched the video of reading I think it was just last night, and I was so impressed with how honest and kind and inviting you are. And I believe that the way we do anything is the way we do everything. So yay, that you've chosen to use your gift. But you have this you have this. Tell me what you think about this. But you have, from my perspective, this incredible facility to make people feel like they want to come in. You do that in on the stage playing your roles. Everything you do even talking to you like you have this sense of it's it's it's an IT FEELS invitation almost as beautiful. Yeah. And it's not that like, you know, you're coddling or going Oh, it'll be okay. You just have this. It is what it is. And we're all this. I don't have this this is this is

Chryssie Whitehead: 7:31

we are all the same. Yes. That Oh, that's it that's that I truly feel that at my core. I feel that when if I am open, I think a lot of that came from my mom. I watched her be an amazing listener. And I watched her listen with her sweet eyes. And so I think Mom, I just got lucky did come from a mom, that was really sweet. I just think I've found that if I start out as an open palming and then invitation and welcoming anyone in that it allows people's guards come down. And they feel seen. And ultimately, that is what we all need. We all want to be seen. No matter who we are, where we come from what we look like we want to be seen. We want to feel heard, we want to feel loved. And we want to feel like we belong somewhere. And so dancing to me was a huge place for that. And I really got lucky to find dance because Ashley I called dance like a, like a pronoun. Like I think she's one of she's like my dearest friend. And like we are with each other all the time when she helps me feel free. And so if I can feel free or joy for dance, and that's what I want. That's what I did with the show. I was to come out with bipolar disorder. To do all this I did all last year was very difficult. But something was pushing me that was bigger than me. And whether that was my mom's spirit or, you know, because she's passed and she died and she didn't take good care of her health. So, you know, I watched her deteriorate in front of my eyes. And I don't see the same as I did prior to that. Like I don't look at life. That is the is what it is currently for me. I can't be inauthentic. I can feel the radar on me if I am even tapping into it. Just because I just watched life slip outside of my mother and she slipped away. And so when she slipped away I tried to figure out why how there's tons of secrets that she lived with and shame and guilt and which is revealed in the show, because I really thought it'd be important for people to see A real authentic story between a mother and her daughter, the secret she kept from her, the truth of the matter is, she didn't take care of her mental health. And I have been doing everything I possibly can to thrive, her death certificate red failure to thrive. That was her death certificate. And that stuck with me all these years. And then five years later, I got diagnosed with bipolar disorder. And I was literally kind of confused, in shock, and was like, What is this, and then I started to do more research, I started to go, oh, and then I, and then I started to really, I still have my team that I have when I got diagnosed. So I've been able to be lucky to have these people in my life, who have guided me along the way to give me tools and life skills to help me manage these mood disorders. I think it's really great that if people can more people can come out with stuff like this. The more we don't make it a big deal. The less it is, right? Yep. So if I can share with you my story on a stage, and bear my heart and my soul. And then come out and say, how are you? How was that for you? So my show comes with a talkback at the end. Because I think it's really important. It's not, it's not a show that I just come out, come into a city and here you go, I'm gonna dump all this information and then get out, you know, like, no, that's me being protective. So I do need to have an invitation. So that's a lot, but it is called in my own little corner, because it's the song that got me my Broadway debut, which was courtside. Yeah. I've always felt like in my own little corner. And I think a lot of human beings feel like we are in our own little corner. But if we can recognize that we're actually we don't have to do this alone. There are people out there that can help. And there are resources and you don't have to stay trapped in your brain. And there's little little things you can do, you know, little baby thing, not like astronomical, go to India and do a Yeah, yeah. Right. I mean, that's great. You

Lisa Hopkins: 12:12

totally know what came up for me right now, if I can share, when you were talking about, you know, in my own little corner, which which kind of can, on the one hand imply, obviously, that you're keeping to yourself and all of that. But it's also interesting, because it's another connotation of that expression, which is being in your own corner. And I feel like you're doing that. I feel like you're also in your own corner. So it's not that you're just coming out, but that you're like, No, this is for me as much as it is for us.

