Karen Johal's journey from the U.K. & the importance of Educating Yourself!
Kevin Ray Johnson
Ever since I started writing for OnStage Blog it has been my goal was to tell stories that will motivate and inspire performers and artists alike. Artists come from all walks of life and what makes this industry so beautiful for me is that no artist is the same. We all have a story to tell and our stories will inspire the next inspiring artist. With that being said it is my privilege to introduce you to Karen Johal. Ms. Johal hails from the UK and has studied with the American Academy of the Dramatic Arts, and the Birmingham Metropolitan College in the UK. Since then she has performed with The Public Theater, at Carnegie Hall, Under St Marks, and Teatro Latea, among many others. In my honest opinion, I think it takes a strong person the pursue a career in theatre, but it takes a stronger person to leave their home country to pursue a career in this industry. I am very happy to have the chance to interview Karen!
1.) How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a performer?
It is so hard to say! I think I was always playing pretend when I was really little, as I am sure we all did and it was only when I reached the age of 16 when I realized you could actually play pretend as a job (Which is still in itself very strange to me!). It did take me a while to admit to myself and others around me that I wanted to do it as a career (it wasn't encouraged at the secondary school I went to) I always knew that I loved it but the practicality of it as a feasible career came much later.
2.) Where did you study? Are there any mentors or people you have worked with who have helped you along the way to make you the performer you are today?
I moved to New York in 2014 and studied at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. There were so many wonderful teachers there when I was studying, who in some way have shaped the performer I am today, particularly Burke Pearson, who was my first acting teacher there. In terms of mentors since graduating in 2017, I have been very lucky in my career to meet some truly wonderful people who have supported me immeasurably. Nandita Shenoy who has continued to support and mentor my career as a South Asian Actress. Amy Andersson, Sheila Bandyopadhyay, Anna Loyd Bradshaw and Alexis Confer who are just a few in a pool of many wonderful female mentors. I have also worked with so much talent over the years which has absolutely contributed to my career as a performer, some of the most renowned in the industry.
3.) Leaving home is hard for any young adult but I can only imagine what it's like to leave your home country to pursue a career in the performing arts. What made you decide to come to America and how originally was the transition for you?
I was originally auditioning for schools up and down the UK and I found auditions being held in London for AADA. When I got in, it was really hard to believe at first because it was my dream! I do remember my mum shutting me down when I was thinking about attending later in the Winter because I did not think I was ready, she was like "You have to go...now". Separately from my career I have always wanted to live in New York and have been obsessed with American culture from when I was really little (I used to play pretend in a fake American accent, like a right nerd! ). I never thought that the two things would come hand in hand.
Moving here was difficult at first, when I left the UK I had gone through a really difficult time in my personal life and then moving countries really took it out of me, I was overwhelmed by all the people I met who were from all over and the culture shock but in a way, it was a welcome distraction. It was not only something I wanted to pursue but something I needed to do at that time. I was fortunate to have had the stability of the training, somewhere to be and a place where my talent was being honed and valued. I met some of my best friends in the first few years of moving here and particularly in the last year of my training in the Academy company. There were some days and periods of time where I did really get homesick and wish I could move my entire family here (or at least my dog Roxie) so now when I visit home I value the time so much more and I find I missed weird things like the sound of my landline phone or the smell of English rain. My friends in NYC have truly become like family to me so I treasure them immeasurably and account them in making the transition here easier especially on the harder days.
4.) Is there a show you have done in your career be it in England or America that will always be near and dear to your heart?
There have been a few, every show in some way leaves its mark with you, every job you do, you risk something portraying your character and you gain something as an Actor. When I first left school I was cast in Oskar Eustis's Julius Caesar at the Delacorte for The Public Theater, not many people can say they were in a Shakespeare play at Shakespeare in the park not long after graduating, so that will always mean a great deal to me. Not long after, I was also cast as the lead in a show at Carnegie Hall called Journey to America by Amy Andersson. The music composer Lolita Ritmanis has won Emmy's for her portfolio of work and I got to perform on a stage to an audience of 2,800 people! (and I got my own dressing room).
This lead to so many more opportunities for me, one, in particular, that was close to heart and home was a play called Good Fit by Nkenna Akuna. It was directed by Anna Loyd Bradshaw at the Wow Cafe Theater in the renowned East Village. I was cast as the lead role Asma, who is navigating through London the day of the 7/7 terrorist attacks. As a British Asian woman, I found that this was so beautifully written, such an important topic and not something that had been seen or done in New York before, so to bring a play to life that depicted the culture and community that I recognize from back home was really special. The play was significant to the event it was portraying, it was essential that I was apart of it and I was lucky to have been cast as the lead role.
British Asian actors are far and few between in New York, but there is a high demand and not enough work, so it was imperative that the play be done right. I am looking forward to hopefully being cast in future leading roles with similar narratives. Since then I have been cast as the lead in a few short films, in Man on the phone directed by Nicholas Aquilino I played the lead role "Felicity", the film won the Canada short film award and an award at the Grove film festival (I had a lot of fun doing an American accent for my portrayal of the character). I also starred in an Indie Comedy film Frank's Plan as "Kathy" the film was picked up by Amazon prime video in October and I got to share that news with my family and friends back in the UK so that was really special. I have also just been cast as the lead in the thriller feature film Victimhood about a group of strangers who wake up in a panic room and find out they are apart of an experiment, my character "Sana", is an American Muslim woman struggling with her faith and sexuality. It is going to be filmed in late 2020 and I am very excited to be apart of it! Any time I am cast or apart of a production that is inclusive, respectful and represents a multitude of ethnicities and cultures its a win.
5.) What advice would you give any performer from any walks of life who want a career in theatre?
I have been lucky in my career and I have worked really hard but I have been afforded a lot of privilege. Everyone will have a different story because they are born with a certain set of tools and an individual mindset towards the tools they are given and how they are going to get the ones they need. Practically it makes sense to enroll in a program, at a University or conservatory. You will find that many schools will prepare you for what is waiting in the industry and if they don't luckily in this day and age you can educate yourself.
Once you decide that this is what you truly want and you can't see yourself doing anything else, every obstacle gives you a reason to find another way to get to the thing you want. Which is something to remember given how this industry thrives on people giving up but in reality no one really has it all figured out, you have to take all the bits you like and the bits you don't like and make your own path, (There's comfort in knowing we all have no idea what we are doing either) Another really important bit of advice that I would give, is to fill your life up with stuff outside of performing, find interests and hobbies that don't require your skills as a performer. If you spend your life dependent on your career making you happy when things go awry it can really derail your sense of self, but when we realize that we are made up of so much more than what we do it makes life easier to maneuver.
Our value isn't measured in one thing, it’s in a multitude of things so that might mean reading books, not plays, watching films without critiquing them, Marie Kondo'ing your knicker draw (Yes...Yes I have) spending time with people not in your industry including your family (Asking them questions about their jobs!) Cooking, buying clothes, sex, collecting stamps, whatever can get you outside of the actor bubble will only aid you in the pursuit of pursuing your dreams.
To learn more about Karen make sure you visit her official website at www.KarenJohal.com you can also follow her on Instagram at @karen.johal