We had the good fortune of connecting with Elena Musser and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elena, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I am originally from a small town in Appalachian Ohio called Pomeroy. It has a population of ~1,500, and our courthouse is in the Guinness Book of World Records. I grew up with great parents who continuously challenged my brothers and me to learn and experience as much as possible. They willingly drove me to and from ballet class (which was 40 miles away), piano and voice lessons, theatre rehearsals, and other various extracurriculars almost every day of the week throughout adolescence. We had to get very creative about how to access classes and resources that are available for people in cities and suburban areas. This “out of the box” thinking and ambitious lifestyle set me up for success in a performing arts career. To this day, I am still learning as much as possible and constantly working towards my goals. The grind never stops!

Perhaps more importantly, coming from a small town in Ohio allowed me to grow up surrounded by people who support me. The community in Pomeroy and throughout Meigs County is very strong, and people genuinely care about one another there. I learned to value family, friendship, and connections above all else. There is also a mindfulness that comes from living in rural areas and surrounded by trees that is harder to find in big cities. 🙂

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Music and the performing arts have been a major part of my life for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I would sing songs from Wizard of Oz every Thursday at my preschool show & tell (fun “toy,” right?), and I would play a piano every chance I’d get. I started taking formal singing and piano lessons at age 7, and began acting in community theatre shows around the same time. I have a high soprano voice, and I love singing operatic and legit musical theatre songs. Plus, it’s fun to accompany myself while doing it. 🙂 I’ve since done several short films (in both Ohio and Los Angeles), a couple of Equity musicals, a web series, a commercial, and some straight plays.

Over the years, I’ve accrued a lot of interesting hobbies, including skateboarding, surfing, swimming, ballet dancing, rock climbing, yoga, solo travel, and learning French and Turkish. I love them all. I’ve gotten to meet a lot of people through various walks of life from each activity, and I have no doubt been impacted as an artist and human by them all.

At this point in time, I am most proud of the progress I have made with my voice and with singing. I am working with a wonderful teacher named Dianna Ruggiero. She is helping me free my voice, and is giving me the tools and confidence I need to have a sustainable acting and singing career. I am excited to see what else I can do with my voice and the roles that will become available to me.

My favorite project I have worked on recently was playing the titular character in the original musical “The Lady in the Moon,” by Jason Lally and Patrick Burns. Shoutout to Jason for giving me the “shoutout” for this article!! 🙂 I was able to explore a really cool ethereal goddess character, I got to sing and stylize an original song, and, most importantly, I got to collaborate with awesome people and create a new musical right here in Los Angeles! I’m very grateful for this rewarding and encouraging experience.

I am still in the beginning phases of my acting and performing arts career, but I have certainly been working and training hard, and plan to continue doing so! I studied Theatre at the Ohio State University, and I also did a summer acting program at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York, NY. After moving to Los Angeles, I continued classes with several teachers, although I have found a nice home at the Beverly Hills Playhouse for the time being. 🙂 Pursuing a career in the arts takes a lot of hard work, and it certainly isn’t easy. I’ve been continually putting myself out there, auditioning, and meeting people whenever possible. However, it is very rewarding to me to be able to do what I love and to make art. I have extremely supportive family and friends, both in and out of the industry, who always encourage me and keep me grounded. I’m grateful for them and the life I’m creating where I am free to express myself and to make as much art as I can.

If you take anything away from this article, please let it be my love for this art, and for learning about the world and the human experience through it. I am in this for the long run, and I look forward to performing for as long as I live.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in Venice, so I would first take my friend to the Venice Boardwalk, to the skatepark, and then to surf at Breakwater. We could pack snacks for the day and then eat at a restaurant on Rose Ave. I would also show them Hollywood, go to the Roosevelt Hotel, drive by Paramount, and then head up to Griffith Observatory in Los Felis. Depending on the friend, I would either park in the free lot at the bottom of the hill and hike up, or drive to the top and pay for parking. 😛

The Santa Monica Pier is also iconic, and is a must-see for first time visitors. At one point in time, I had 5 high scores on Guitar Hero on expert level at the Pier Arcade.

The New Beverly Cinema, the Laemmle, and the TCL IMAX Theatre are really awesome places to watch movies, and are definitely worth a visit.

My favorite bar is called Blue Collar, and it’s a great place to get a bit dressed up and have an awesome cocktail. 🙂 Lastly, I would take guests to a natural wine shop in Culver City called Bar & Garden. My friend and fellow creative Megan Wilcox works here and will hook anyone up with a perfect bottle of wine! 🙂

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to my voice teacher, Dianna Ruggiero. She is helping me transform my singing and speaking voice, and is teaching me so much about the industry. She is incredibly supportive, extremely knowledgable, hard-working, and joyous. It is so nice to have a mentor who sets me up for success in and out of the classroom. Dianna, you are changing my life!!! Thank you for all that you do. <3

Website: https://elenamusser.com

Instagram: @elenamusser

Youtube: @ElenaTheSoprano – Elena Musser

Image Credits
Matt Kallish, Parker Brennon, The Ohio State University Department of Theatre

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