Meet Gregory Cohen | Theatrical Artist

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

Hi Gregory, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I grew up in an artistic family in the San Francisco Bay Area. My mother was an actor in local theaters and introduced me to theatre at a very young age. My sister was also an actor. Even though my father and brother didn’t act regularly, they were both fans of theatre and artistically appreciative. My father was a gifted photographer and volunteered at local theatres to take production photos and headshots. In shot, my love of the arts has been a part of me for as long as I can remember.

But, more than that, being raised around the theatre has made acceptance of the diversity of people an intrinsic part of my life and, for that, I am most grateful.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As an actor and director, the question I am most often asked (and the one I have the hardest time answering) is, “Which do you prefer?” This is hard to answer because they are two sides of the same coin, requiring vastly different skills and complementary to each other, but feeding similar but unique parts of my soul. As an actor, I am required to discover and inhabit a character, sometimes drastically different from myself, sometimes uncomfortably similar and therefore, exposing my vulnerabilities. As a director, I must be able to establish and communicate an overall vision and lead a team of performers and designers to bring that to reality. Both are immeasurably rewarding. As I’ve said before, theatre has always been a part of my life and, although, it has never provided me with a means of monetary success, it has given me a reason for living that nothing else could provide.
Throughout my life, I have held many jobs, excelled in many industries, and utilized many skills; but, when asked WHAT I am, the answer is always an ARTIST.
I believe it is that understanding of self that has contributed to my success. Have all my productions been successful? Certainly not! But they’ve all been a learning experience and, therefore, rewarding in their own way.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First of all, when spending time with my best friend, it doesn’t matter what we do or where we go or what we experience — simply spending time together, laughing — always laughing — is reward enough. Having said that, living in Southern California affords us all innumerable types of enrichment and entertainment — natural wonders like the tidepools in Laguna Beach or the mountain communities near Big Bear, educational adventures that can be found in many of our local science museums; and, of course, the entertainment industry providing local theatrical events, free television show tapings and more movie theatres than you can shake a stick at.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First and foremost, I need to give a huge shoutout to my wife of 36 years. When one is married to someone in the theatre, one accepts that there will be MANY nights where your spouse will be away from the house, working long hours on whatever current project is on the docket. There is also the acceptance that most of us are working on labors of love, not profit. My wife, also a talented theatre artist (musical director and choreographer) has provided me with a wonderful support system and one-woman fan club. I have also had incredible support from many of the theatres that continue to bring me back to work on passion projects with a sense of trust and belief that is invaluable to a creative soul.

Website: www.alljokingaside.com

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-cohen-541084148/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cohengregory

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gregory.cohen1/

Youtube: Gregory Cohen @gregorycohen6620