Today we’d like to introduce you to Diana Castle.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’m the first born child of immigrants.
Dad was a Holocaust survivor who spoke five languages, loved the theatre, and spirited political discussions.
Mum was an avid opera, classical music and theatre lover who, as a child, survived the blitz of London.
They both deeply believed in the promise of “The American Dream.”
After a few years of life in New York City and New Jersey, my father got a job in Greenville, South Carolina.
This was the mid-1960’s.
Within a few weeks of our arrival, swastikas were painted on our home, and our experiences got worse from there.
My formative experiences in the south influenced my interest in beliefs and their consequences, interpretation and experience, interconnection and interdependence, imagination and empathy, and in the power of story as the way we make meaning and find meaningfulness in our lives.
In elementary and middle school, my mother, thankfully, enrolled me in a children’s program at The Greenville Little Theatre, where I loved learning theatre and doing plays.
By the time I was ready for high school, a woman named Virginia Uldrick had created a high school for the performing arts, The Fine Arts Center of Greenville County, where I continued to find community among my storytelling tribe.
After some experimentation with my major, as I was deeply interested in cultural anthropology, I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre with a minor in music performance from Florida State University.
I then spent a year at The Burt Reynolds Institute for Theatre Training, learning from the talents of Julie Harris, Sally Field, Charles Nelson Reilly, Burt Reynolds and many other luminaries of the time.
From there, I enjoyed a career as a working actress and singer in NYC, in film/television and on stages around the world.
Thirty years ago, I began coaching actors and forming a philosophy, as well as a practical application to access the power of imagined possibility now known as The Imagined Life.
In 1995, I met my husband, Steve Tietsort and together we created and opened the theatre/studio space, The Imagined Life, at 5615 San Vicente Blvd.
We’ve created a beautiful home for the professional actor.
We have four teachers on our staff and we offer both day and evening workshops as well as private coaching.
At the current time, because of Covid19, we are holding all of our classes and coaching via zoom.
This has been an incredible experience for all participants because now actors are attending our classes from their homes in NYC, Vancouver, Atlanta, New Zealand, Paris, London, Lisbon, and beyond!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Well…who doesn’t have challenges? That’s what a good story is all about!
It’s so easy to say that if the road is smooth- there’s no adventure- but so difficult to live!
I have found that my biggest challenge is learning to celebrate challenge!
How will we transform our obstacles into opportunity? How will we transform our trauma into triumph? That’s what keeps us interested in a story.
As the daughter of two survivors of the horrors of war and growing up “other” in the south during the 1960’s-I’ve dedicated myself to the art of acting as the art of the empathetic imagination.
I truly believe that film, television and theatre are, as Roger Ebert said, “empathy machines.”
Actors, and the stories they tell, have a tremendous potential for making a transformative impact on the hearts and minds of people.
I grew up knowing that people are capable of doing terrible things to each other.
I’ve worked with actors to take the destructive toll that culturally deemed “otherness” can have on talent and transform that into an authentic and life affirming voice as a storyteller.
I do my best each day to face myself in the mirror, to reflect on how I can grow, improve, and inspire my own heart to take the action necessary to inspire, encourage and support others.
The Imagined Life is a community of professionals from widely different backgrounds and experiences, all dedicated to expanding the capacity for experiencing imagined possibility through empathy- no matter what challenges we may face.
My job and my joy is in the day to day exploration of beliefs and their consequences, interpretation and its attending experience, and how the transformative power of empathy allows for an exchange and experience of alternative interpretations of life.
Mentoring the professional actor in this work is my great joy.
The Imagined Life – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Our greatest pride is that, for 30 years, every actor has come to our studio through word of mouth…casting directors, agents/managers, directors, producers, actors…
Our favorite stories are when actors tell us that they witnessed an Imagined Life actor on set and thought…Wow!…I want to do it like that!
We hear from our actors that what sets us apart is our innovative approach and our heart to heart, life to life care for the working artist.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is making a positive impact in the lives of fellow humans being.
We’ve been doing that consistently for 30 years.
What matters is the heart.
Empathy is at the heart of the actor’s art.
We empathize with the people we work with.
Contact Info:
- Address: 5615 San Vicente Blvd
Los Angeles, California
90019
ONLINE VIA ZOOM DURING COVID19 - Website: www.theimaginedlife.
com - Phone: 323-645-7288
- Email: theimaginedlife@
theimaginedlife.com
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