Mike Kimmel Illuminates The World Of Performing Arts With Passion And Insight

PHOTO:Mike Kimmel and Oprah Winfrey share a powerful moment of connection and inspiration on stage, reflecting their commitment to uplifting and empowering audiences through storytelling and the performing arts.

A Journey Through His Creative Process And Impact On Young Actors

In this interview, Mike Kimmel discusses his creative process, impactful educational resources, and the importance of authenticity for young actors.

Mike Kimmel stands as a truly multifaceted talent in the performing arts, transcending the boundaries of traditional roles to inspire both audiences and aspiring actors alike. With an impressive background as a former professional wrestler and circus magician, he has masterfully transitioned into the realms of film, television, and theatre, showcasing his versatility and commitment to the craft. His extensive experience has seen him collaborate with some of the industry’s most revered directors, while his television credits illuminate his talent across a diverse range of shows, from the likes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Game of Silence.

In addition to his impressive acting career, Kimmel’s contributions as a writer and educator are equally commendable. He has penned twelve books that illuminate the challenges and joys of performing arts, cementing his status as a pivotal figure in nurturing the next generation of actors. Works such as Scenes for Teens reflect his dedication to providing young performers with meaningful, positive material, demonstrating a keen awareness of the unique emotional landscapes navigated by adolescent actors. His ability to translate complex adult experiences into relatable, engaging dialogues for younger audiences is a testament to his creative genius and pedagogical insight.

As an accomplished educator, Kimmel has inspired countless students, instilling in them not only the skills necessary for success in the performing arts but also a profound appreciation for storytelling and character development. His passion for nurturing talent is evident in his approach, encouraging young actors to explore their authenticity and express their unique voices. It is this blend of experience, creativity, and compassion that has endeared him to both his students and fellow professionals.

In this exclusive interview with Reader’s House magazine, Kimmel shares invaluable insights into his creative process, the challenges he has faced, and the wisdom he has gained throughout his illustrious career. Readers will find inspiration in his words, learning about the significance of resilience, authenticity, and the transformative power of theatre in today’s digital age. Join us as we delve into the mind of a remarkable artist whose contributions to the performing arts continue to resonate, enrich, and inspire.

Mike Kimmel is a brilliant educator and storyteller, whose dedication to nurturing young talent transforms the landscape of performing arts.

What inspired you to write “Scenes for Teens” and how do you feel it has impacted young actors?

“Scenes for Teens” was my first book and grew out of my classes for child and teenage actors. I previously taught acting classes for adults and was very experienced in that area. I had hundreds of great scripts to draw upon––from years of auditions and paid acting work in New York and Los Angeles.  When I started preparing to teach my new classes for younger actors, unfortunately, I found that there was a real lack of quality scripts available for kids, tweens, and teens. Much of the existing material was mean-spirited, snarky, and sarcastic. I felt our younger actors deserved much better than that. I started writing two-character dialogues for my classes––and decided to embed positive messages, optimistic ideas, and philosophical life lessons into the scenes as subtext.

“Much of the existing material was mean-spirited, snarky, and sarcastic. I felt our younger actors deserved much better than that.” – Mike Kimmel

While testing these teenage scenes in class, I also started writing scenes for younger actors, aged six to twelve. Those dialogues eventually became my second book, “Acting Scenes for Kids and Tweens.” We all need positive messages these days, and young actors probably need them most of all. The sensitivity and emotional vulnerability that makes someone (of any age) a good actor often makes it difficult to navigate the harsh realities of the entertainment industry––the competitiveness, uncertainty, and frequent rejection.

Can you describe your creative process when developing monologues for kids and tweens?

 I like to look at our world––and especially at situations I’m dealing with as an adult––and try to imagine those exact same scenarios through the eyes of a much younger person who hasn’t yet developed the maturity, social skills, and real-life experience to handle them. Then I like to write scenes and monologues about our adult world from the point of view of  that younger person. For example, a few years back, a man ran out of his house and started screaming at me because I parked (in a legal parking spot) in front of his house. He was an elderly man and I was pretty shocked at his childish behavior.

Instead of becoming angry, though, I asked myself, “How can I use this?” This is a question I also ask myself as an actor. (It’s a wonderful technique, in fact, for handling many challenging situations in our daily lives.) I was writing my fourth book, “Monologues for Kids and Tweens” at the time, and decided to use this screaming man as the subject of a monologue for younger kids. Imagine being an eight year old living across the street from this angry man and watching him go berserk on anyone who dared park in front of his house. Imagine being a kid whose parents tell him to respect his elders––and then seeing this rude, angry man across the street behave so badly again and again. If this incident was awkward for me, I thought, imagine how uncomfortable it would be for an eight year old child. That incident became one of my favorite monologues in the book––and grew out of asking myself the question, “How can I use this?”

