By Shelby
Tansil
When an
actor walks into the audition room, she is trying out for not one but two
roles. First, she must prove she fits the character role the casting director
is hoping to fill. Second, she must prove that her personal character is a good
match for the hiring company. Does she have enough confidence? Will she get
along well with the other actors and staff? She auditions for the role as both
an actor and a human being.
How can
actors prepare for these dual roles? One option is to hire an acting or
audition coach. However, if an actor feels prepared for the character role but
wants to work on her confidence or other personal qualities, working with a
life coach is another great option.
In her
upcoming workshop, Ready, Set,
Audition! The Actor's Workshop for Confidence and Success, life coach
Noreen Sumpter will help actors and non-actors alike to overcome insecurities,
shift negative thought patterns and live fully self-expressed. Recently, I
spoke with Noreen to learn more about the workshop and how she empowers people
to live life their way:
ST: Why don’t you start out by
describing your workshop?
 | |
| Noreen Sumpter |
NS: The
aim of the workshop is to work and play at the same time. I feel that we learn
better when we’re laughing and having a good time. I am going to create some
exercises that they would not ordinarily expect. I also want people to feel
free to talk about what their concerns are, like when they go to meetings, or
go for an interview, or go for an audition. What is the structure? What’s going
on? What are they experiencing? Then I want to ask the question from a
different point of view. I want to ask, if they were to interview or audition
and they had nothing to fear, nothing to hide, nothing to protect, or nothing
to defend, what could interviewing or auditioning look like?
ST: Who do you think will most
benefit by attending?
NS: I
think that everybody who signs up for the workshop can benefit from it, whether
they’re interviewing or auditioning, or whether they’re just going for their
life and they want to build up a bit more confidence and get a sense of who
they are.
ST: What are the main tools you
hope people will take away from this specific workshop?
NS: That
they’re good enough. [As an actor], you want one job, you want one movie. And
though you might not get that movie, I want you to have the confidence to keep
moving.
ST: This workshop is just one of the unique services that you offer as a
life coach. In 2005, you founded the Live Life Your Way Program. Could you tell
me more about how that program works?
NS: It’s
really for people who are lacking in confidence in certain areas of their life.
They might be looking for new jobs, new positions, new careers…I help them
create those things. I also work with the people who just need a little
tweaking. They’ve been doing what they’ve been doing consistently and they just
need to hear themselves. I’m a reflector; I reflect back to them what they’re
working toward.
ST: Do you have any advice for
people who want to change their lives but do not feel ready to make that first
step?
NS: Well,
you’re never going to be ready. There’s no right time, there’s just the time to
make the first step. You’ve got to take that first step in faith.
ST: What made you want to become a
life coach?
NS: The
truth is, I didn’t set out to be a life coach. I was a realtor for 15 years.
But I’ve always been that person that supports people to really go after what’s
important to them, what they care about. So, when I was a realtor, those are
the kinds of conversations that I used to have with people. I would ask, “What
do you do for a living?” and I found that the majority of people did not like
their jobs. They weren’t happy with their jobs or with what they were doing.
But they were afraid to make those moves.
I’m all
about people being happy. If you’re happy doing your work, your talent, then
that is contagious. It gets passed on. Everybody has a passion, everybody has a
talent. And that is something that I strive to support. That’s my hope for all
of us – that we do what we love and we live life our way.
ST: In your 12 years as a life
coach, what is one of the most inspiring experiences that you’ve had?
NS: I
can’t believe it’s been 12 years! Well, it’s like that old adage. We teach what
we need to learn for ourselves. I think I’m the epitome of that. It’s great to
know that I am constantly learning and growing and flowing. That’s something
that I will pass on to my clients. And it’s great to see somebody benefitting
from my work with them.
ST: That’s wonderful. It must be
great to have the feeling that you’re making a difference in your clients’
lives.
NS: Yeah.
