Meet Hannah Fisher | Acting Studio Rockwall Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hannah Fisher and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hannah, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Theater and the performing arts has been my greatest passion since I was 7 years old. When I thought about my future and what it would entail, the part that was crystal clear was that there was nothing else that I wanted to do every single day. The most obvious path to that goal was to get my degree in Acting and head straight for New York City, but as I sat in my closet sized dorm room my Freshman year of college and contemplated the question of my “survival job” (the one that would pay the bills between performance contracts if I was lucky enough to land them), I started to contemplate if that obvious path was the only one. That got the wheels turning. How could I make a living doing what I love to do every day? I began pursuing a minor in the College of Business to accompany my major in acting and set my sights on a way to combine the two. Aside from marrying my wonderful husband, opening the Acting Studio Rockwall was the easiest “YES” of my adult life. The Studio provided an opportunity to not only fulfill my passions and reach the goals set for myself, but also to give back to the art in greater ways than I had considered possible. The Studio brand had already paved the way at the three locations preceding Rockwall to creating a place where the next generation of artists would have the opportunity to discover their passions and for children who wanted to perform for fun would have a place to do so in an environment that strives towards pushing each student to be bold, be daring, and to be themselves! Opening my own business allowed me to create my own path to achieving the future that I had set out to find.Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The Acting Studio Rockwall is a children’s theater with a mission to teach “life skills through stage skills,” meaning that our objective is to teach students to not only be proficient, professional performers, but to concurrently help them grow into a well rounded individual who can contribute to society outside of the theater. Our training program put’s the focus on the work rather than the finished product and emphasizes that you learn just as much from mistakes as from triumphs, so whatever you do, make it full out. Each students’ journey is unique and we have found that their greatest success comes from our recognition of that in holding space to listen to those needs in whatever way they may be communicated. Much of where I am today business wise is thanks to one of our founders, Shane Peterman, and his guidance and mentorship. From my time as a student, to an intern, to an instructor, and now an owner, Shane has taught me and helped me through so many aspects of the business including leadership and conflict resolution. Particularly through several hurdles during our first few years, I was so grateful to have Shane to lean on and learn from given his 10 years prior experience in running a Studio of the same model. I was particularly proud of our company when the COVID-19 pandemic introduced an unforeseen obstacle to our path. Our team came together to develop a plan that continued to fulfill the needs of our students while allowing for safety and the protection of our students and staff through a virtual learning environment. The Acting Studio brand is one that strives to provide a professional experience and environment for our performers and students who just so happen to be children, and built from the foundation laid by our founding team: Shane and Erica Peterman and Kellie Carroll, I have been so proud to be able to continue to bring just that to the Rockwall community.If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting the area there are so many fun things I would take them to see and do!! Let’s start with Rockwall because of course I would want to show them all of the fun places that you can find right around the Studio. You can’t beat the views of Lake Ray Hubbard when you visit the shops and restaurants at the Harbor. There are plenty of amazing places to grab a bite to eat at the Harbor, but my recommendation would be to stop by Boots Burgers, a local favorite still doing things the same way they did when they opened in 1968, and grab a picnic to eat while you enjoy lunch on the lake! Who knows, you might just catch an Acting Studio Rockwall production at the amphitheater while we continue to adjust for social distancing and other COVID-19 measures. As a dog lover, anywhere I can take my pup Barrett is a huge plus, so I would highly recommend a day in Downtown Dallas at Klyde Warren Park as well. You can usually find events, food trucks, and plenty of ways to support local businesses and programs at Klyde Warren, which is always a plus! Maybe cap off the evening with one of the endless restaurant options off of Belt Line in Addison for dinner and a show by WaterTower Theatre at the Addison Theater Center. Lastly, for the full Texas experience, I always make sure to take my out of state friends to the Fort Worth Stockyards for some history and a true Tex-Mex margarita followed by a trip through Sundance Square to the place where I first fell in love with watching stories brought to life on the stage, Bass Performance Hall. Even if you can’t make it for a show, Bass Hall’s iconic 48 foot sculpted angels are a sight to be seen that always spark memories to remind me of the magic and inspiration that live theater can bring to the heart of a young artist.The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My story is unique because the largest factor to my success with the Acting Studio, has been the Acting Studio. Prior to opening my own location, I spent my own years as a student inside the green walls of the original Studio location in Grapevine. Shane and Erica Peterman and Kellie Carroll truly put their heart and souls into each child that steps inside a Studio location. Their dedication has inspired me through so many stages of my life, as a student, as a college student, as an instructor, and now as a Studio Owner myself. The efforts, love, and mentorship of Shane, Erica, and Kellie has had an impact on so many students over the years, and I feel so blessed to have been one of them. There have been countless other instructors and mentors who have had great impact over the years, and my story would be incomplete if I left out the most notable few, Jill Lord who sparked my love for all things theater and taught me so incredibly much, Dr. Tim Koch who was so much more than a voice teacher to me during my college years, and Emily Nalepa for always supporting my dreams and teaching me so much about strength and perseverance through her own journey. I am so grateful for each individual who played a part in in my journey and provided the pieces that I have been able to use to find my own way to (hopefully) do the same for my own students.

Website: www.actingstudiotx.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theactingstudiotx/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ActingStudioTX

Image Credits
David Pearlman Photography Sunnybrook Studios Tyler Lyons Photography Allison Schnurr Photography