Claire McConnell chatted about being a performer in the digital age, her daily motivations, and her future plans.
How does it feel to be an actress in the digital age?
We have found that using the digital age to our advantage has boosted our industry well. Social media is one of the best places for shows to be seen and heard.
I’ve noticed that people are seeing shows by word of mouth these days more than they are because they saw an ad for it.
People are paying premiums for no ads in their streaming services and as ad blockers, so it is fantastic that we have started to invite theater fans to be the voice of theater.
As an actress, self-taping is not new. Self-tapes have been around for a while. Since the pandemic arose, they’ve become the primary way of auditioning. I like a self-tape. It allows me to film on my own time, which is fantastic because, as an actor, we are always running around doing 10,000 jobs.
I don’t always have the time to go and sign up for the lists and wait in the rooms. That being said, I do miss the connection you get to make with the person behind the table in a live audition room. You can have a conversation; we can feel each other’s energies.
Something about being in person at an audition makes me feel accomplished. I think many people expect polished performances these days because of the self-tape era.
With a self-tape, I can record multiple times until I’m satisfied with what I’ve done. I get one chance in a live audition room. I’ve gotten to a point now that I only give myself three takes, and I have to be finished.
Social media is also super helpful as an actor. I don’t think everyone needs every social media, but I do believe every actor needs some sort of online presence, whether that is Instagram, Tiktok, a website, YouTube, or anything like that.
We are the CEOs of our own businesses, and our business is ourselves. We have to market our crafts and talents somehow.
Over the last five years, I’ve seen actors stepping into the digital world by presenting their talents and being met with fantastic opportunities. The grind looks different from before the pandemic, and the digital footprint is being looked at closer than before.
I think the hardest thing about it is remembering that my journey and path towards my goals look different from those I see on my feed.
Social media shows the highlights, and I love seeing my friends and people succeed. But sometimes, you have to step back and remember that your journey will not be the same as the person you’re scrolling past. What is meant for you will not pass you by.
What motivates you each day?
Motivation is hard to find these days with all of the outside forces. I think what keeps me going is still having that spark that young me had when I saw theatre at Blumenthal in Charlotte, NC, growing up. I still feel that magic sometimes when I enter a theater.
The passion and joy people are putting onto that stage day in and day out is inspiring. I still want to be that performer that someone sees and says, “that, I want to do that.” I get the pleasure of watching my friends living out their dreams, highs, and lows.
Sometimes, I’ll be in a theater watching a show, or I’m watching videos of my friends or folks on social media, and I’ll find myself thinking, Man, I still want that. I want to play dress-up and make-believe for funzies. Pull people into new worlds or make statements about what we, as artists, find important. It’s like Disney magic.
It never went away for me. It’s changed as I’ve aged and matured, but it’s still there. 3
You also have a passion for photography… How did that come about?
I started photography when I was younger. A friend of mine at the time was a professional photographer, and we would go out with her cameras. I learned about composition and lighting by taking photos of trees and street signs.
I got a camera somewhere in middle school and didn’t touch it until high school. But I started photographing the productions at my high school (while simultaneously being in them) and really enjoyed getting to be creative in that way. I love the idea of capturing a moment to hold onto forever.
It’s a love I have outside of theater that I know will always be there. I was never gifted with the talent of drawing or painting, so I suppose this is a form of visual art that I like.
I always say that a dream would be to have my photography as my full-time job that pays the bills so that I have time to do the auditions, and if I book something, I can still take the photography with me. Being in love with what you do for a job is the dream.
How did it feel to be a part of “Broadway Goes Bossa”? (What did you love most about it)
I was asked to photograph Broadway Goes Bossa only a week before the show, so I wasn’t a part of that process. But it combined two of my favorite things: Broadway and jazz. I love jazz; it is probably my favorite style of music.
My good morning playlist consists of Samara Joy, Stella Cole, Caity Gyorgy, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole…the list goes on. So I was excited when I found out what I would be photographing.
The talent of that cast is out of this world, and it was a joy to reconnect with some of my friends at the concert. I love taking Broadway songs we know and love and changing them up.
