Meet Sydney Schwindt

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sydney Schwindt.

Hi Sydney, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
It’s hard to know exactly when my story began because as an artist, everything is part of your story! Recently, I’ve been reevaluating what my career means, how do I define it, and in turn how do I define myself – if I do bother to define myself at all! I’ve mainly spent my professional career as a theatre artist, which has included fight directing, acting, directing, and a plethora of other theatre jobs along the way. My work in theatre has led me to jobs as a university professor, an illustrator, a summer camp counselor, a scenic artist, and so much more. So how do I define how I started and where I am today? Being an artist means being a human, so all of my life experience has led me to where I am now.

A big part of my story was knowing that I wasn’t ever going to go down the “traditional” path – a 9 to 5, a house, a white picket fence, etc. I was always drawn to the artist lifestyle. I loved visual art as a kid and fell in love with theatre at an early age as well. I was a weird kid. Luckily, I had parents who supported that weirdness. I was able to delve into my passions rather than try to fit some path that “I was supposed to”. I balked at the idea of normal and relished in the abnormal. That determination and support helped carry me through the hard times.

I did go to a theatre conservatory for college. I tried NYC for a little, but hated it. Hopped around the country job to job trying to find where fit me best. Fell into fight choreography because how much I loved training in it. Had a job in the Dominican Republic on the original creative team for a new pirate stunt show. Got a whole second education by working in the professional acting cast at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire for several seasons. Went to clown school in San Francisco and eventually settled in the San Francisco Bay Area for about a decade. I followed the opportunities whenever they presented themselves. Now, once again, I’m hopping around the country. I find it a helpful process for rediscovering what theatre means in the USA, how the arts can help our world, and what community needs from the arts. I guess rather than what my story is – it’s how my story can add to the greater story of community and change in the arts.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t know if anyone has a smooth road in the arts! If they do, good for them! There are so many ups and downs – from financial difficulties, personal crises, feast or famine job opportunities, difficult workplaces, etc etc etc. Some of the most difficult moments for me have been around learning to say “no”. I want to do all of the jobs and have all of the experiences! That doesn’t help me as a person, nor is that helpful for the contracts I work in. If I have 8 contracts at once, I can’t give my heart to them or invest my spirit in the work. It ends up being a job that I’m looking forward to finishing rather than an artistic journey. What a horrible way to view one’s own creative practices! I’ve been working hard at trying to value my personal time, and know my boundaries. It’s a difficult road. Yet, when I don’t honor my own boundaries, it usually puts me into bad positions. Learning to say no is a gift! It helps elevate my work and myself as a human.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
In many ways it’s hard to pin down what I do – mainly I’m a theatre practitioner and an illustrator, but what does that mean? I’m an actor, fight director, theatre director, illustrator, painter, educator, clown, and whatever else I can do that fills me up (and whatever else will fill the coffers)! In our current society, the best way to make it as an artist is to diversify your skillset. The more you can offer a theatre, the more likely they are going to work with you again and again. I almost always work with a theatre on multiple productions. Sometimes I first enter in their sphere to act in a production, or sometimes to teach classes, to choreograph a show, or even to paint a set. It gets me in the door and begets more work. Once a place discovers how much you bring to the table, they’ll want to hire you for multiple jobs – as long as you do them well.

With a wide breadth of skills, that does not mean there are not specialties. I specialize in stage combat, Shakespeare, and physical comedy. Then these specialties in turn completely impact my visual art work. Most of my commissions come from stage combatants, Renaissance Faire acts, theatre companies, and other theatre artists. I love how much my work overlaps! I love how my visual arts bring me closer to companies I adore. I love how my teaching work helps me get to know other incredible artists and deepen my knowledge. I love how directing and choreographing makes me a better actor and vice versa! That’s the wonderful thing about the arts, isn’t it? There’s no need to pigeon hole yourself. You are multidisciplinary because life is.

Art emulating life is crucial, so don’t cut yourself off at the knees. Embrace the diversity of your skills, but also take time to notice what’s important to you. I’m very proud to incorporate environmental elements and social commentary in my work. It’s impossible to avoid and important to embrace. All art is inherently political – no need to make it overt. Every show I direct has environmental undertones. I try to have my art reflect the world I want to see. It should bring up questions. You don’t have to answer them, but it’s important to make your audience think so that they can have important conversation afterwards. The same goes for visual art. How can you tell a story that helps make the world a better place?

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I love collaboration! It’s a key component in all theatre arts – and it’s my favorite part. I love working with different people. Everyone has such incredible ideas they bring to the table – things I would never have thought of. A diversity of backgrounds and mindsets help make up our world, so they better make up our stories as well. Working alone is boring and often doesn’t come up with the most intriguing of tales. Embracing the variety of ideas and the occasional conflict helps deepen the art in our humanity.

So… work with me! Have an idea for a commission? Have a show that needs direction or fights choreographed? Interested in classes in commedia dell’arte or stage combat? Want to create some theatre based on the environment? Want to just have some artist based conversations? I’m there!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sydney-schwindt.com
• Instagram: @trueedgeart
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/TrueEdgeArt
• Other: www.TrueEdgeArt.com

Image Credits
Personal photo – Photo by Pearl Spurlock Additional Photos – 1. “Much Ado About Nothing” at SPARC Theatre – Anjoli Johnson, Nona Truong*, and Sydney Schwindt. Photo by Gregg LeBlanc. 2. “Much Ado About Nothing” at SPARC Theatre – Mark Vashro and Sydney Schwindt. Photo by Gregg LeBlanc. 3. “Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) [Revised]” at SPARC Theatre – Jed Parsario* and Sydney Schwindt. Photo by Gregg LeBlanc. 4. “The 39 Steps” at SPARC Theatre – Armando McClain* and Sydney Schwindt. Photo by Gregg LeBlanc. 5. Directing “Twelfth Night” at Starling Shakespeare Company. 6. “As You Like” at San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. Directed by Sydney Schwindt. Alan Coyne and Frances Domingo. Photo by Neal Ormond. 7. “Blithe Spirit” at Lucky Penny Productions. Sydney Schwindt. Photo by Kurt Gonsalves. 8. “Cymbeline” at San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. Fight Direction by Sydney Schwindt. Nathaniel Andalis* and Deanalís Resto*. Photo by Jay Yamada. 9. “Twelfth Night” at Starling Shakespeare Company. Directed by Sydney Schwindt. Jessie Lillis, Kristin Yates, Bradley Johnson, and Detalion Dixon. 10. Art by True Edge Art – Sydney Schwindt 11. Art by True Edge Art – Sydney Schwindt