Chryssie Whitehead: 12:41

I think that that's cool. Yeah, I can agree with that. I mean, this has been healing for me, just to talk about the fact that like, in the first time, I said that I had bipolar disorder, after I launched it and put it on the social media, you should have seen how I felt that day. Like I was just like, Oh, my God, it was the first announcement that I was doing a show and I just, I was so nervous. And then I was like, What are you nervous about? You know, like, what are you nervous about? What is your definition of

Lisa Hopkins: 13:09

living in the moment?

Chryssie Whitehead: 13:13

Living in the moment is really being here. Now. It's like right now as I'm with you, and not thinking about anything else. Other than having this moment in this conversation with you. I have nowhere else I need to be but this gift, this present moment, which I love that too, that it's called a present. It's like a gift. Same thing. Yeah, we really give a gift to someone when we are being present with them. Even if it's on Zoom, you can feel it. Oh, no. And when I am not, I have to be like, I'm sorry, I'm multitasking right now. And I'm not fully here. Give me one second, I want to be here. So I think the present moment living in the present moment is being right here right now. Not in the past, not in the future. And accepting and surrendering to what is

Lisa Hopkins: 14:08

well, it's, it's beautiful. And it's interesting, because when you when you came in, and I pointed out how I perceive you, right, just even without giving, and that will lead to presence. It's funny in the arts, we talk about oh, she's got such presence. She's got the it factor or whatever. And, and you as we know, like, there's, there's everybody there's so much talent, I mean, it's just ridiculous. And I actually yeah, now do I just have access to learning and it's so great. I mean, on the one hand is really incredible, right? Like there's just so much knowledge and stuff, but, but the speed at which people are able to access this mastery, technical mastery of stuff and learning is tough, versus having those moments where there were deep processing goes on on all that, right, which is really interesting. Yeah. But when you talk about that, it factor that sort of essence. Wow, I think of it like an essence, right? I mean, you have it. And you it's funny because and I'm just going to call you out because you do, and you wouldn't need to do. I think I think if you chose to be a rocket scientist, you'd have it. I mean, you happen to choose dance, because you were called for whatever reason, right? But I think no matter what you did, you would show up in the same way. I don't think it's what you're doing. I think it's who you are.

Chryssie Whitehead: 15:37

That's interesting. My mom, my mom used to always I mean, I don't know she did. She used to say to me, she instilled in me. Maybe Doc, you could be if you wanted to be a street sweeper, you would be the best street sweeper that ever was, you wanted to go work at McDonald's, you'd be the best McDonald's worker. She said to me in a very young age, and I never quite, you won't be the President of the United States. She was very thing, but I think that's very kind of you. I think you're right, though, I think we all are born with certain essences truly to our spirit. Right? And what's cool about it is it is all different, some are similar, some are different, but it's what makes the world go round. Because if we all have the same it factor, or if we all had the same calm factor, I mean, think about the people that have such ability to be calm, I mean, I will be spend the rest of my life trying to master calm, you know, and there's moments where I, there's moments, you know, I'm really actively like thinking about it. But I like the fact that we're all so different in different essences, so I don't really, I think the it factor can be a blessing and a curse. I don't like to think of it as the it factor. But I just really enjoy communicating and connecting with other human beings. And I love the truth. I'm really interested in the truth. Like what you just said, it's not what you're doing, it's how you are, I'm gonna have these kinds of conversations. And I'm just gonna sprinkle in some hope, and sprinkling some resources. And just share because I can't say that I can't save anyone. I'm not a clinic, you know, not license, but I can share my story and maybe sprinkle in some hope. That feels really good. More than anything I've ever been able to do. Besides teaching. I love teaching, because I suppose I do the same thing. We do the same thing. When we're teaching, we sprinkle hope. And we shine the light on people's lights. And we say, Oh, don't you see? Oh, you remember, look what you've got there. Oh, there you are. You know. And that's exciting to see when that comes to life. Because we're here so short, right, Lisa? Like, it's, it's done? Like life is really over yesterday. I mean, every day is another day to go. Alright, I got another day I woke up. Okay, how do I do? What do I do with it? Not easy all the time. But

