To say I had a good time with Jennifer Walls would be an understatement. We laughed, talked about The Labyrinth and geeked out over 8-tracks tape players. Jennifer is one of those relationships where we are friends on Facebook but have never really spent any time together. I do, however, respect her work and she is someone who I have wanted to get to know better. We both went to the same post-secondary performance program but were in different years, we both teach and host our own shows and we hang in similar social circles but have never really had the chance to work with one another. I am grateful that I had the chance to sit down with her and get to know one another on a deeper level.
There are many reasons that I enjoyed my time with Jeni but mostly it is the authenticity factor and willingness to be vulnerable. Really vulnerable. I think that is what makes her such a great host of her Monday night show in Toronto at Statlers, Singular Sensation: A Musical Theatre Open Stage. Her ability to wear her heart on her sleeve and share her own insecurities and challenges with the audience allows people to feel comfortable to take risks in a very public forum. Jeni said something that really resonated with me in regards to taking risks “I think it is important for people to fail in a safe space”. I could not agree more. It’s kind of like falling flat on your face with training wheels on. You get what it’s like to experience the real thing without out any of the ramifications of failing. Jeni’s aim with Singular Sensation is to is to create a safe space for anyone at any levels who loved musical theatre to get up try a new tune and become a part of the vibrant music theatre community in Toronto.
So go check it out! (info below)
In this episode:
- how she first came to realize she had depression and anxiety and what you need to look for
- The importance of taking time off as an artist
- The importance of having a good mentor/mentors
- Why it’s important to fail. Especially if you are a perfectionist
- Why we need to be fluid in our creative journey and desires.
Jennifer Walls: The Road To Authenticity And Becoming A Grown Ass Woman
A little about Jennifer:
Jennifer Walls is a Toronto based performer, producer, and voice-over actor.
As a musical theatre performer, she has shared the stage with Ben Vereen, Rebecca Caine, Colm Wilkinson and Andrew Lloyd Webber. She has performed at the Victoria Playhouse Petrolia for the past four seasons and has also played leading roles in a wide variety of musicals including RENT, Beauty And The Beast, The Wizard of Oz and number of Canadian premiers including Reefer Madness and High Fidelity the musical as well as the Dora Award-nominated original musical review Off-Broadway, On Stage. She was also a finalist in the CBC hit show How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? Jennifer has earned critical acclaim for her portrayal of Liza Minnelli in her one-woman show Liza Live! as well as for her rock cabaret Jagged Little Me, an autobiographical journey through Alanis Morissette’s iconic 1996 album. She has also produced a number of solo shows and cabarets as well as several sold out events for both the Toronto Pride and Toronto Fringe Festivals. She is the host/producer of SINGular Sensation, Toronto’s premier weekly musical theatre open stage that recently celebrated their sixth year in the city. She has also hosted events for Second City Toronto, The Musical Stage Company and Theatre Passe Murielle. Most recently Jennifer was featured on the cover of NOW Magazine and named an”artist to watch” by the Globe and Mail for her roles in four Toronto Fringe productions as well as her contributions to theatre and cabaret in Toronto. As a voice actor, she has voiced recurring character on a number of animated series’ including PBS’ Peg+ Cat and Amazon’s Creative Galaxy and she is currently the voice of Family Jr. When not on stage or behind the mic, Jennifer is a teacher teaching voice, dance, and voice over to young people and is the proud owner of two beautiful bunnies.
Connect with Jennifer!
Twitter:
Instagram:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Singularsensationmondays/
Did you enjoy the podcast?
What spoke to you the most today? Let me know by leaving a comment below!
