Conversations with the Inspiring Regan Linton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Regan Linton.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Regan. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have always been an artistic soul. I used to create plays with my mom’s supply of underwear mixed with Halloween costumes, or get immersed in miniature worlds involving sand creatures while on summer vacation on the beach in Michigan. I was also incredibly shy and had a good deal of self-ridicule as a child. Theatre felt like a safe space where I didn’t have to be pleasing all the time and could connect with the wild inner emotions that didn’t make sense to me.

I began performing “officially” in high school and went on to college to study film (after not getting into the performing conservatories I hoped for). I also discovered “theatre in the community” and the applications of artists like Augusto Boal. It was a way to connect my deep passion for service with my compulsion for the arts.

As I was trying to find my way through young adulthood, I was paralyzed in a car accident. The world was turned upside down as I realized the reality of the world was nothing like what been explained to me growing up.

I pushed through great fear and took a chance of getting back on stage. Slowly, a new world opened up to me…one where I felt like the veneer had been removed. But I realized that in order to succeed in the game, you have to play it (at least to some extent). So, I went to grad school, performed for a bit, and developed a new identity as a disabled artist.

I was fortunate to come across the humans of Phamaly Theatre Company. They were a community that allowed me to be just as I was and pushed me to be more. A few years ago they invited me back as Artistic Director of the company. And that’s where I am today……..-ish.

Has it been a smooth road?
Ha, a smooth road? Fuck no. Is it ever? I think one of the issues with how we raise young humans is that they somehow get it into their head to expect a smooth road with some bumps, rather than a bumpy road with a few patches of smooth.

But part of the delight of life is rolling with the tosses and turns. Just like in improvisation, if you say “yes” rather than shutting down to the unexpected, you might discover something extraordinary. Or, you might fail. Or end up miserable. They are all options. But at least it’s not boring.

I think my greatest advice is:
–Always return to gratitude. You don’t have to be alive. So, if you choose to be each day, don’t make it miserable for yourself. It IS a choice.
–Be okay with average, and realize that you still have worth and value, even if you aren’t above and beyond all the time.
–Appreciate your body. It will do incredible things for you, even if it works differently. Study it, master it, and use it to the fullest.
–Allow for vulnerability; always do your best to balance it with perseverance.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into Phamaly Theatre Company story. Tell us more about the business.
I’m known for being an actor/artist who uses a wheelchair, and for changing the way people think about people with disabilities. I’m a pretty no-bullshit kind of gal – or try to be – and I think people (some) appreciate that. I’m proud of what I’ve done to push back against stale narratives around disability, and encourage the humans with disabilities whom I love to grab life by the horns and ride. I am an overthinker, but I also try to maintain spontaneity… which I think comes out in my work. I think people perceive me as very strong and determined. Which, I guess I am… mostly because I feel like, what are you doing if you aren’t going after something? For better or worse, I always think things can change, and I always think there’s a little more gas in the tank, so I consistently push forward.

Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
In the words of the genie in Disney’s ALADDIN… (cue bee voice) “Beeeeeeeeee yourself.”

I think the worst thing in the world is networking in order to GET something from someone else. Focus on making connections with people. What makes you magnetic? Charismatic? How can you share good energy with others? How can you create good energy?

If you want a mentor, start researching things you like. Dig deep, and get familiar with a particular person’s work. Then reach out to them. Don’t ask much of them. Have good questions. Be ready for rejection. But think of it as a long term relationship, as opposed to something short and transactional.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.phamaly.org OR www.reganlinton.com
• Email: rlinton@phamaly.org
• Instagram: reganlinton OR phamalytheatre
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/regan.linton

Image Credit:
Michael Ensminger, Jenny Graham

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