Lisa Hopkins: 18:02

yeah, yeah. Totally. No, no, it's beautiful. And, you know, you just completely illustrated what we're, you know, what I was saying is that, I really believe, you know, like, some of us find it grew what we're doing, but then we think that that's it so that when it's taken away from us, and it was a really good example, and during COVID, where so many people were going Shit, I don't know who I am when I'm not performing. Or, you know, or working at IBM or whatever it is that they do,

Chryssie Whitehead: 18:35

or teaching or Yeah,

Lisa Hopkins: 18:36

or whatever. Right. And in some of us, it was exciting and like, all sorts of things came out because it came out so and no judgment, you know, you know, no disrespect. Yeah, we all had

Chryssie Whitehead: 18:48

such different responses to that time. I was in the mountains in North Carolina, like, completely away from New York City. And I put my head down. I did not breathe. No, we grew Broadway arts community, and we grew everything we possibly could. For me, it was to survive. So whereas I was I admired a lot of people that kind of calmed down. I did not do. Yeah, I took I took it and said, Oh, you're gonna shut me down. No.

Lisa Hopkins: 19:21

I love it. That's awesome. So I'm going to ask you maybe to put humility aside for a minute and ask you to tell me like, beyond what everybody knows about you. What would you say? Are your unique gifts?

Chryssie Whitehead: 19:40

I say my unique gifts are Yeah. i i The word for me is just how much I care. Like I think gift of mine is that I really, really care. Almost too much at a fault sometimes. I think that that's a gift to care of a lot of people find we're all just busy. So people are so busy that we're running out, I'm living in New York City. So, you know. So I would say caring is one of my gifts. And the other gift, I would say, is my ability to create and produce things that I'm proud of. And the other, I don't know if it's a gift, but I would say I really, really am always working on myself. So whatever that word means about working on myself, meaning how can I be a better human because I can be really good with people. Right? And really good. And I think this goes to show for a lot of people, like people who are in the field of work of like social workers, or therapist or pastors, right? You hear this a lot, right? We're people that are really good. And really, and really mean it. And like, I am so in it. And so in the present moment, when I am teaching my students and when I am directing them, when I'm leading people and I really deeply care, there's nothing put on. But I tend to, you know, if we want to be candidly speaking, I tend to have to work harder at being a better human being and partner to my husband, and to my little family unit. Because what happens is, I become a little bit like, I get so much out of my work. But, but I also get so much out of sharing life with my partner, who loves me very much, and who teaches me how to love more. I mean, I think my mom taught me to be self sufficient. I think she taught me to be a little bit selfish, even though she was always about saying, give back, give back, Chrissy give back to your life, talk to your elders, that, you know, she was constantly teaching me, I feel like she was setting me up for me to be in a life without her you know. So I think I'm well equipped, worldly. And I want to be just as well as if not more well equipped with my family, the one that is with me every day, you know. And so I think that that's where the self care and the journaling and meditation and the things for me is like, every day, it's a turn down the devices sit with my husband, you know, so you want to talk about gifts, but I also want to talk about the things that I think it's important that like, for the rest of our lives in the Yang, right? No one's great at all things. You know, I have a business, you know, and, and I do love my business. So when I post and when I do stuff, it's super intentional. But that's not me every day. I can't always be, you know, I mean, yes, I'm, I tried to be an open book. But there's days where I'm crabby. There's days where I'm super sad. There's days where, you know, and I think that that's important to talk about to just in general, like, your highlight reel, and my Hollywood reel looks great. But that is to me, it's only a quarter of what of what life really is. Like you said, I really will walk away from this conversation because I like to know about takeaways. It's like it's not in what I'm doing. It's how I it's, it's how I am. It's just how I am. So you said it's just how you are. And I'll share with you and why I'm so excited about this. The other thing I'm really excited with my 40 plus class that I'm doing at steps, I don't know if you saw this, but I'm teaching a class of 40 year olds and up. And every time before class that I start, you know, I started as grounded and I close our eyes and we take a breath and just get into our heart centered and, and then I just ask an invite for everyone in the room to find a word that they really want to be in that room. You know, do they want to be kind to themselves and to each other? Do they want to be open to they want to be more joyful today? Do they want to be silly, you know, and and really find that word and hold on to that word. So that that can emulate in the class. And for me, I love that stuff. I really I really believe in what I'm saying. And it can be too much for people or it can be I don't know, and that's okay. You know, because I know I'm being authentic. And I know I've seen it really helped people just show up because just showing up to a dance class in New York City. Even for the 20 year olds. The 20 year olds are still feeling the same thing you're feeling. You just had 20 years more experience. Now I get it. We don't want to take class with the 20th. I started this class because I was taking classes with 20 year olds and I was like, and I was working through at least Like I was working through, like, it's fine, and I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm in my own little corner back here and I'm good. You know, and I and I, like did and I would allow myself to let go, but I still had this. Plus I teach and it's like they know I'm a teacher in the class. Like, there's all that around it and to me that in my ability to my ability to create community. That's a gift. A safe community. Yep. So

