Dionna Griffin-Irons heads The Second City Outreach & Diversity program. In her 10+ years with the world's largest comedy improv theatre, she has performed on the Chicago resident stages and produced numerous shows for the corporate division. In her current role as Director of Outreach & Diversity and Producer, she mentors recruits, cultivates and produces new diverse voices in comedy. Projects and partnerships include NBC's Diversity program, Columbia College Multicultural Department, SEA Conference and After School Matters/ In April 2012, she recently took a group of instructors to countries Lativia and Norway courtesy of the United States Embassy to teach and perform in the regions. Ms. Griffin-Irons is a three year year grant recipient from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs for her outreach, solo work and is an avid speaker and facilitator using improvisation.
Dionna on...
The Process...
"Writing is like running," I recently told an editor of mine who is working with me on a manuscript. "You have to put in the time every day. It is a mental and physical activity." I've just come off of running a half-marathon and I understand the excuses the ego makes when it doesn't want to run it's daily 3-5 miles or face a blank screen and write. This is the dragon a writer is always slaying until you find your groove, ebb and flow. I recently had to write and TALK directly to my inner "muse" and ask what is the problem? Can you please help me tell this very important story? It is not so much writing to be the problem, but the things we let get in the way of our writing during the course of a day - life, ego, life, ego, ego, ego. Sometimes there is so much chatter and noise inside of our head, that we need time to let it say what it needs to say to get to what we really want to say. I schedule a regular "set" time to stay on track and on deadline. I also follow whenever the inspiration moves me.
Satisfaction
Connecting to my soul. The "God" voice inside me that knows the truth in all forms and ain't scared.
Knowing
The importance of writing in my career clicked during several times in my life. Acting/performing in a show with a requirement from the director to "create" scenes and our satire on stage. In my work as a director/producer having to show and tell my worth. Measurable outcomes for artistic and outreach work, grants etc. Sitting in a jail cell journaling my thoughts and "angst" to discover the hows and whys of my choices as a woman. And currently, writing my manuscript, because if I don't tell the story, it will not get told! I've been writing since I was a young girl, but writing with a purpose happened for me during my twenties and thirties, when I realized that you have to market and sell yourself on paper for grants to fund your work. To be able to communicate who you are, what you do and tell your story on a page is an asset.
Inspiration
Top Dog/Under Dog by Suzan Lori Park. Hearing Suzan speak in person, reading the play and seeing my husband perform it gave me a rush out of this world. I love female writers who break convention and tell stories that you would least expect to hear from a woman. Suzan's work surprises and shocks me at the same time. Fierce, bold and beautiful. Julia Cameron, The Artist's Way. I received this as a gift from my director and it is still a stapleIrecommend to lighting the creative juices. Anna Deavere Smith, I love everything this woman does. Her one woman show, Fires In the Mirror and 4 American Characters say it all. She reminds us of the risk we must be willing to take as artists and how there is much work to be done in this world. Writing and lending your ear and pen to tell multiple stories and give voice to characters is not an easy task.
The First Time
I heard one of the pieces I wrote for Second City Detroit performed, actually, a blues song number, a few times by different actors on several occasions and smiled. In those moments, I realized that "the work" is bigger than me and lives on beyond the moment it was created. The work is always bigger than ourselves which is why we must create, tell and share. It is our duty to continue this legacy for those that will come after us.
Advice Failure is okay. It is essential to your growth. This is learning.
Visit Dionna's blog on improv, career, and tips to improvise your life here.
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