Today we’d like to introduce you to Dana Powell.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I moved from Springfield, MO when I was 23 years old to pursue my career in acting. I was actually following a boy (my now husband) thinking he was going to dump me as soon as he rescued me from my small town. I was working at a news station, editing the nighttime news, thinking that was a ‘realistic’ answer to the ‘dreams’ I had of pursuing acting. That couldn’t have been further from the truth and makes me laugh to think about now!
Dan Tipton was selling cars at the local Acura dealer with a Masters in Theatre. Someone he knew was touring with “Les Mis’ in Germany and had a heart attack on the sidewalk at 22 years old. He decided he had to leave and pursue his dreams. I felt like this boy thought I was so talented that he needed to rescue me but I told my parents he might dump me when we got there. I asked them to not let me move home for a year. One of the first things I did in Los Angeles was a play that Tommy Davidson opened for and he told me ‘One day I’m gonna be at home watching YOUR show on TV.’ He will never know how long his words kept me going. I will forever be grateful.
I ended up taking improv and sketch classes at places like lowest, The Groundlings, UCB, and eventually teaching and performing regularly in comedy theaters around Los Angeles. In the beginning, I always held down a day job while my husband got started in the business. Eventually, I was performing regularly in the Groundlings Sunday Company, and working occasionally on TV. All the while I nannied for families, sold semi-precious handmade jewelry in small boutiques, taught and coached improv while honing my skills as a performer.
As time passed I slowly built relationships, had public performances, and began to accrue small television credits. I quickly realized that I wanted to have more skills and longevity in this industry so I partnered with a friend, and amazing director Paul Emerson, to began creating branded content while also pursuing my own dreams as a creator and producer as well. I’ve never doubted for one moment that I wasn’t pursuing what I was supposed to do in life. I see California as an endless place of hope. I used my history of not being the most likely to succeed, a kind of the invisible and shy kid, as the impetus to make something of myself and prove that I wasn’t invisible at all.
Mostly to myself. My husband and I both moved to California without any previous hookups or opportunities and have made an incredible life, family, and respectively successful careers for ourselves. Self-made, self-inspired, and living a life we had only dreamed of when we were young.
Has it been a smooth road?
No. I’m not the quintessential ‘Hollywood Starlet’. I am a plus sized actress and people sometimes have a hard time seeing how I fit into the Hollywood setting. I also struggle with people on the internet deciding it’s okay to be mean about how I look and what they think about it, which is demoralizing.
I also kind of had to find my own way of how to break into the industry. I wasn’t the kid that got representation right away. In fact, the bulk of my career was built without any kind of agent or manager. Mostly word of mouth about a silly funny redhead that might be good for a project! Casting directors don’t really care if you have representation. They want the best person to present the project! That’s everlasting hope for those out there struggling to find their open door into the industry!
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Obviously, I am an actress so that is almost one business of and to itself. I also have written branded content for companies and eventually partnered with my friend of 18 years and director, Paul Emerson, to create our own production company. While making some income with branded content we also continue to create and produce content that will further our careers as independent film/content makers as well.
I am most proud of the high-quality content we have been able to provide. I’m also proud that as a woman, and a comedy creator, I’ve been able to acquire the skills to create and produce fantastic, and original content, that rivals million dollar ad agencies.
My voice as a comedian, and a woman, along with Paul’s individual life experience and skill, combine to create materials that have a wonderfully relatable and enriching viewer experience, often on a narrative level. Narrative content is what makes us all feel like we are not alone in this world experience and sometimes that seems to be forgotten in the age of viral content we live in right now.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I recently had the pleasure of coming to San Diego for several days to shoot a short film by San Diego native Kai Collins. She and I both were connected to The Groundlings Theatre at one point or another and she had seen some of my work as an actress, thankfully. She is known for being one half of a female, up and coming, directing duo with Deena Adnar. They were the brilliant directors behind things like ‘Cannabis Moms Club’ and content for Elizabeth’s Banks’ online company ‘Whohaha.com’.
I found everyone there a delight to work with and saw that everyone was absolutely ecstatic to help their native friend do the best she could to create an amazing piece. It was inspiring and lovely. People were reaching out to her at all times to see if there was a way they could help. I found it so refreshing and felt like it was an honor to be a part of a project an entire city came together to make happen.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.chowtowncomedy.com
- Email: chowtown@gmail.com
- Facebook: @ChowTownComedy
- Twitter: @ChowTownComedy
Image Credit:
Eric Yang – http://www.ericyangdirector.com/photography/
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
