Today we’d like to introduce you to Elyssa Phillips.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was raised in a family of the arts. My mother plays bass and percussion in a classic rock ‘n’ roll band in New York. My dad sings in a barbershop chorus, and my big brother is easily the best improv comedy coach I have ever had.
I started performing live theater at the age of 5. I still have the little red dress I wore as “Annie”. I went on to get a BFA in theater from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and also spent time studying Shakespeare abroad at The British American Drama Academy in Oxford.
I was really fortunate after graduating UArts, consistently getting cast in regional theater around the country. I would get cast – go away and do a show, come home for maybe a month, get cast in something else – go away do a show, come back, rinse and repeat.
I would sleep outside Actors Equity in New York to hope and pray to get seen for auditions. When you’re non-union, as I was back then, there was no guarantee you would get seen. I can’t tell you how awful the feeling was when you see all these Equity actors just walk in – with no appointment – because they can — while I’m sitting outside in the freezing cold, wearing layers upon layers upon layers, trying to re-read Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House” for the millionth time — trying to do ANYTHING to distract me from the fact that I can’t feel my fingers or toes. And then finally an assistant comes out – “They’re not seeing anyone else today. Sorry.”
Worst. Feeling. Ever.
I remember exactly where I was standing when I got offered my Actors’ Equity card. I was in Philly walking to work, and the Artistic Director of The Montgomery Theater called to offer me the lead role in “The Last Night of Ballyhoo”. I DID IT. I was going to be an Equity Actor. Holy sh*t.
I started realizing more and more that while I loved doing theater, it wasn’t enough, and I really wanted to be a series regular on a multi-cam sitcom. I studied joke structure for… “fun”? I loved dissecting scripts. I’m a huge comedy nerd. I threw myself into everything and anything I could to educate myself on multi-cam comedies and perfect my tv acting skills.
After taking meetings with a lot of casting directors, agents, & managers, and receiving a lot of great feedback about how funny I was (but that I couldn’t book any television work unless I lived in Los Angeles), I made the move out west in 2014.
I was a UCB girl back in New York, but was recommended I try this new place called “Miles Stroth Workshop” (MSW). I didn’t know what a Miles Stroth was at the time, but I took one sketch class with Eric Moneypenny, and said to myself, “Yup, this is where I belong.” Then I took Two-Person Improv w/ Miles himself, and thought, “Hot dayum, this is challenging! I LOVE IT!”
Before MSW became The Pack – I was already sort of “running it” without running it, but on January 1st, Miles asked me to become the first ever Artistic Director of the theater. I was honored, grateful, excited, and also like, “Well, it’s about damn time old man!”
Since moving to L.A., I’ve booked commercials, co-stars on TV (“The Mindy Project”, “Silicon Valley”, and “Fresh Off The Boat” to name a few), and have performed standup at just about every comedy venue you can perform at. I’ve booked voiceovers in animation, written commercials, gotten paid to write for other comedians, and have continued to study at Scott Sedita’s Acting Studios in his Master Sitcom Comedy Class (easily the best acting class I have ever taken) — it’s been an amazing whirlwind.
Ahem – and I wait tables 4-5 nights a week at Osteria Mozza to supplement the fact that comedy ain’t gonna pay the bills. But the second I finish my shift, I head over to The Pack to catch whatever shows I can. I sit in the front row and take photos on my phone so I can Instagram/Twitter/FB them as the theater.
I’ll get home around 2am and wake up at 6am to do it all over again. But not before I go to the gym and work out for about 90 minutes – because THAT – is my only “me time”.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
In my 20s, I struggled with an eating disorder. Treated for anorexia, I was technically diagnosed as EDNOS, “Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified”. They couldn’t say I was anorexic because, technically, I WAS eating. But I ate the exact same thing, every 4 hours, for 3 years. It was 4 oz. of grilled chicken or fish that had NOTHING on it, 9 baby carrots, and a quarter cup of brown rice. Every 4 hours. For 3 years. I got down to 109 lbs. at my lowest – and I’m 5’8. I lost my period for many years, and even when I got healthy in my head, it took about a year and a half of being misdiagnosed by doctors before they were able to properly figure out what was wrong with me and what I needed to do to get better.
The other major struggle along the way is just the general struggle of this business. It’s hard. There are a lot of times where it’s just NOT FUN. There’s so many ups and downs – so many “so close and yet so far” – and you just have to take it in, accept it, roll with it, and move the fluck forward, ya know?
I came out here to make moves. To make things happen. For me – and now for a theater of – god I have no idea how many people hehe. I don’t have time for setbacks. I don’t have time for struggles. When something is hard – it just pushes me harder to work through it.
Without struggle, there is no progress. So like, I’m cool with struggle.
The Pack Theater – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from others?
I am the Artistic Director of The Pack Theater – but I wear so many damn hats, it’s insane. I’m in charge of programming. So basically I choose what shows we show. I go to see as many shows as possible. I check in on them but also – I want to be entertained! I watch how they promote – and I work with them to capitalize on what they’re doing and how they can be doing a better job.
I deal with everything: outside shows wanting to rent the theater; reaching out to all the students in our classes about ways they can be more involved; helping with the Volunteer Program; spearheading social media; working on branding; marketing; outreach; new classes; workshops – I mean – you name it – I deal with it. And I love it.
I’m proud of so many things at The Pack. One thing that I think really sets us apart from other places is the artistic freedom we give our writers and performers. We want you to take chances. And to fail. Our motto is “Don’t be boring”, and you will see that onstage 7 nights a week in the work that goes up on that stage.
I’m also really proud of our sense of community. We have hashtags like #HirePack, where we all help each other find jobs, in the industry or not. People promote each others’ shows as if it was their own. We constantly say “The strength of the wolf is the pack”. We are so much more than just a comedy theater. We’re a community of bad-ass comedians that support each other and challenge each other. Not to sound cheesy, but I believe the people of The Pack represent the future of comedy.
So many things I love – I can go on and on. When some of our regularly performing monthly shows become so big – so huge – that they leave The Pack to go perform at bigger venues and get paid – I consider that a win for us.
We say this too: “A high tide raises all ships”. A win for ONE of us – is a win for ALL of us.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
For me, success is making small, tangible goals – that all lead to one big dream goal — and knowing that I’m working on & hitting all those goals, one by one. It’s like a game of Jenga to me. I finally get one piece of the puzzle out, get it to where I need it, and then I move on to the next.
Success to me is also “a high tide raises all ships” – and THAT has become my long-term goal out here. I love running The Pack Theater. But I love running it because I get to write, perform, produce, and surround myself with some of the ballsiest, funniest people in comedy. I want to be a series regular on a successful multi-cam show that is produced and written by my friends at The Pack. If I’m gonna sit in a room for 14 hours a day at ABC, it better be with people that I dig. I want us all to come up together. And don’t worry. We will. It’s just a matter of time.
Throw me to the wolves and I’ll return leading the pack.
Contact Info:
- Address: The Pack Theater
6470 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90038 - Website: www.packtheater.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elyssamp
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElyssaMP
Image Credit:
Jasper Sams, Cameron Rice, Joe White, Mark Leonard
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