Third Reprise does something similar, just a different genre. My favorite part of the show was probably seeing my friend Alyssa Wray close the night out. She’s fantastic.
How does it feel to be a part of the digital age? (Now with streaming, technology, and social media being so prevalent)
It’s tough. to be honest. You have to really consider what you’re putting out onto the interwebs these days. It can all come back to haunt you or help you succeed. It’s been fantastic when it comes to receiving news. I get my news more from social media than I do from watching the news.
I think we as a society have lost a lot of empathy, though. We’re hiding behind glass and apps; no one sees the whole picture anymore, especially in the entertainment world.
We see highlights of someone’s career and the perfect take of a song or monologue that took days, weeks, or even years to prepare.
Social media definitely takes a toll on the brain. I go there to see what my friends are up to and escape. I’ve crafted my feeds brick by brick so that I’m getting important news and lots of dogs and cats. I have met so many of my friends here through social media.
So, I am grateful for that. Some folks we would not have met had it not been for social media. There are pros and cons. I am a master doom scroller. But I love its networking aspect, especially in the theatre world.
What do your plans for the future include?
Long-term, I have no idea. At this point, I’m taking things one week at a time. I audition when I can. I take classes and voice lessons when possible—just trying to thrive and survive.
I would love to say that I have so many things lined up, but I don’t, and that’s just the life of an artist.
I have a podcast where I interview my friends about the industry I love doing, so I’ll probably try to get a few episodes this year. Of course, I’m sure I’ll be photographing a concert here or there.
Other than that, I hope to see some good theater this season. Pet some cute dogs on the street.
I plan on staying up to date with what’s going on in the world and using my voice for what I believe is right. Social media has also been great in that sense. Seeing action and taking action.
What is your advice for young and aspiring artists?
Oh, I have so many things. I first want to say that if you’re making art and sharing your talents with your community, you are an artist. Aspiring is for those who dream of doing it one day. But you’re no longer aspiring if you’re doing it, paid or not.
As Ariana DeBose once said, you’re doing the thing. I think my advice is what everyone hears all the time, but it’s true: to walk in and be yourself. If you’re auditioning, then win the room. That’s all you need to do. The rest will come.
We don’t need another Idina Menzel; we already have one. What do you bring to the art? What do you bring to the character? I want to see you. Show up for yourself the same way you show up for your friends. Celebrate yourself.
Cara Rose DiPietro gets an audition treat after every audition and shared that with her followers on social media. It’s such a nice little trend that I’ve seen others adopt in their daily lives.
Regardless of whether you won or tanked the audition, you still did the audition. You got up, prepped the material, sat in a room with many other people, or maybe set up 10 books and a box with a ring light and your phone, and you did it. You deserve a treat after that. That is a win.
Celebrate all of the small things. We don’t get a lot of big wins in life. So celebrate yourself now and then. Be nice, be kind, love hard, take risks, and remember that your journey is yours.
Don’t compare yourself to others. That will just hold you back from your full potential.
What does the word success mean to you?
Success means I’ve shown up for myself in whatever way I need to that day. When I was younger, Broadway meant success. That was the only thing that meant success. And that can’t be further from the truth.
Success means you accomplished something you put your mind to, but that could be getting out of bed in the morning and going to the gym because you said you were going to the night before.
We give ourselves these vast goals and forget that there are smaller ones that can and need to be met to reach that higher goal.
If I can do something that makes me feel accomplished, even if that means doing my skincare correctly in the morning and at night, I will take that as a win. I succeeded in a goal I set for myself.
Getting myself prepped and ready for an audition and then going to that audition? Success. You will find me getting a hot chocolate or sushi somewhere right after that.
We connect success with money oftentimes, and that’s fine. I would consider myself successful if I were being paid a pretty penny to sing and dance all day. But success doesn’t have to equal money.
It can equal happiness and the feeling of self-worth. Whatever it is, you should define it.
To learn more about Claire McConnell, follow her on Instagram and visit her website.
