Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Raasch.
Amy Raasch is a performing musician and media installation artist whose explorations span music, theatrical storytelling, and videos rife with whimsical cultural references and societal, personal, and sexual commentary. Her animated short film Cat Bird Coyote has been named an Official Selection of 18 film festivals and winner of the Big Apple and Los Angeles Independent fests. A dedicated animal activist, Amy gives voice to the voiceless in her critically acclaimed solo multimedia show, “The Animal Monologues.” After premiering at Son of Semele Solo Creation Festival, the piece received its NYC debut at United Solo 2018 and appeared as one of three mainstage shows in the month-long Solo Queens Fest at Bootleg Theater in late 2018. Her new album of quirky electro-pop, Girls Get Cold, was named one of LA Weekly’s Best of 2018.
Amy, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was majoring in classical flute – seriously – when writer/director Stephen Chbosky (Perks Of Being A Wallflower, Wonder) cast me in his first film. My character was a singer/songwriter, so I learned to play guitar and write songs, one of which appeared in the film. When the movie went to Sundance, it set me on the pursuit of combining film, music, and text.
I was adopted at birth. When I set out on the Herculean task of locating my birth parents, I understood how Joseph Campbell’s theory of myth applies to every life, including mine. I discovered that my birth grandfather was once president of Bolivia. Being a secret Latina was the subject of my first play.
After graduating from London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, I traveled Europe without my boyfriend, had an affair with Shakespeare, then broke up with both of them to dream up my own theatre, film, music, and word-related projects here in L.A. Since then I have written 1000 pages, some of which became The Animal Monologues.
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?
Ease is not the point. But I’m drawn to this quote attributed to an early Egyptian philosopher: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
We’d love to hear more about your business.
What is the name for the genre in which animals speak, but not age-appropriate for the Charlotte’s Web demographic? That is what I am making.
I place characters in surreal settings to shed light on how we grapple with real problems. In The Animal Monologues, a honey-addicted bear ravages a beehive and falls in love with the queen bee as she dies, leaving her stinger in his eye. A young descendent of the last living 9/11 Search and Rescue dog trains to be the hero the world needs now. A sage donkey takes a knee in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick’s protest. Griffith Park’s resident mountain lion confides what it’s like to live famous and alone in Hollywood.
These animals’ circumstances are whimsical, but their emotions are real. I’m trying to get to the bottom of why we humans feel so compelled to contain the strange and wild. There are some jokes, and some darkness, and some songs from my album GIRLS GET COLD.
What were you like growing up?
I was a sheepdog looking after a strong-willed herd. As the eldest of five, there were many diapers to be changed and sandwiches to be made. I was the only adopted child in my family and sometimes felt as if I had been beamed down from another planet as part of an experiment in nature versus nurture. My community was one of sports and beer. I left as soon as I was able to pursue music, theater, and writing. And to drink wine.
What’s your favorite memory from childhood?
When I was 11, I would play flute for hours and watch the light change outside the window of my tiny room. One night, I had a dream about a ghost girl whose flute played by itself, which I made into a little illustrated book because I wanted to see my dream in a physical form. I still feel that way about my work.
Contact Info:
- Website: amyraasch.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: Instagram.com/girlsgetcold
- Facebook: facebook.com/amyraaschmusic
- Twitter: twitter.com/amyraasch
Image Credit:
Sté Kyndt, Kim Gaeta, Ed Krieger, David Poe, Trenelle Lewis, Ho-Kwan Tse
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