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

Hi Lake, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Both of my parents are theatre artists and growing up, I was always surrounded by other artists from all walks of life: painters, sculptors, designers, writers, performers, dancers, photographers, and makers. I naturally gravitated to it and eventually made intentional choices that supported my artistic path.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
There are many dimensions to my life as an artist and in a way I feel that I lead a double life. One is in Fort Worth, TX (my roots and family), where I was born and grew up and where my artistic seeds were planted on day one, pulling me back year-after-year to my Hip Pocket Theatre family. The other is in Brooklyn, NY (my branches and collaborations) where I have lived since 1999 and where I value deep artistic partnerships that have helped to form me into the artist I am today. I’ve been very lucky. Creativity has always been celebrated in my family. Artistry has always been regarded with great respect and worth. But, it has not been easy and unfortunately, I don’t see that changing. Financial support for the arts and artists has a long way to go in showing that they are valued and a crucial part of the fabric of life. And yet, I keep going, because I have a desire to create. It reminds me of what it is to be alive: to explore, experiment, question, and make discoveries. I’m most excited by my explorations with puppetry and movement. Puppetry invites the viewer to use their imaginations and make-believe that a thing (character figure or object/material) is alive, breathing, and moving. I like pushing the boundaries and redefining what puppetry is and what puppets can do on stage. I see no reason to stop exploring within the medium of theatre. It should not be thought of as stagnant- it is continuous in how it keeps morphing and developing. And I am fortunate to have the playground that is Hip Pocket Theatre in FW as a place that fosters creativity and experimentation.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’ve always wanted to visit all of the galleries in the DFW area. Seeing visual artist’s work is very inspiring to me. I’d also go and see plays at all of the theaters. Each one is unique and full of heart and passion. Oh and music! I want to see and hear local musicians play. Basically I would make it a multi-media art/live music/live performance tour! And of course eating is important for fuel. I’m all about supporting mom and pop establishments and it seems like a ton of new eating spots have popped up. I’d need ask my friend, Meda Kessler, to create a food plan for me. She is in the know!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mom and dad (Diane and Johnny Simons) and also the artistic communities in both Fort Worth and New York City that I am part of.

Website: www.lakesimons.com www.hippocket.org

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

Image Credits
photos by John Carlisle Moore, FW Funky, Ron Jenkins, Joe Waller, Loli Kantor, Quentin McGown, Lake Simons,

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.