Interview with Creator/ Performance Artist Ari Spence

Ari Spence is a jack of all trades. She got through law school only to find her passion was performing and creating.  So she switched professions at crucial period in her life (her mother’s death) and was able to seek a true career path.

Although she is no longer a lawyer, her proudest  accomplishment is that “that I drafted a brief which ended up being the foundational research cited in a court Decision setting new case precedent for  prosecutorial ethics while I was clerking in Rockland County Supreme Court with Judge  Zuckerman and Ray Mecchman, Esq. during the summer of 2018. Law may not be my career path but I'm proud that during my time I made a positive impact.”

 “My biggest challenge has been untraining myself from my family's expectations for me.   Making the decision to leave law was pretty easy. Circumstances at the time made it easier; my mother was dying of cancer at the time so everyone agreed putting the Bar    Exam on hold was a good idea. When I felt like 50 pounds lifted off my shoulders and I rediscovered a desire to live past 30 (something I didn't have in law), the career change became an obvious choice. But I never imagined the amount of ingrained conceptions, beliefs and thoughts I'd have to unpack or the path it would take me on.” She says “After 25 years of  being told what to do, what to think, who to be, and what my role on this planet was  "meant to be", freedom had its growing pains. There's no manual to living your authentic, best life”

 “ The pursuit of happiness made me change my mind” She cites her job as a scare-actor at the Horseman’s Hollow, in Sleepy Hollow as the catalyst that made her leave law and pursue acting. “Ironically, I was still clerking at the time I got hired for The Hollow.  I had various  college and community theatre performances (including Shakespeare during law school) up   to that point, but that was my first paid acting job. The best part: it paid me more than any  legal job I had prior! The Hollow made me realize that a career based in the arts is feasible   and what I wanted.

“Working in a haunted attraction (or "a haunt" as we say it) is a lot of fun! It is also a great challenge. Working in a haunt is one part character acting, one part improv, one part  endurance test.  There is a lot of physicality in scare-acting - you're on your feet 6+ hours a night in all sorts of weather conditions, doing whatever other physical demands your  character requires. Like any other form of storytelling entertainment, not all characters are  the same.  Not many people realize that there's many types of actors in a haunt and  not everyone is a jump scare actor. Fun fact: I'm not very good at jump scares. I don't have the  patience or timing. I'm more of a character actor -  my characters tend to be more about  psychology than adrenaline.

“ For example, during Horseman's Hollow, my character was called "Baby Doll Killer"; she was a cursed singing doll. I wore a babydoll mask, had a slit throat, and carried around a faceless rag doll while singing childhood favorites (the character first developed based off of the song  "Doll on a Music Box" from "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"). I'm grateful The Hollow was my first  professional acting job (and I will  go to my grave calling it my first professional acting job, no matter what ANYONE says)  because I proved my acting chops to myself. I'm also grateful that  the Director pretty much let me off the leash artistically, and let me be a bit arrogant (ok, a lot a bit), which allowed me to explore and discover a lot about myself as a performer. 

When asked what she liked most about being an actor, she says “getting to play- literally. Yes, it is a job and it is work  but our job is to play dress up and pretend to be someone else. By having the opportunity to be someone else, I learn a little more about myself”

Her favorite role was Mrs. Lovett in “Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barbet of Fleet Street   “Mrs.  Lovett is hilariously demented and pragmatic in the worst ways. She is also the role I'd revisit  in a heartbeat”

“Acting takes a lot of studying, a lot of reading, a lot of watching, and a lot of thought. If your goal is to be a mediocre actor then it's a super easy gig. But most actors don't set out to be mediocre. I find that most actors go to work (and that's what it is- work) thinking, "If my hero were to be in the audience watching this show/movie tonight, would they be pleased with my performance?" In order to get your performance to that level, a lot of unseen work has to go into your performance. It's frustrating how everyone enjoys entertainment in some way - whether it's theatre, movies, TV, books, comics, etc - but very few appreciate the effort that goes into it and even actively dismisses it as work” she says.

Ari is a very well rounded individual with an interest in the Paranormal. “I spend a lot of time working in the Paranormal or Paranormal adjacent (as I call it). I have two Instagram accounts dedicated to it: Legally_Haunted and Tomb_Tales. Legally_Haunted focuses on my investigative work; I'll post possible evidence and possible spirit communication. Tomb_Tales is dedicated to telling the stories behind graves. Whenever you walk by a cemetery, every tomb stone in that cemetery has a person associated with it. That person has a story that is now contained in the words engraved, "Here lies..." I think more people should spend more time in cemeteries - whether they're interested in the Paranormal or not. The reality is that we all die someday, might as well get comfortable with death. More than that, our today was paved by the people who are now buried in those cemeteries, for better or for worse. Our history is all around us; it just so happens that most of our history happens to be dead people.

Any advice for those looking to break into the acting business? “Think about why you want to do it. Really think about it. Meditate on it. If you're looking for fame and fortune, I suggest becoming something else - maybe a stock broker. There is nothing wrong with seeking fame and fortune, but there is absolutely no guarantee that will happen - especially for actors! If you're in it for fame and fortune, you're going to quickly become disgruntled and angry. Not only will people not want to work with you because you're disgruntled and angry, but you'll be miserable. Deciding to be an actor is not an easy decision (and not as glamorous as it seems). Be sure to ask yourself why you want to pursue acting and if you're prepared to handle the challenges that come along with it.

Coming up, Ari is busy with a Gothic Romance Masquerade Ball on February 17th. She is working with the Grymm Studios as an assistant to make this happen. The ball will be held at the historic Wadsworth Mansion in Middletown. Ari says Joey of Gymm Studios that he is the mastermind of the whole thing  has been creating immersive experiences for 30 years, so I'm very excited to have the opportunity to learn more from Joey Marsocci, the genius behind Grymm Studios. The event features Edgar Allan Poe as the guest of honor (portrayed by Campbell Harmon, a Yale graduate, and well-traveled Edgar Allan Poe reenactor of 15 years). Guests can expect ffancy dress masquerade attire, dancing, immersive storytelling, comedy, and a surprise twist certain to delight any fan of the Master of Macabre. Tickets are available at www.Wadsworthmansion.com

 What does she look forward to in  2024? She tells me “More adventures with people, both alive and deceased! “