Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandrea Ortiz.
Alexandrea, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
The summer before completing my BFA from St. Edward’s in Austin, I got an opportunity to study Meisner at William Esper Studio in NYC. I grew up in a bordertown (Edinburg) in Texas, an area called the Rio Grande Valley. My parents were born there and so were their parents so this was a huge deal. I was 20, living in the village still not fully out to myself, but taking everything in. That same summer, I discovered two things that are central parts of my life now: comedy & queer culture. NYC Pride was the same weekend I happened upon the Del Close Marathon, which is basically the improv nerd olympics. While my classmates went to Uta Hagen’s house in the Hamptons for the weekend, I stayed behind to work on my mask and improv techniques.
Fast forward a year later: I’ve graduated back in Austin and am figuring out what kind of artist I am post-academia. I had been writing short scenes, sketches, and 10-minute plays for myself, frustrated with the roles I had been getting thus far. I minored in Musical Theatre, but nothing spoke to me. I was back in improv class but had always wanted to try stand up. In fact, during my last semester of undergrad while our class was being typed, I mentioned wanting to do stand up. Most of my peers and even my professor at the time literally laughed in my face. Which is kinda the point. So I tried it. When it worked, it was electrifying. When it didn’t, it made we want to try harder and win the audience back like some weird reverse Stockholm syndrome. I tried everything, though. Music was my first love and around the time I was doing both stand up and musical improv, I joined a band extremely briefly-a month tops. I was playing keys and singing back up in a band full of 4 cis-hetero white dudes, most of which were triple my age.
We rehearsed for weeks leading up to the night of the gig when I get a call from the lead singer asking me not to show. I was confused, hurt, and quit shortly after. It really killed my confidence for a while. I was floating around for a couple of months, heartbroken, not doing much with my life until one day in late September when I packed everything that fit into my car and moved to LA with no plan. Now that I’ve been here I’ve shot some shorts/web series, produced a comedy show under Soul Sista Comedy, hosted a mic or two, played with clowns, was in a musical, voiced a character in an audioplay, booked my first SAG network project, and took my stand up to NY, dipping my toes into being bi-coastal. All without an agent so- so far so good.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Hell no. I’m a big believer in the universe -as corny as it sounds. I’ll never forget when I drove myself out from Austin and made arrangements to stop on an Apache Reservation (because I have indigenous heritage). I was completely alone. It was starting to turn nightfall, my gas was running out and I was utterly lost without any service. So I had to rely solely on my instincts of where to go. I drove around for maybe half an hour in the dark trying to find my way, convinced I’d be “Woman vs Wild”ing it with the elk that night. When I finally did see a cabin with the lights on, an elder Apache woman Pat (who looked like my maternal grandmother) greeted me. She told me she and her husband were going to leave because I was the only guest scheduled and I hadn’t made it, but she felt like God was telling her to stay. That was surely divine intervention and/or the universe. Whatever it was, it was a sign to me I was on the right path.
Since then, I’ve noticed how when I’ve felt my lowest of lows and I’m ready to take a break or getaway, something beautiful will happen like I’ll book a gig or I’ll be invited to do comedy in NY. Then I’m like, “Okay. I’m here for a reason. I gotta keep pushing.” Then again, I put myself in the position to be ready for these opportunities. It’s a constant balancing act between submissions, to writing, to grant research, to auditioning, etc. I make my own luck by putting myself out there. Most importantly, timing is what that dictates most decisions I make. I’ve had relationships both personal and creative that fell through the cracks because it wasn’t the right time on either end. Or some will flourish in the moments when we do find each other at the right intersection of paths. I used to let it get to me so, now I’m constantly reminding myself what’s meant for me is already mine and try my best to trust that everything else will work out.
When I first arrived, all anyone could say was “Give it two years [in LA] to see if you like it,” and as I’m approaching my two-year mark, I can honestly say I’m just now feeling my sea legs settle. Besides the general uncertainty of a performer/artist lifestyle, finding your community is so so so important, especially if you’re a transplant. I immediately started researching community events that aligned with my interests: hitting up open mics, going to comedy shows and UCB jams. I weaseled my way into secret Facebook groups. I made friends with some really amazing people like Ashlei & Sepi Shyne and re-connected with old friends. Ashlei and I were in a web series together and her wife Sepi ran for WeHo City Council this past year. They are now my fairy queer-mothers. Community can make or break you. In my case, it opened the world back up for me. We’re all finding who we jive with creatively that we can build with. Creative relationships stay fluid.
Oh and housing stuff! I got scammed early on in a very illegal living situation where I was sleeping on the floor for some time. Then out of nowhere I was given six days to move out and never got my deposit back. I’ve been through all the rites of passage. It sucked knowing people will take advantage of you and that I was dumb enough to fall for it, but I had to let go of being so nice anyway. Plus, it lead to where I am now and I love my studio. I have an avocado tree outside so I’m rich.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m an actor, comedian, and illustrator that sings and writes for herself. So I am my own multi-hyphenate business. I’ve done original sketch and characters under the Soul Sista umbrella, founded by Yoruba goddess Marian Yesufu. Marian also gifted me with the opportunity to show-run and produce live shows which I host and do stand-up on. It takes work, y’all! Producing is truly thankless but also extremely rewarding. You have to put ego aside and that ain’t easy in a town full of it. I hustle. Another one of my main side gigs is freelancing for BuzzFeed LA which has informed me about where I see content creation and media production going. I’ve started to look at the past couple years as my own personalized grad school, because of all the constant takeaways. In a way it’s been a clown school. Although, it can sometimes feel like starting over again as a new kid in high school with very, very attractive people.
At any given moment, I’m working on five different creative projects so my vision is constantly in flux. Currently, I’m in the process of developing a volume of work I am proud of that includes animated shorts, a musical, maybe even an album. I’m still in my experimental phase when it comes to finding my artistic voice. I don’t wanna leave it yet! That’s the beauty of art, though. It evolves with you. I’m more interested in longevity rather than “going viral” or whatever, so I love the idea of owning my own space someday. I’m thinking a cabaret that has live music and comedy. Maybe in the next five years if we’re still here. It’ll the be the place to party as the world is burning. If not, it’ll be the first club on Mars.
What were you like growing up?
I was a tomboy if you could believe it! My family was really close when we were younger and I was surrounded by older male cousins and my older brother so I was kinda their shadow. I have this one picture of all of us at a wedding where I’m pouting behind all the boys in a dress. It’s quite telling. I would play football with them and I was even in my own baseball little league, but I also did dance, cheer, and gymnastics. That was peak bi-sexual culture for me. My mom was (and still is) my rock and an educator so that meant long evenings with the other teachers’ girls where we had no other choice but to entertain ourselves. We ran around-got in trouble. We would put on shows for each other pretending to be Britney Spears or Hillary Duff on the playground and in dark classrooms. It was pretty normal and I think what laid the foundation for my overactive imagination.
Contact Info:
- Website: alexandreaortiz.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mexiqt/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexandrea.wrae
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexandreaortiz
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