Lisa Hopkins: 25:30

lucky, lucky people. I think that's incredible. I really do. I think it's wonderful. I'm curious to know, though, you being not 20 anymore, although I think it shows up in both places. But talk to me about your personal experience in your career in your life with with imposter syndrome. Have you experienced that? Do you feel that? How does that show up for you?

Chryssie Whitehead: 25:51

Mm hmm. I think so, of course, I think the imposter syndrome is for any of us who are doing something new. Right? And then we're trying to be in it. So, as a dancer, I never felt like an imposter. Because I was like, I'm a dancer. This is what I do. And by the time I was 18, I was a rocket. Right? And so I felt very strong about my dancing and who I was and that never happened. But man oh man going to school for musical theater. I felt like an imposter. i My voice was very thin. I was like, but I wanted to be a Gwen Verdon type, but I didn't know how to do it. So I went to AMDA. You know, and I really worked my tail off. So I felt like an impostor. But I worked through the imposter syndrome. So I think when I feel like an impostor, it gets me excited to get better and to learn, rather than retreat and be like, I shouldn't be here. And then it happened again. Same thing, I wanted to be an actress on film and television, I went to every acting class you could possibly imagine in Los Angeles and tackled it, like, I love it and took me a long time to get on TV. And then I felt like, I'm you. Like I'm new, right? I'm a new director and choreographer. But I've been doing it educationally for a while. But you get a new job. Like I got my first professional job as director, I joined the Union. So I'm going to be directing and choreographing nonsense, which is really sweet, fun little show down in California and down in Florida. I think of the imposter syndrome and never have looked at it, like I feel like an impostor. I just look at it like, oh, I, this is new to me. Keep going. Because the more and more you keep doing something, you're gonna get better at it. Yeah. And then you won't feel like an impostor. So that's, that's how I am teaching has always been part of my blood. I mean, I've been teaching since. Since 2005, pretty much throughout my whole career. I mean, I've, I've loved it, it has saved it has saved me.

Lisa Hopkins: 27:53

I love that because it sounds like it works for you. It's much like what you said with, you know, when they were going to when they when COVID was gonna shut you down and set you were like, yeah, no, like that. Actually jazz. Which I think is really cool. Yeah, but my

Chryssie Whitehead: 28:09

always looking for the solution.

Lisa Hopkins: 28:11

Yeah, totally. Well, so when you do find a solution, so and you have, right, so like, when you finally broke into television, or acting, or any one of these things that you described, when you actually got there, you know, and actually had proof that you that you did it? How did you operate from that place? Like, was it like, Haha, I've arrived I was right, or is it? Is this maybe this isn't enough? Or there's more to do? Or like, how do you? Yeah, sure. In that,

