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Catherine Provenza

Oct. 31, 2009 09:11 PM

Catherine Provenza - Actress, voiceover talent and music composer

6 questions, Biography, Contact info

1) What influenced your decision to become an actress?

Question 1

For me, becoming an actress was never anymore of a conscious decision than being born with brown eyes or growing to be 5'4" tall. It's something that has always been a part of who I am. I've always loved to entertain people and I grew up in an artistic family, so performing comes naturally to me. I was an only child, very imaginative and spent a great deal of time playing by myself when I was little, so the Sanford Meisner teaching of "living truthfully under the imaginary circumstances" is something I've been doing literally since I was old enough to crawl.

2) What influenced your decision to become a musician?

Question 2

I was always fully aware that I wanted to be a actress, but I find it rather ironic that it was music that snuck up on me out of the blue. Music had always been a staple in my home: my mother played piano and once worked in the Musical Therapy Ward of a mental hospital, and my dad played guitar and listened to everything from classical to heavy metal. I was writing song books, musical plays and operas from age 7, but I always seemed to focus more on the theatrical aspect while ignoring the musical aspect. When I was about 11 I became obsessed with music composition and production. I was composing music on the piano, but was also constantly banging, tapping and shaking everything in the house to hear the sound it made. I would hear a great bass groove or percussion made by tennis shoes in the dryer or a melody in the noise of a construction site. I set up a primitive recording studio in my bedroom with my dad's boom box and pillows and blankets for sound proofing. I've upgraded my equipment significantly over the years, but the obsession has never worn off.

3) What motivates you?

Question 3

Working with creative people who have a genuine passion for what they do. Art can be like having a child; it is part of you and it is your creation, so when others can get enjoyment or some level of fulfillment from my work, it is a reward like none other. It becomes very synergetic to be able to connect with others through your own creation and feel that both of your lives have been improved by that connection. So it's those experiences and the energy of people with true love for their art that drives me to do more, create more, share more and to inspire others to do the same.

4) What is something you should NOT do when pursuing a career in the arts?

Question 4

Get into it for the wrong reasons. Just like with any business, how and where you focus your energy will effect your level of success and happiness. Fame and money cannot be your primary motivating factors because if that is what you are chasing, you will end up passing on the opportunities which would have paid off in spades in the long run and the work will always be drudgery.

Another thing you should avoid is letting fear be a factor in your decisions; whether a fear of success, failure, commitment or rejection. You need to understand in advance that these are always going to be aspects you will be faced with. But you also need to understand that even if you try and fail, at least you tried. And in doing so, no matter what happens, you have eliminated future regrets. You may find it to be well worth a little rejection now to never find yourself saying, "If only I had given it a shot."

5) How do you deal with nerves when it comes to auditions?

Question 5

I have found a little nervousness to be beneficial because it makes me focus harder and put out more effort to get the performance right. It's when I am more relaxed that I tend to make mistakes more easily. I do not recommend that you use anything to artificially calm your nerves, such as drugs or alcohol, because it may be more obvious than you think, and it probably will not be the last time you see this casting director. If your nerves are out of control, practice auditioning until you get used to it. Facing your fears head on until the fear wears off works no matter who you are. The more auditions you attend, the more relaxed and prepared you will be when that role you really want comes along.

6) What advice can you give for young people wanting to pursue a career in the arts?

Question 6

Researching the industry is the number one thing anyone can do to boost their career. Nothing screams professionalism like having done your homework, and it can also put you ahead of the competition. For instance, in acting, remember that it isn't just talent that casting directors are looking for; an actor needs to be a team player who is reliable and makes their call times. Having industry standard headshots and as much background information as possible about a character you are auditioning for, the author of the script and that author's other works, etc., all show that you are serious about your work, you care about your career and you will be worth the gamble and investment of the producer. Also, having at least a basic idea of how the industry works in general can help you to pave your own way in the industry. You might decide to create your own launching pad for your career by producing, promoting and distributing your own album or short film.

Another thing that I highly recommend is that you take as many classes and workshops as possible. This will put you in a very creative environment where you can regularly work with other artists to polish your craft, and they are full of networking opportunities and independent work. Every bit of training and practice you get will put you that much further ahead of the competition, and will help to bulk up your resume in the process.

Biography:

Catherine Provenza is an actress, voiceover talent and music composer. She was born in south Florida, but grew up in Texas. Her mother was a classical pianist and Registered Nurse while her father worked as a commercial aviation artist.

Catherine's acting career began with a small part as Jackie, an ex-girlfriend of a wealthy womanizer, in You Had Me At Goodbye (2009), and as hot-tempered sidekick "Jade Greene" in the pilot episode of the TV series "OPN" (2009).

As a techno recording artist, Catherine's music is a string and guitar-driven collage of techno and euro synthpop. Energetic and enthusiastic, her sound is reminiscent of Depeche Mode and The Prodigy with occasional hints of funk, jazz and classical music elements. Her compositions demonstrate a strong 80’s influence with her use of pumpy synths and robotic vocoders while her lyrics contain messages of self-reliance, words of encouragement and articulate demands for respect.

Official Website: http://www.azureflame.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/CathieProvenza
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/CatherineProvenza

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CatherineProvenza

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