Alumni Profile: Julie
Actress, head of The Midnight Circus
BFA in acting, class of 1991
Did you intern while in school, and where?
I Interned a summer at The Idaho Shakespeare Festival. I was a performer and had to participate in all of the technical "changeovers". (Four shows ran in repertory, and the interns were required to change all the sets and lights at the end of an evening.)
When you first came to UIUC did you know for sure what you wanted to do as a major/career?
No.
If not, how many majors/careers did you "go through" during your years here and how did you finally come to a choice?
I went through two majors. Initially I was an accounting major in the School of Commerce. I always wanted to pursue a career in theater, but I thought that I should have something to fall back on, so I was set to get my degree in business. Two years in, and many extra-curricular performances later, I realized that if I had something to fall back on, I would in fact do just that. So I switched to the College of Fine and Applied Arts.
What was one UIUC event, memory, person, class, that made a substantial difference in your career choices? during your years here and how did you finally come to a choice?
I went to see a student production at The Krannert Center. I watched the performers, and felt very bad about myself. I remember thinking that here were people who weren't afraid to go for their dreams. I was too young to live in fear. So I left the show, and called my parents and told them I was going to change my major. They weren't pleased at first, but as they came to see me in plays at The Krannert Center, they began to understand that I needed to make that decision.
What was your first job after you earned your degree
I was lucky. My first job was as an actor in a small theater in Chicago.
How did you land your first career related job?
During my senior year, I began auditioning around the country. I would leave school on the weekends and head up to Chicago. I stayed with friends and auditioned. I figured I had nothing to lose. I guess I landed my first job through a combination of trade journals, and networking.
Please list all positions you have held since graduation.
- actress
- voice over talent (I currently provide the voices for many television commercials)
- waitress
- bartender
- circus performer
- choreographer
What is your current occupation and how did you come to it?
I am still an actress. But most of my time is spent running my own performance company in Chicago. The company is called The Midnight Circus, and it is a theatrical circus. My duties in the company require me to act as accountant, director, performer, acrobat, teacher, choreographer, mentor, and a mediator at any given time. I created this job for myself. There were no circus companies in Chicago, and I believed there was a market for it so I saved my money, gathered my friends, wrote a show and produced it myself. It was meant to run for six weeks, and it ran for a full year. I have been doing that ever since. We perform in theaters, and for corporate events and private parties.
If you changed career paths after school, did you make a conscious choice to make the change, was it forced on you or did it naturally evolve?
I didn't really change career paths, but I did specialize. Specifically in circus arts. This happened as I acquired more skills for my acting. I thought if I had more physical skills, it would make me more marketable. It did, but it also made me an acrobat so suddenly I didn't have to only work in theater. I could work in circus too.
What steps did you take in making the transition?
I have never stopped being a student. I think that is the best thing anyone can do after graduating, continue to challenge yourself and grow as an artist.
What advice would you give to an FAA student who might be interested in your current or past careers?
I would say cast a wide net. This career path isn't easy, and there is no set way to make a living as an artist. In order to cast that wide net you need to be flexible and professional.
What advice can you give an FAA student who is currently undecided about their future career?
If you are unsure, just take a risk. You don't have to know what you will be doing 5 years from now. The chances are, if you plan it all out, you'll have to change your plan anyway. Take a chance and jump in...who knows where it will lead you.