Chryssie Whitehead: 28:40

ah, I've arrived, I was great. I love that. No, you never feel like you never feel like you arrive. You know, there's always something and that's the that is the that is the what is it the carrot that dangles for all of us as performers. And I find when I say that to students as well, like, at the end of the day, all you're gonna get a job, it's gonna be great. It's not, and you're gonna close, and you're gonna, or it'll end, and you're back at square one. Again, it's the in between. So, film and TV. So I worked very hard at acting, but the training I got, I was very much pulling on my own life. And so it got exhausting for me, because I was I was using my mother's illness and sickness for when I was crying about a boy and Irvingia the bridesmaids like, so it, and I didn't have the confidence yet because I felt like, I felt like I was an imposter on that movie. Because I was like, the new girl and I was number two choice. Like, who's this dancer going to LA to be an actress. Right? Yeah, I mean, and I studied in musical theater. Yeah. And my mom was the one that was like, What are you doing? We spent all your dancer like, what are you doing? And I was like, Oh, you'll see. And I proved to my mom, but it took years. And once I got there, there were all such different roles like I've really played A lot of different roles that I do feel like I like the body of work that I was able that people saw me as and I was a little bit of a chameleon. I went through many different things, I'd either be a chatty Cathy or I was a crying victim, or I was a Koosh bond grim, or I was in a sci fi television show singing. So I look at it, and I go, I'm cool. I'm grateful for the experience of the work that I know what that's like to be on a television set, I will always know what that's like. And it helps me as a teacher, so I think I knew, Lisa, that I wanted to have a body of work as best as I could, because I've always had a good business sense. So I was like, if I don't have a good body of work, people aren't how are they going to trust me to teach them. And I knew I was going to be a teacher of some sort. I didn't know I was gonna have a company. I had no idea. We were gonna have a company. We're now in six years. You know, women run and but I'm very proud of it. Very proud of it. But I think I think I did get to a point where I was like, You know what, I've done this. I don't want to stay here forever trying to get a series regular, because I never got a series regular. And people were like, you know, I, for me, authentically, I do not want to change my face and do things to alter myself so that I look different so that I can stay young in Hollywood. And when I started seeing that, and then when my mother died, the way she died, I I went halt. said this is not what I want to do. I don't know why I want to perform. I don't know. And I stopped. I mean, I did Cassie and of course I am but I was crying every night. And I didn't want to do that. And that's when I That's when I found the criticize. Because I didn't want the pressure of being on stage. Yeah. So

Lisa Hopkins: 31:50

Wow. Thank you for sharing that. That's that's so interesting. So, so interesting. How do you want to be remembered?

Chryssie Whitehead: 32:00

I just wanted to be remembered as love. I want to be remembered as love. That really people felt like being with Chrissy or being in a room with Christie or loving Christie, I felt loved. I felt seen I felt cared about. That's how I want to be remembered. I don't really care about the highlights of my career. It's about who I've met along the way. So that was I would say that.

Lisa Hopkins: 32:32

Well, success. You've already succeeded. You've already achieved that goal. I mean, it's it's beautiful. Yeah, I mean, like I said, we don't know each other that well, but you are definitely living in that value. I mean, it's really beautiful. It's really, really beautiful. Thank

Chryssie Whitehead: 32:49

you. Yeah, I'm back in New York City that helps. Oh, interesting. And back and back where my heart needs to be. Huh?

Lisa Hopkins: 32:58

It is that tell me more about that. Why do you think that is?

Chryssie Whitehead: 33:01

Oh, um, even though my heart is always where it needs to be in my body. I love that I love that my home is my body is my home. I got that from somebody during COVID. Um, so really wherever my heart is, where my body is, is where my home is. But the the wilderness Beyond Mountains, I went down there to be with my husband, because that's where I met him. And we were up here in New York. And then I was doing Chicago on Broadway. And I was ready to go and I was ready for a change. And this was before I got diagnosed. So I was just ready for another drastic change in my life. So we we laugh moved down south and I looked out my window during COVID and I had a mountain for my neighbor and I really didn't see anybody and it was very, I taught on the Cherokee reservation Lisa, I was on a Native American Cherokee reservation for a year and a half, I became a public school drama and dance teacher during this time. I and I directed them and that's where it all my directing work started Shrek into the woods. And Aladdin Jr. I taught middle school in high school, and that was incredible. And I learned a lot and they learned a lot and then COVID Hit in the middle of me doing hairspray for them. I was directing and choreographing that. And then COVID And then during that after about a year of COVID I was like I was teaching online for AMDA and it was like I I think we have to go back like I just might, I gotta be around the people that are like, have similar creative drives and dreams. And I feel like New York is the Mecca and I feel very at home here I always have but I stayed in LA for way in my opinion way too long chasing a acting dream. You know? Yeah, it is what it is. I don't have any regrets because I think that's silly like our lives do what they do. But um, this is I call this the second act so I'm gonna be 43 this year. And there's my second act. I've got her husband we separated for like six months and now We're back on track. We went to Kenya this year last year. And I taught out there and I'm just starting to like, regroup. Like, what is the second act look like? What does it look like with my show? What does it look like with directing and choreographing? And I'm really just kind of open palming it like that. And then like the coaching and the teaching will always, I don't feel like that's going anywhere. That's like my bread and butter, you know? So

