Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Pokopac.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Ever since I was little, I was always busy with artistic activities like drawing anime characters, playing piano, rehearsing for my ballet recital, or watching countless movies. Even when playing with my friends, we’d pretend to play house or become exotic animals. Then in high school, I found a passion for acting thanks to the theatre program. There was one semester when I wasn’t in a theatre class, and that was when I realized I hated not being a part of it all. I couldn’t see myself doing anything else besides acting. I continued my studies at Columbus State University and earned a BFA in Theatre Performance, which included two study abroad trips to Florence, Italy, and Oxford, England. Shortly after graduating, I began pursuing film in Atlanta. I eventually gained representation with Houghton Talent and Crackerjack Management and worked with several theatres in town and a few others in the country.
Within the first two years of my experience in both theatre and film, I became concerned about the lack of opportunities for Asian artists. In 2017, my partners (Amee Vyas and Pam Joyce) and I created East by Southeast (formerly known as Unproducible Plays: Year of Asian Voices) which supports and develops Asian artists in Atlanta. Today, I’m happy to say that I’m constantly doing what I love and am excited to see where the future takes me.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Yes and no. Since high school, I struggled with my confidence in being able to make a career out of acting. I didn’t think I could really make it with my “type” because I thought that I wasn’t cast-able nor a look that the majority could relate to. Thankfully, through perseverance and support from my loved ones, I was finally able to make with what I have and never look back. I found the confidence to be authentic and encouragement from my fellow artists.
I’m often never satisfied when it comes to my work, but it encourages room for improvement and a drive that’ll never end. I’m happy to say that I’ve been working ever since college whether it’s theatre shows or film bookings on top of side jobs to keep the steady income rolling. Finding time to schedule many jobs at once can be quite a challenge, but I’m super thankful to have them. Each day, I try and build more and more on how I can reach my next goal by searching or creating opportunities, meeting and collaborating with new people, and traveling to new locations. I’ve found a balance in the pros and cons of casting opportunities for my type. As an Asian actor, I may not have as many casting calls or opportunities for appropriate representation in both theatre and film, but there’s not as much competition here in Atlanta compared to if I were in LA or NY. However, I’m starting to see a lot more inclusive improvements lately with more dynamic “open ethnicity” and “Asian specific” characters instead of the typical refugee or nurse, which is quite exciting!
Most of my experience has been in acting or directing, so when I became a co-producer for East by Southeast, I felt as if I stepped into a whole new world. I believe I can speak for my partners too when I say that we learned an awful lot on how to put together shows and events, let alone a whole festival. Engaging with the community through artistic directors of theatres, board members, actors, playwrights, designers, patrons, and many more became intimidating at first, but in the end was absolutely wonderful and rewarding. I loved getting to know each person, learning about their passions, needs, and wishes on improving our city and the art we create.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
It’s tricky because East by Southeast has become a community/organization that formed over time from a passion project. Originally, my partners and I wanted to challenge the theatre community of Atlanta by exploring why certain plays were considered “unproducible” when it came to Asian stories or characters. We decided to produce three events in which they would feature an Asian story, character or playwright (not necessarily all of the above at once), and then facilitate a talkback with the audience about the work and the issues it would face if produced in Atlanta. We were lucky to team up with some incredible people and theatres to make them happen. Our first was a staged reading of “Art of Gaman” at 7 Stages, which was part of their “Homebrew Series.” Our second was a salon-style, staged reading of “Orange” at Greg and Pola Changnon’s beautiful home. Then, our third event was a whole summer festival in partnership with the Horizon and Aurora Theatre where we featured different Asian artists in theatre, music, and dance with a different program line up for each day. From there, we’ve expanded to being an entity that develops and supports Asian artists in all different forms by creating inclusive opportunities and relationships within the Atlanta community. I’m incredibly proud of the work my partners and I have done in just a year because we never expected it to be this grand and responsive. We’ve been able to help several Asian artists be seen and get connected which has led to fantastic collaborations. Most of all, we’re proud to serve the community in encouraging diverse works and creating a space for Asian artists to grow and feel welcomed. Atlanta didn’t really have a platform to support Asian artists, at least from what I knew in theatre specifically, so I’m happy to serve the community in that way by being one of the first.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Drive. It’s what keeps me curious to try new things and passionate to build upon them. I hope that I will always have room to improve, never reaching my full potential. I love discovering new inspirations and growing from them.
Contact Info:
- Email: mmpokopac@gmail.com and unproducibleplays@gmail.com
- Instagram: @pokopac and @east_x_southeast
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eastxsoutheast/?ref=bookmarks
Image Credit:
Amee Vyas, Pam Joyce
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