Today, we’d like to introduce you to Heather LaForge.
Hi Heather, we’re thrilled to have a chance to hear your story today. Before we get into specifics, please briefly describe how you got to where you are today.
I come from a family of storytellers. Not only am I the daughter, granddaughter, niece, and daughter-in-law of librarians, but my mother was also a storyteller professionally, and my father was the master of the campfire tales. Storytelling is in my blood. While studying theatre in college, I was encouraged by Dr. Geoff Proehl to direct and pursue my Ph.D. in the field. Years later, after graduating with my doctorate and directing youth theatre, I co-founded Groundworks Theatre with Katrina DeRoche. Our goal is to train artists for a solid foundation in theatre by developing core skills, enriching drama education, and encouraging exploration of stories. Alongside my work at Groundworks, I am an acting coach specializing in audition and character prep. A good script gives an actor and director everything they need. Our job is to trust the text and to tell the story to the best of our ability. We are all storytellers.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story. Has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Artists have long learned to pave our way in the world. When I graduated with my Ph.D. in 2008, theatre jobs dried up. So, I pivoted and found I love teaching theatre to young artists and adults. When we started Groundworks in 2019, we had yet to learn the world would shut down 8 months later. However, as artists, we shifted and opened up our classes to be more conducive to the online medium.
Every bit of my work as a theatre artist has been different and more fulfilling than I could have planned or expected. When Groundworks was looking for an outdoor space to perform our summer intensive in 2021, a friend opened their expansive yard to us, and I taught Shakespeare to students outside for three consecutive summers. We turned this beautiful backyard into a theatre, and our students performed shows of how Shakespeare and his troupe of actors performed- out in the elements with the sky as their ceiling. Our friends’ generosity allowed us to continue to do our work and taught our students that theatre can be performed anywhere. My acting coaching started with a student reaching out. Her bravery in requesting private lessons reminded me how much I love working one-on-one with actors. I had one student whose mother was going through cancer treatments during covid. Right before the pandemic hit, this student realized she wanted to pursue acting in college, so she contacted me when our classes had to close down. I coached her weekly via Zoom until her mother was healthy and vaccines were available. This student didn’t allow the pandemic to get in the way of her growth. She asked me for help, and we made it work. Artists are scrappy; we find a way to keep moving forward even when the world seems to ask us to do otherwise.
Thanks for sharing that. Can you tell us more about your work next?
I am a theatre artist, director, educator, and coach. I love working with actors who want to grow in their craft and expand their knowledge of theatre and how it impacts the world. With my coaching and directing, I believe in using the text as the grounding force for the work. Every choice we make as the words on the page must solidly justify artists. As such, I spend time with my clients discussing the plays and texts they are working on. We discuss context and punctuation, looking at all the clues provided by the playwright. I want my students to feel confident in their performance and ability to explore the text thoughtfully. I also wish for actors to leave my coaching sessions with tangible skills they can apply to performance opportunities. I aim to give practical feedback while allowing the artist room for their take on a character, scene, or monologue. My coaching is tailored to each actor, as everyone brings unique qualities. Witnessing actors fall in love with a piece or a character is an absolute joy. I feel so fortunate to help actors find their voice within a role. My job is such fun, and I am lucky to have been able to do it.
Before we go, can you tell us how people can collaborate with or support you?
For the larger community, the best thing you can do for an artist is to show up. Attend their shows. Share their work online. Stream their songs. We are all creatives looking to make a small mark on this world; you can help us do that. For individuals looking to learn about my acting coaching, I have a website that folks can look at and share with their students. www.heatherlaforge.com
But most of my private acting clients come from word-of-mouth recommendations. Many come from voice teachers whose students start with private singing lessons and then look to expand their craft. I also get students who start with me, and I then refer them to voice and dance teachers as they want to grow in other areas of performance. I love referring my students to like-minded artists.
With my work at Groundworks Theatre, we are always eager to collaborate with other artists. We continue to grow our team of educators and technical artists. You can check out our work at www.groundworkstheatrearts.com and reach out if you want to join our team or participate in one of our programs!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.heatherlaforge.com, www.groundworkstheatrearts.com
- Instagram: @hlaforge and @groundworks_theatre_arts
Image Credits
Erin Kelly, Daren Scott, and Andrew LaForge