Lisa Hopkins: 35:27

the teaching thing really seems like it's at your core, right? It seems like teaching is such a big part of what you do. So I'm super curious. Is there someone or some experience or somewhere in your life that inspired you in this way? Or that model teaching? Or how do you think, where does that come from? Do you think?

Chryssie Whitehead: 35:48

My mom, she taught fashion, she taught modeling. But it's funny, she taught it from the inside out, when she was like, she had a whole thing and an idea of, of me having a studio when they called Light shine, like let your light shine. So I watched her be also a teacher to these young models and help them feel like they can. It was all about the way they walked and carried themselves. It was like a, an after school, like modeling fashion program. So that was cool. I watched her be a teacher and people love her and every now and then I'll get she didn't do a very long, but people loved my mom doing it. And so she was one and then my musical theater mentor, who my very first teacher at AMDA was Elaine Patricof. Since then, she became like my mentor, my coach, my dearest friend. And like, I call her my Jewish mama. She spoke about our wedding and she did the crack and the plates. And then now she's my boss like she has gifted me talk about impostor syndrome. She put me on the musical theater faculty. She was like, I really think you can teach acting now. But see, I wanted to get all these acting gigs so that I could teach acting because I loved it so much. And I wanted, you know, I mean, I knew I wouldn't be able to do it if I hadn't gotten this work. But then she said to me, I just reached out to her about choreographing and she came back to me and said, this was in 2015. That's 35. I was like, I'm moving to New York. She was like, I think, what are your thoughts about joining the musical theater faculty? And I was like, Okay, I have no idea how to like, give songs. I can teach them how to act and tell a story. But she was like, I'll put you with the right person. You'll be fine. I'll coach you. You'll do the exercises. You'll be good. And then it it. I was literally Lisa doing Chicago, eight shows a week and I had an I had a I had a first semester class of three times a week, teaching them for 15 weeks. And I was more excited about going to that class than I was to the show. Yeah, Doug Caldwell, and he had a way of looking at you with his big blue eyes. And he danced like he was dancing in heaven. And I've never met to this day anybody like nobody will but because we're all different. But Doug Caldwell was a special special teacher and person. I know he battled a lot. And that makes me sad. But I he is definitely a big a big influence. So yeah, I've had really great influences in my life. You know, that's cool. I treasure the value of teachers. I mean, it's important.

Lisa Hopkins: 38:23

Yeah. Oh, 100% What's the what's the the best and the worst advice you've ever had from teacher or from anybody for that matter?

Chryssie Whitehead: 38:31

Oh my God, that's a good question. The best advice I ever got, gosh. I don't know about a teacher. I'm more so. I mean, more so my mom like, um, I like this one that she drilled in me a lot. finish what you start, always finish what you started. finish what you started. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Like husband, my husband, Craig. He does that a lot. And I I try to remember that but that you know, judgments are so easier nowadays. I feel like I don't know it's so easy to just be like right off something rather than just just let things be like we're all you know, everybody everybody deserves to be here. So those are the things the worst advice. I don't really know I don't really know of any worst advice.

Lisa Hopkins: 39:26

Okay, can you finish this phrase? Most people think Chrissy Whitehead is dot dot dot but the truth is

Chryssie Whitehead: 39:35

most people think that Christie lie head is a ball of energy. And the truth is, I don't know why I'm thinking this but she still wants love. Like she still need love. Like I feel like sometimes people think of I say this to the show like when is my fun too much, especially before I was diagnosed. I have a hard time. You know, people could probably say because he was oh my god, she's a lot. She's like an energizer bunny. She's got a lot of energy are having fun with it. But she's also got a huge heart, and a lot of love to give. And sometimes she's overwhelming. And then I would just say, and to that. She's also fragile and human just like everyone else. So it needs assurance and kind of thing.

