Stacie Boord is the CEO and a featured performer of Columbus\' Shadowbox Live, the nation\'s largest resident theatre ensemble. Recognized for her larger-than-life personality and as a powerhouse rock, blues, and musical theatre vocalist, her career spans over three decades. In addition to appearing in over 10,000 Shadowbox Live performances, her work has been critically acclaimed by local and regional critics alike. In addition to being one of the troupe’s most popular meta-performers, Boord pioneered all the Fundraising, Community Relations, and Education efforts. Boord has spearheaded groundbreaking and nationally recognized arts education programs such as STEM Rocks the Box, The Summer Arts Immersion Program, & The Artistic Sign Language Course with Columbus State Community College.

Today, Stacie joins me to share her life story and explain how she came to run Shadowbox Live. She talks about the role music had in her childhood and how she was initially scared of performing only to audition for her first musical and land the lead role. Stacie shares what it was like working with Stev Guyer, the founder of Shadowbox, and how she learned to run every aspect of the theater. Stacie also opens up about the difficulty of being an artist and how it is not a profession she recommends for many people. She also talks about the youth education programs Shadowbox Live runs and how she helps young performers find their confidence in pursuing theater.

“There\'s so much power in just moving forward. Don\'t stop. Don\'t stop. I mean, you can pause, reassess, maybe change your direction, but you don\'t stop.”

- Stacie Boord

“We\'re all on our own path. Some paths are a lot rockier and a lot hillier than others, and nobody has a smooth path. I don\'t care what they tell you. Nobody has a paved path.”

- Stacie Boord

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

●   How Stacie got started performing in theater

●   The people in Stacie’s life that helped encourage her to pursue music as a career

●   How Stacie learned to run the business side of Shadowbox Live

●   The difference between singing operatically and contemporarily

●   Why the operatic “story” did not resonate with Stacie

●   How Covid changed the work structure for Shadowbox Live

●   The artistic practice and why it’s difficult to be an artist

●   What Stacie hopes she can do to help aspiring performers

●   Stacie’s work with the Maryville Women’s Prison

Mentioned Resources:

·    Delivering Happiness, by Tony Hsieh

Connect with Stacie:

·    Shadowbox Live

·    Shadowbox Live on Facebook

·    Shadowbox Live on Instagram

·    Creative Mornings

·    Getting the Brand Back together

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

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