Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Ceglio.
Hi Andrew, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
All throughout my childhood and young adolescence, I felt no self-worth or personal value with who I was. I was polite and well-mannered but I was very goofy, hyperactive, with a stutter and a small speech impediment. This made me very uncomfortable with speaking and so I avoided talking around people as much as possible. I wasn’t a fan of school and didn’t really show any signs of strengths in the traditional world of academia, but I was fantastic at impressions in addition to being able to quote any film or tv scene word for word while being able to recall the music composition that accompanied it in great detail.
But I never cited this as having any value to the world and I had no desire to become an actor or performer of any kind because of my stutter and speech impediment. I didn’t have any interests at all in anything society had to offer. But then, as it so often does, fate intervened and my whole world changed.
I was a Freshman in High School in 1996 when I found my love for the theatre. Again, I initially had no desire to be on stage and the circumstances of how I ended up in my first show were truly serendipitous. Not only that, but I found my tribe amongst the creatives. A place where my individuality and weirdness were welcomed and celebrated. And that one experience was all it took. Although I still had no idea what trajectory I was on, with pure joy I immersed myself in the craft all throughout high school. My personal confidence skyrocketed, and my grades improved, but one of the most important things that I noticed two years into my journey, was that whenever I stepped on to the stage, my stutter would disappear. I couldn’t believe that it took me 2 years to notice it. Not only that, but nobody else noticed it either! Or if they did, they certainly didn’t say anything.
I felt like I had stumbled on to some sort of special magic that nobody else could see, and I thought to myself: “If practicing this craft has the power to do something like that for someone like me, what else could it do?”
With no desire to go to college, I graduated high school and continued to keep exploring the art form as an actor and it didn’t take long before I landed my first professional acting gig in 2001. From there, the next 24 years were a series of exquisite adventures where I would expand from an actor and voice-over artist to a teacher, director/choreographer, producer and on the side consultant. I never dreamed those adventures possible for myself. And I never forgot about that goofy, hyperactive, odd little kid who was terrified to be seen or heard by anyone. It was through these creative atmospheres that he was able to find his own voice, his individuality, his personal empowerment, authenticity and self-worth.
And this brings us to this present moment of my story. The next leg of my journey. To take all that I have learned and what I will continue to learn, and gift it to anyone who may be in need of it. To be in service to others by creating and holding a true, safe creative environment, where one can explore what makes them unique, find the power in their own voice and who they are as a person. To call forth that special magic that I stumbled upon all those years ago and share it with the world. And acting, in just my own opinion, is the most fun way to access that magic! Because when you remove the elements of competition and ego and create an artistic atmosphere not based on financial survival, but based on creative self-expression, the benefits are immeasurable for EVERYONE involved.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Some parts were smoother than others, but I would say the biggest challenges that I faced were the challenges of self: Ego, pride, self worth, self value, not knowing what my true path was or what I wanted it to be. I think every creative struggles and battles with that in different ways at various stages of their life and career.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My primary creative focus these days is as an Empowerment Acting Coach and Director/Choreographer.
As a Coach, my mission is to empower individuals to discover and express their true selves through the art of acting.
I specialize in providing and holding a safe, supportive and fun environment, I assist in creative exploration and healthy personal growth through various comedic and dramatic texts, character development, and dynamic storytelling.
Through innovative group workshop’s and personalized coaching sessions, I aim to maintain the highest standard of authenticity and excellence through compassion and empathy, ensuring that every interaction fosters a meaningful and enriching journey.
With this, I am most well known for my ability to see strengths in my clients that they may not necessarily see in themselves.
I am most proud of what all of my clients have done and are doing with their individual creative paths and how they impact the people and world around them.
As a theatre Director I specialize in being able to create dynamic immersive experiences to engage and entertain any audience. For my actors/cast, I tailor notes to their personal process and aim to make them feel safe and open to fail creatively and explore their roles with an open mind.
What I am known for is my ability to think outside of the box conceptually and create exciting theatre experiences within any budget in any space.
What sets me apart from other Directors is my love for finding and highlighting the human condition within any story and elevating it to the most genuine and authentic representation possible.
I am most proud of the work and collaboration I do with new playwrights/authors in helping them realize their visions and bringing it to the stage because there is a lot of amazing unknown talent out there and their voices deserve to be heard.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
-Be kind to yourself. Give yourself grace.
-Every experience is an opportunity to learn and grow healthily, even the rejections (Especially the rejections).
-The life of an artist truly is about the journey and not the destination. Have goals and dreams of what you want to achieve and where you would like to go, but learn to take enjoyment in the becoming.
-Don’t let others definition of success and self worth define your own.
-Self care, rest and recharge. Learn and practice when and how to slow down, turn off and just exist.
Pricing:
- Online/In Person 1 on 1 Coaching: $70 for 60 minutes, $90 for 90 minutes.
- Group Workshops: Pricing varies depending on the length and duration of each workshop.
- Directing: Pricing varies on a case by case basis depending on individual budget, duration of process, and any accommodations provided.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.andrewceglio.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/therealandrewceglio?igsh=MWl0b216NnJ0ZGVzYg%3D%3D
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-ceglio-a5a28a1b8?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@andrewceglio7549?si=ZVXnivV5gCj28jPv
Image Credits
-1st Image: Joyce Goldschmidt
-2nd Image: Steve Bartalomeo
-Last 6 Images: Jana Marcus with Jana Marcus Photography