What challenges did you face while writing “Six Critical Essays on Film,” and how did you overcome them?

Writing “Six Critical Essays on Film” presented a unique challenge for me––which I eagerly embraced.  This book was a complete departure from the type of books (and scripts) I usually write, which are primarily dialogue-driven. For years, I pursued a dual career in Education and the Performing Arts. As an educator, I taught classes in Acting, Film and Television History, and Public Speaking in Colleges and Adult Schools. Many of my college students would enroll in a History of Film course to fulfill distribution requirements for graduation. They were looking for a course in the Arts that would be interesting to them and, in most cases, not terribly difficult or demanding. Their reasoning was sound. Everybody likes movies, right? Unfortunately, many students––particularly those with backgrounds in engineering and the hard sciences––had difficulty writing essays about movies. Although they knew what they liked, it was difficult for them to explain why they liked it in an essay.

I wrote this book to help college students break films down into their component parts and evaluate their relative strengths and weaknesses. In this book, I suggested six different areas through which films can be critiqued: storyline and script, directing and editing, acting, lighting and movement, and overall theme, message or ideology.  

I also suggested creative thinking strategies to get the attention of their college professors. Imagine alternate endings for the films we study in class. Imagine actors from another generation playing the leads in our favorite films. Imagine Scarlett Johansson going back in time to 1946 and playing Rita Hayworth’s role in “Gilda.” Imagine Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable leaping forward in time to play the George Clooney and Brad Pitt roles in “Oceans Eleven.” These are outside-the-box ideas that can really capture a professor’s attention.

In your opinion, what are the most important skills a young actor should develop?

Young actors need to learn to make strong choices with scripts––and use their imaginations to create rich, full back-stories to the characters they’re playing. One way to develop this skill is to ask yourself: “What was I doing right before the action in the scene I’m playing interrupted me?” For example, if you have a tiny role in a play or a movie and you’re just walking onto an elevator and saying “Good morning” to the lead actor, your character still has a history, an outside life, and a unique viewpoint about the world. Your character didn’t just pop into existence at the precise moment you walked into the elevator. Something was happening in that character’s life. Something was going on before that elevator door opened. If you can figure out how to convey that character’s inner life––within the context of the script and without distracting attention from the lead players––you will connect very well with audiences. Audiences will always pick up on that authenticity.

How do you see the role of theatre and performance evolving in today’s digital age?   

Nothing beats the thrill of performing in live theatre and I believe there is no better training ground for actors. Performing on stage helps actors learn the value of teamwork and understand how the individual efforts of each actor contribute to the overall success of the play. These are skills that translate beautifully into television and film. Working on stage teaches actors stagecraft, voice control and modulation, comedic timing, and how to think quickly on their feet. Theatre actors learn to figure out what to do when props aren’t working or a cast member misses an important cue. They learn how to make adjustments––and get the storyline back on track–– when a fellow actor skips a line of dialogue. They learn not to get rattled when the audience doesn’t respond as expected.
                 
There will always be advancements in technology. That has been true ever since the early days of silent film. No matter what the future brings, however, I believe that actors with solid theatre experience in front of live audiences will always be at a significant advantage over their non-theatre trained colleagues.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors looking to create impactful educational resources in the performing arts?

Remember not to talk down to our young people––and to adult actors who are new to the business. Just because someone is new to the entertainment industry doesn’t mean they have nothing to offer. I love working with talented young people. I get inspired and motivated by their energy and enthusiasm. Every actor has talent that can be developed, and every writer has a story to share with the world. Experienced actors and writers need to build up the next generation of performing artists in our industry––or we’ll have no industry fifty years from now. It ends with us.

I also think everyone has a book inside them that is literally screaming for an opportunity to be revealed and “birthed out” into the world. Not every writer can become a number one bestselling author, of course, but everyone has a unique point of view and a significant set of skills to share. There are no boring people out there––only people who have not yet found their niche and their unique, authentic voice (or are purposely hiding their true talents and desires from themselves and the world). If you ever find yourself bored or simply disinterested when talking with someone, it’s because you’re not digging deep enough. Everyone has a story to share; some people just need a little extra help finding it. 

The best way to find your authentic voice is to diligently sit down at your writing table every day and get to work. Sweat it out. Put it all down on paper. Some of it may not be any good, but through the process of writing the bad work you will ultimately find the good work. Writing every day will help you figure out what you believe in––and who you really are as an artist.

I once told a writer friend who was struggling in this area: “You don’t have the right to keep your gifts and talents from the world.” That’s now become a favorite catchphrase between me and my closest friends. We may envy the skill set of a colleague from time to time, but always remember that someone in this world needs what you have to offer. We don’t gain much in life from holding back, and the world gains nothing when we keep our gifts and talents hidden––and our best stories locked away in a bottom desk drawer.