Meet Alison Rubens | Actress

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

Hi Alison, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I decided to pursue an artistic career as an actress because I have found my purpose in serving others as a storyteller. The deepest stories and performances are a catalyst for people to laugh, cry, reflect, and feel. Stories allow us to celebrate our differences and also our similarities. It allows us to travel to different places, different times, and different worlds. It is powerful to listen to a story because it has the capacity to open one’s perspective to the deeper essence of what it means to be human. I have always known that I wanted to be part of that form of art. To be part of living, moving, electrifying artistic storytelling. From a young age, I would create wild scenarios and stories for my toys and stuffed animals to play out and I have continued using my body and mind as a conduit for different people and the stories they have to share. Selfishly, It has also served me in allowing myself to experience different facets of myself. Experiencing different characters has allowed me to explore my own depths to bring a character to life. Within those depths and learning more about who I am as a person constantly shifts my own perspective and deepens my connection with the world and those around me. The challenge has always been exciting to me as well. Creating a character, being part of a story is always different and requires specificity in each character and the variety of how to create and transform into a different person invigorates me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I feel most powerful within my art form when I am affecting the audience. Stage is a palpable place to feel that so I try to do at least one stage production per year. Most recently I played Dot in “The Wonderful World of Dissocia” and was very pleased with my performance because I felt that it shifted the audience perspective of the main character and the struggle she was encountering. I also played Audrey in “As you Like It” and created my own interpretation of a beloved Shakespeare character. I also love developing characters for the screen. I love reading scripts and developing characters that have never been seen before. When things get tough. when I don’t nail a couple auditions and enter a dry spell, I reground myself in class, writing daily, and connecting with my body in movement meditations. My love for telling the story is what ultimately gets me through.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The beach is the first spot to hit in the city! How could you visit LA without seeing Venice, Santa Monica, or Malibu beach?! Museums are also a go to in LA. There’s LACMA, the Getty, and if you are feeling ready for something a little funky, The Museum of Jurassic Technology. LACMA is great for modern art and has a great big grassy field to picnic in after a day of looking at some pretty outstanding art. The Getty has one of my favorite gardens in LA, not to mention the breathtaking views. I will save any description of the Museum of Jurassic Technology to feed a curious mind. LA has a very active scene and one of the best things to do for a couple hours is to hike one of the many challenging and rewarding hikes here. Temescal is one of my favorites because at the top, you can see a full view of the ocean and the city horizon that meets it. If hiking is not your thing, then you might want to go rollerblading right through the heart of Venice. There you are met with a gentle beating of a drum circle (If you are lucky), and art vendors selling true homemade art.Escaping the beach for an afternoon is a must and downtown LA is up and coming for a variety of rooftop bars and used bookstores. There is an endless variety of food to try in LA, one of my favorites is Santa Monica local Mexican restaurant, Gilbert’s El Indio.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am beyond grateful for the support system that I find myself surrounded by. To my friends that nudge me to find and create my best self. To my friends that love me and come to my plays no matter how experimental they might be. Those who give me constant full support and encourage me when things get tough. I want to give a shoutout to my teachers who have nurtured and encouraged me to forever push the boundaries of who I am and what I can do.For my fellow acting peers that have challenged me to get to new depths. There are so many to name, the list could go on and on, iIn no particular order: Shannon Hart, Rebecca Neubauer, Maria Leicy, Chelsea McMahon, Casey Levy, Arpana Dhir, Rachel Horowitz, Gretchen Syverud, Trish Moran, Alissa Veil, Ryan Murphy, Desean Terry, Brad Etter, Bryan DeVore, Karissa Montaneer, and of course, my mother, Kathryn Rubens.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arubens1123/

Image Credits
Headshot photo by Andy Rooney of Exact digital.