"I’d been a “creative type” since I was four but didn’t realize “you can’t fight fate” until I was 25. I am originally from Rhode Island and moved to New York City in November of 1997. I am in love with this city even after all these years. It’s like a honeymoon that never ends. "
Rachel Langley, Renaissance Woman
By D. Prince
T
here's a quote attributed to Joan of Arc, "I'm not afraid. I was born to do this," that sums up the multi-talented Rachel Langley. Although most of us would call her many accomplishments, including her 20 screen plays - half of which have been produced - inspirational, 37-year-old Langley says most of it came out of necessity after trying to break down the doors of the fickle acting business. She takes timeout out of organizing The IRON Show, at New York's Producer's Club, to talk to me about passions, pursuit of dreams and persistence.
D. Prince: You're an actress, writer, playwright, published poet, filmmaker, some people would say that makes you a modern renaissance woman - embracing life, being socially conscious, pursuing your passions, setting your own bars?
Langley: I think that’s a fabulous and romantic way to put it. But all these aspects of who I am and what I do all seemed to happen out of necessity really. When I moved to NYC, I went on a million “cattle call” castings, and it was enough to break a stone solid spirit. Hundreds of rejections will do that to a person. I had some small successes and worked on many projects but always walked away feeling like I needed and wanted to do so much more than just show up and “act”.
I also struggled with the issue of image, there is a mold being put out there that we are all supposed to squeeze into and I was tired of squeezing. I was tired of not being tall enough, or pretty enough, or thin enough (which seemed insane because I’m a petite thing.
At some point, I guess about 5-6 years ago I decided enough was enough, I wanted to make important films, do interesting theatre, write great material (because I had spent years reading loads of bad!). And in the process of this, yes, it seems I took the power back. I was able to do all the things I loved, commit to them and commit to the life I’ve made through my writing, through my acting, through it all. I embrace the passion to express in all its forms. It’s an empowering, life-affirming feeling.
D. Prince: You're producing, as well as performing in, an event called "The IRON Show" at New York's Producer's Club on March 8th billed as a sexy, sassy night of strong women with something to say. Tell us more about the event.
Langley: “The IRON Show” was a concept I had come up with last Fall. I’ve been through some personal life struggles over the years (well, haven’t we all!?) and realized that these struggles and the success to overcome them, are what have fueled my best art. The poetry, the plays, etc. I realized that I wanted to dedicate a night to fellow female creatives who have used their voice to purge their own past struggles. “The IRON Show” is about the struggles of these women, and their passion to move past it and tell the tale, on a stage and in the spotlight. The night will consist of eight performances, including myself, using all the forms. Some in poetry, some in monologue, some with music. It’s a true celebration of the strength of women.
D. Prince: Your writing and characters include a lot of strong, yet sometimes, vulnerable women. How much of your writing is based on personal experiences? Where do you get your inspiration?
Langley: Much of what I write is based in experience, but some of it is inspired from others. Sometimes even a stranger on the subway. Others from dreams. I’m very visceral that way. But in particular, yes, it usually comes from some alternate side to myself that I want to play out somehow. I’ll go out, run errands, do something mundane and think of the magic “what if?”. And off and running I go. I suppose these women I write have strength because they have too. Because they have either come from being too vulnerable or about to break down into being that way. It’s the theme of struggle I guess that compels me to write these characters. It’s what makes them real. Makes them almost live and breathe to me. It’s the common bond, the connect-the-dots of experience. And that fascinates me.
D. Prince: Your colorful one woman show called "80's Girl" is about an 80's girl reliving the painful moments of her life as she listens to 80's music - how hard is it to get up there, on your own, without a safety net in front of an audience basically doing a play about your life, or were you born to do this?
Langley: Doing a one woman show is something very new and different for me. It’s a completely different animal than anything else I’ve ever tackled. It’s glorious when the material works and heartbreaking when it doesn’t. Simply because it is your life, your experiences. What I’m learning is sometimes what you remember fondly about a time or a song or a moment doesn’t quite connect with your audience. Of course, then there are the times you put something out there and the audience collapses into laughter. It’s still something I’m workshopping, but its near and dear to my heart. And funny enough, it inspired my jewelry line, “80’s Girl Designs”. Everything for reason as they say!
D. Prince: You associate produced and starred in the critically acclaimed indie film - "Getting Out of Rhode Island" - which has won numerous awards, is that your most successful commercial project to date, and which of your numerous projects is the most personally satisfying to your heart?