And the kind of difference I’m making – it’s not like I’m telling people what
to do. I don’t have your answers. You have your answers. My job is to help you
ask the right questions, so that you can see it for yourself and then go forth
and create the action. Because if I tell you what to do, you’re going to be
living my life. I don’t want you living my life. You should have your own life.
ST: You’re kind of like a match
that lights the fire inside of someone else.
NS: It’s
like I help you create and then manifest that thing that you want. I can help
you pull out your vision.
ST: As a young woman relatively new
to the workforce, I am inspired by your dedication to empowering women of all
ages in their careers. You recently were elected to the board of the National
Association of Women Business Owners. Can you tell me what your role will be
like?
NS: I’m
the Vice President of Membership Engagement. So, I’m the one who is going to
keep people engaged and participating in our organization. NAWBO is a
40-year-old organization created by women back in the days when women were not
able to get loans without a man. It also has a political arm aimed at shifting
the workforce for women and bring women’s rights to the forefront. We also
offer programs and educational opportunities for people to help grow their businesses
and grow themselves.
ST: Have you been involved with the
organization for a long time?
NS: No, I
haven’t been involved with them for long. I’m also a member of Business
Networking International and the Vice President of the Business Referral Group
with the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce. So, I’ve been involved with groups
empowering people for quite some time. I actually met one of the women [from
NAWBO] at the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce. She asked me, “What is your vision
and what are you looking to do?” I told her and she said, I think that we would
be a great organization to help you grow yourself and your organization.
One of the questions I had at every meeting when I first joined the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce was, “Where are the other black people? Where are the other people of color?” They were missing. And the more I went, the more I asked the question until one day it was like, Nor, it’s you. You have to get up. And you have to be a part of this. And you have to stand up and make this happen. And that’s sort of been my call.
I’m not
interested in being the lone black girl in any group. Or seeing a lone black
girl or lone white girl in any group. I’m for true diversity. Each and every
one represented. Each and every one having a seat at the table.
ST: Do you have any advice for
women who are thinking about opening their own businesses or pursuing
entrepreneurial endeavors?
NS: One:
It’s not easy. Two: Make sure it’s something that you really are interested in
and care about. It’s important that if the money’s not coming in, the love of
what you do, what inspired you to keep moving, is still there. It’s really
important to have the passion because the passion gives you drive and it gives
you energy.
ST: Is there anything else you want
readers to know?
NS: Well, I
came here [to the United States from Southeast London] in 1985. Sixty bucks in
my pockets. I came for love. I met my husband and said, you know what? Just
jump. I settled with him and was in love until we got divorced. Divorce is usually
ugly. But, you know, I came for love and I jumped because I wanted to. And when
it came time to leave that marriage, I jumped again. Life is a series of
jumping. Not sitting in and feeling sorry for yourself or making yourself wrong
or making the other person wrong or making the job wrong. It’s looking at
what’s important to you, what you care about and what you want, so that when
it’s time for you to take that jump, you know that you don’t have to look
behind you and have regrets. You just have to choose something and stand in
that choice. And that’s why I coach and why coaching is so important to me.
ST: Finally, as a theatre employee
and enthusiast, I have to ask, what is your favorite play or musical?
NS: Oh, West Side Story! Love that show. Little Shop of Horrors is pretty good
too.
Noreen Sumpter is an experienced
life coach with a Personal Life Coaching Certificate from New York University
and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the College of New Rochelle. She
currently resides in Brooklyn and helps people from all over the world to own
their voice, speak their truth and live life their way.
JOIN US AT NOREEN’S WORKSHOP:
Ready, Set, Audition! The Actor's Workshop for Confidence and Success
423 West 46th St, New
York, New York, 10036
Fee: $35 in advance online
$40
at the door (cash only)
To Register for the Workshop Click Here
CONNECT WITH NOREEN:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/noreensumptercoach/
Phone: 917-945-5907
Call
today for a free 15-minute Complimentary Hello Call and learn how the Live Life
Your Way program can help you.
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