An Interview with Alicia Haymer
It’s always been my dream to be onstage and to perform, so to be able to do that? And people give you money for that? And people like what you do? They, like, clap for you? All that keeps me going.
Alicia Haymer, a Nashville native and Fisk alum, has been a part of the Nashville arts scene for 20+ years. During that time, she’s performed at just about every professional and community house in the city. She last performed in Nashville Rep’s 2019 season production of Pipeline. Alicia developed her first full-length play, Heavy, in the Nashville Rep’s Writing Room. Her short play, Power to the People, made its debut in New York in the fall of 2017 as part of the “My America” plays workshop. Her latest full-length play, Free and Public Citizen, was written in 2019 as part of the Tennessee Playwrights Studio. She’s also written commissioned work for the Nashville Children’s Theatre. Alicia’s had the pleasure of directing with Actor’s Bridge Ensemble as well as Street Theatre. Whether it be acting, directing, or writing, Alicia is always grateful for any opportunity to express herself with creative authenticity. She will direct the staged reading of Imbroglio by Melissa Maxwell (September 23, 4:30–7 pm).
When you tell people what you do, what do you say?
I usually just say I’m an artist. I think that’s an all-encompassing answer.
What draws you to theatre?
I enjoy the connection with people. I enjoy the transformation that gets to happen through acting and getting to show people a different perspective. Hopefully change their mind about some things they thought they knew. I think theatre is one of the greatest teachers. And storytelling. I think they’re both great teachers. They really help us to see other perspectives.
Are you ever afraid of your own writing, and if so, how do you find the power to keep going?
No, I’m not afraid of my own writing. I think sometimes it is scary to be vulnerable because I feel like, even with acting, every character is a little bit of you. With writing, you can relate to every story somehow. Sometimes it’s scary to be vulnerable and have people think, “This must be about you!” when it could be about a friend or a book you read that triggered something in you. No, I’m not afraid of my writing, but sometimes I am afraid to give it to the world because it’s like a baby. You have to be like, “Here’s my baby for you to criticize and give feedback on that can be tough to hear.” It’s scary to give it to the world because when you make art, it’s so precious to you. You don’t want people to look at it and not appreciate it, or not see what you see, or not see how much work that you’ve put into it to create this thing.
What kind of stories do you like to tell?
I like to tell stories specifically about Southern black life and growing up here. I believe you should write what you know; that way you can be most authentic. I write a lot about Southern black life. I write a lot about the black experience in America. When all of the police shootings started, it motivated me to write because I felt like black people weren’t being seen as human. I was like, “If we could create more art that shows our human side and how we’re all alike, maybe it will give a different perspective to people who only see black lives through a news lens or a skewed social media lens, and not in an authentic way.”
You have the titles of actor, playwright, and director. How does each of those titles appeal to you?
Acting is so much fun because I just get to focus on me. I have one job: learn my lines. My job is me and that character, and what needs to bring that character to life. Writing is so exciting because you get to just imagine and dream and write these wonderful plays but you don’t have to worry about how they’re going to get produced, directed, or cast because that’s up to the theatre that will hopefully produce your play. You get to tell wonderful stories. I love telling stories. I love how a simple story can connect everyone because everyone can relate in some way. Directing is so much fun because you get full control of a production. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to a play or watched a movie and thought, “Why’d they do that?” or “This actor should have made this choice.” When you’re directing, you get to control the costumes, the music, the set, the actors, everything. But directing is also scary because, sink or swim, everything is your idea. So if people love it, that’s great! But if people hate it, it was your fault.
How often do you find yourself leaving your comfort zone?
I feel like I have to create those moments for myself. I tend to be cast in dramatic pieces of work, which I love and I think that I do well, so if it’s a role that’s different from what I usually do in a play that’s offered to me, I kinda have to push myself to say, “Yeah, I think I can do this.” The same with writing. If someone approaches me and says, “I have this idea. Do you think that you can do this?” I have to fight against that fear that’s like, “Oh no, I’ve never done this before!” I had a production company reach out to me recently and ask if I could write a children’s show pilot, and the first thing I wanted to say was no because I had never done it before. I didn’t know what I was doing, so I had to push myself to say yes, I could do it. Then I began to research. What all goes into writing a children’s show? How long does it have to be? What sort of senses do you need to appeal to according to the age demographic? I think getting out of my comfort zone, it takes me saying yes a lot of times when I want to say no because I think I don’t know enough or feel qualified enough.
What moment in your career are you the proudest of so far?
I think maybe the first time I had my first full-length play read as a staged reading. I had written some short scenes and stuff. I had entered them into local playwriting festivals, but I think that’s one of my proudest moments: hearing my first full-length play and then having people enjoy it and relate to it. It showed me that I was on the right track. I was able to receive feedback and criticism that would push me even further.
When things are getting rough and the days seem to drag on, what keeps you going?
Just the fact that it is such a privilege to be a professional artist. It’s always been my dream to be onstage and to perform, so to be able to do that? And people give you money for that? And people like what you do? They, like, clap for you? All that keeps me going. Knowing that I truly do have my dream job. My goal is to do it more and more and more and more until it’s all I do.
What is the best piece of advice you can give to an aspiring theatre professional?
Keep going! And have or build a good, strong supportive circle because there are going to be low moments. There are going to be moments where you thought you crushed the audition and you don’t get cast. There are moments where you’re going to pour your heart out into some work and people aren’t going to get it, and it can be heartbreaking. But keep going and always remember why you’re doing it. If you really love it, it will feed you and sustain you if you let it. And if you don’t chase things like money or fame because that’s not the same as art. Anybody can get famous for doing dumb stuff, as we see with social media. But if you have a true love for the art, it will feed you. It will feed your soul.
