Meet Lauren LeBlanc | Actor + Writer

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

Hi Lauren, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
Everything I’ve ever aspired to be–performing and writing, primarily these days–has asked more of me than I thought I had. Both fields are characterized by their near-constant rejection, so I don’t have an answer to this question, really. Except to say that I’ve felt discouraged many times, but never defeated.

My only job, other than the work itself–the drafting, the rehearsing–is to not give up on myself. Giving up on a thing I’ve long dreamed of is the only actual way to know that it won’t work out. So the only option left is keep going, keep going, keep going.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Mostly, I’m a storyteller. In Before Times, that means I’m an actor, telling stories other people have written. Since Covid has stalled out the live entertainment industry, I centered on a different modality, writing. Works I’ve written have been commissioned by theatres in Dallas and Philadelphia, and the long, slow quiet of the pandemic enabled me to finish a children’s novel I’d been tapping away at for two years.

I think the thing that enables me to do this is my ability to observe–I can perform stories and write stories with some proficiency because I am stealing from the world around me all the time.

The hardest-earned lesson for me is the importance of grit and of knowing your worth. I auditioned at a huge theatre in Philly for three years. I was cast as an understudy once, but never made it to the stage. After I left and moved to Dallas, they finally called, ready with a part for me. If I’d let my darker angels win the argument, I would’ve given up on myself long before, and they never would’ve been ready to give me a chance.

Doubt kills more dreams than failure. My only job, other than the work, is to keep going.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
So many fun places! We’d go shopping at the Dallas Farmer’s Market, and grab a drink and a bite at the Truck Yard. We’d go see a show (if those were happening)–maybe this summer’s outdoor production of “The Music Man” at Theatre Three, one of my favorite theatres in town and the place that made me feel most at home as an actor.

We’d go to The Wild Detectives to book shop and beer drink, and then wander through the Bishop Arts district. If they’ve got kids, I’d drive them up to Kidzania in Frisco and then to have brunch at Tupelo Honey. We’d be all over the place!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband, Brian LeBlanc. I wouldn’t have ever written a word or attempted an audition were it not for his unwavering support. And my girls: my life as a creative would not exist if it weren’t for them. When they were born, I finally realized how much it mattered that I try to accomplish my dreams. It’s so important.

Website: www.laurenkleblanc.com

Instagram: @Laurenkleblanc

Twitter: @LaurenK_LeBlanc

Image Credits
Kris Ikejiri, Jeffrey Schmidt