Lisa Hopkins: 40:27

I love it was beautiful. That's beautiful. All right, so we usually finished with what I call a rapid fire. So I'm gonna say what hates you, and then I'll give you a word and then you can just respond whatever comes to mind. What makes you hungry?

Chryssie Whitehead: 40:43

When I was a kid, my mom was pretty poor. And we didn't have anything in our refrigerator. So all I would eat was saltines. And gelati. So now is that I try not to gorge when I'm hungry.

Lisa Hopkins: 40:58

What inspires you?

Chryssie Whitehead: 41:03

My husband, and how he is with people, and how he really cares. My students, the youth, the next generation.

Lisa Hopkins: 41:14

What frustrates you?

Chryssie Whitehead: 41:17

By things frustrate me, I don't know why it's like I'm drawing a blank here. Inflation in frustrates frustrates me. I can't believe these things are in New York City now. And I used to not be that way. And now I'm just like, what's happening here?

Lisa Hopkins: 41:38

What makes you sad?

Chryssie Whitehead: 41:43

When I really miss my mom I really miss my mom. And then my mood disorder will come come in a little bit polar bear. When I feel something's coming on. That makes me sad. Because I'm like, Oh, I don't want to deal with this right now. But I do find my ways of handling it.

Lisa Hopkins: 42:09

Yeah, no kidding. What makes you laugh?

Chryssie Whitehead: 42:14

First, first thing that comes to my mind is Greg has been hastily He's on a business. He's funny. I thought he was a comedian or an actor when he first met him. So he was my server. He was my waiter in Highlands, North Carolina. And he cracked us up with his dry humor. And I was like, Are you a comedian? And we're like, in the mountains? He's like, No, I was like, Are you an actor? And he was like, No. And he's definitely not any of those things. He makes me laugh because be silly.

Lisa Hopkins: 42:42

What makes you angry? My husband that's fair.

Chryssie Whitehead: 42:53

You push it Egon but also push my buttons. Big time inequality. Just inequality in general makes me just super angry about how we cannot all just understand that we all deserve a life that we love and want. And nobody should be in anybody's freaking business bedroom. sexuality, gender. I just don't understand. And I can't wrap my brain around it. So then I get really angry about it. Because I'm like, just let people be.

Lisa Hopkins: 43:20

Yeah. Yeah. And finally, what makes you grateful?

Chryssie Whitehead: 43:24

My help. I'm grateful that my heart and my head and my mind and my, my little puppies are still with me. And we have a roof over our head and and I'm grateful for food. Water.

Lisa Hopkins: 43:42

Yeah. What are the top three things that have happened so far today?

Chryssie Whitehead: 43:47

Top three? Well, I told you one of them. We got a booking inquiry, which is our first one wanting to book us for our show. That was amazing. Um, I got to speak to my music director and my choreographer while we're happily researching our students for the showcase to cast them this week. That was nice. And then walking my dogs because I needed to do that before we have a podcast.

Lisa Hopkins: 44:14

Amazing and what something looking forward to.

Chryssie Whitehead: 44:18

I'm looking forward to. I'm really looking forward to directing my first show nonsense in in March. You know, I'm looking forward to trying on that hat and see how I how I do with that and see if I like it.

Lisa Hopkins: 44:32

I love it. I love it. Chris has been such a joy speaking with you today. Thank you so much for being here.

Chryssie Whitehead: 44:37

Thank you so much, Lisa, this was really cool. I love what you're doing. And I love and I just wish you all the best with it, too. I think it's just incredible.

Lisa Hopkins: 44:46

I've been speaking today with Chrissy Whitehead. Thanks so much for listening. I'm Lisa Hopkins stay safe and healthy everyone and remember to live in the moment. In music stop time is that beautiful moment The band is suspended in rhythmic unison, supporting the soloist to express their individuality. In the moment, I encourage you to take that time and create your own rhythm. Until next time, I'm Lisa Hopkins. Thanks for listening