Langley: “Getting Out of Rhode Island” without a doubt has been the most successful as far as awards, recognition and distribution. It was a risky, edgy and fully improvised feature that I’m proud to have my name attached to. But if I had to pick from my heart, I’d say my feature screenplay “Break Night Club” is my baby. It’s a story that lived in my head for a year or so and to get all 115 pages of it down on paper was so incredibly fulfilling. The characters derived from both people I am close to as well as a couple different sides to myself. I am always interested in alternate lives, the path not taken, and “Break Night Club” is a realization of that for me.
D. Prince: On one of your websites Film Star & Company, you say "We believe the best way to express our art is to materialize our own opportunities to be seen, be heard and be visible.The most important mission as artists is to keep creating…" You live that motto with everything you do, how do you keep the creative juices flowing and what's next for you?
Langley: It’s not tough to find inspiration if you remain active and present in your life. That’s my true belief. I live in a city where on every corner, if you just open your eyes or ears, or take a breath, you can catch a moment that can spark something. I am forever inspired. It’s the discipline to sit and write it all down, get it all out if you will, that is my challenge. Just this weekend, I essentially grounded myself like a fresh talking 14-year-old and said “no going out of this house ‘till you’ve revised your screenplay”. Sounds funny, but it worked.
I’ve got a couple different projects coming up, one is a short film I’ve written titled “All These Women” and the other is an untitled feature, which I’m collaborating on with the same co-producer from “Getting Out of Rhode Island”. And of course, “The IRON Show” which I’m hoping will become a reoccurring event.
D. Prince: Is what you do, which I consider purging of the soul, part of your journey to self-discovery? What have you learned about yourself?
Langley: Absolutely. You work from within and you can’t help but find all sorts of stuff when you’re digging in there or purging it out. Sometimes that’s hard, sometimes you may not like what you find, but then you use it for the good. You write it into a character or perform it as a piece or draft a poem. Everything has a place in art and that’s the beauty. The beauty of discovering yourself through it all. In the process of it all, the ongoing process, I’ve learned that I’m at my best, in sync with life, most comfortable in my skin, as long as I keep putting it all out there. Those blocks in the road, you have to move past them or you’ll be stuck forever, and you will never know your potential. I am still learning that everyday.
D. Prince: Will you continue to be so versatile or is there one area you would like to settle into? I mean - say - you couldn't be an actress, would you feel like you were missing an arm?
Langley: This is a great question because I find that this in itself is a huge struggle for me. I have over the years thought, gee I need to pick ONE and stay with it. But this doesn’t seem to be possible for me. If I try to narrow the focus I find, yes, suddenly I feel like an arm has come off, or I’m hopping on one foot. Practically speaking, and in terms of “the business”, it’s best to find your focus and stick with it. I’d say at this point in my life, I’m truly in writer mode. But as mentioned earlier, I’m performing in the self-produced IRON Show, so I guess there is always a part of me shouting out to get noticed in some other way. Through some other form. I guess you could say I’m a professional “expressionist”.
D. Prince: A lot of people are afraid to be risk takers and follow their dreams and explore their passions. There is a line in by Georgia Douglas Johnson's poem "Calling Dreams" that reminds me of you:
"The right to make my dreams come true
I ask, nay, I demand of life..."
would that accurately describe Rachel Langley?
Langley: What a beautiful quote…It is the perfect description of my ideal self, at my fullest potential, and it’s something I work hard to live and breathe everyday. The realization that we must not ever “ask” for a dream, but we must make it happen, to be brave, take what is ours and do what in our heart of hearts we know we were meant to do…
Check out Langley's Essay Rock and a Hard Place in this issue
Rachel Langley is an actress, writer and an all around passionate NYC artist. She has written nearly twenty short screenplays (half of which have been produced) and labored her way through her first feature "Break Night Club". Her stage works include the one act “Meeting Zelda Zonk”, the sketch comedy show “Birdcage” and the Off-Off Broadway production of her play “The Life Adventures of Freda Gleason”. Award winning scripts include the moc-doc “Meeting Nightshade” and the thriller “Inside David Cane” which placed First Runner Up (First Round) in the Midnight Madness Screenplay Competition. Rachel can currently be seen workshopping her one woman show “80's Girl". For more information on Rachel Langley, please visit RachelWrites.net or check out The IRON Show line-up at Myspace.com/ironshow
Copyright ©2006 Sure Woman.com/Copyright ©2006 Dawn Prince
More information about the author and her work is available at www.shailaabdullah.com.
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