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

Hi Meghan, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
My favorite quote (and something I consider words to live by) came from one of my hugest inspirations, Dolly Parton. “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.” We can’t predict our life, any more than we can predict the weather. We need to face our struggles and grow from them. Those tough times make us who we are.

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.
I’ve always been passionate about the arts, especially acting. There was nothing else I ever wanted to do. I’ve always wanted to be an actress and performer. I studied hard, taking dance classes at a young age and reading every possible play. After graduating with a degree in Theatre from UC Santa Cruz, I moved to Los Angeles with hopes of breaking into the film and television industry. To say there haven’t been struggles would be a filthy lie. I get work, but like many artists, I still have a survival job. The dream is still there though, and I haven’t given up yet. What I wasn’t expecting to learn was that there is a thriving theatre community right here in Los Angeles. Along with my friends Emily Clark and Pamela Eberhardt, I am proud to have produced several successful shows with our company, The Unknown Artists. Most recently our company produced Amber Ruffin’s “Bigfoot! The Musical” which won Best Musical at The Hollywood Fringe Festival.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
There is so much to do and see! I would start with brunch in North Hollywood at The Fat Dog. The food is delicious, the drinks are strong, and… there are puppies. After brunch, I would go site seeing. I still find the hand prints at The Chinese Theater to be magical so I’d definitely start there. I would follow that up by visiting The Hollywood Museum. They’ve curated a collection of memorabilia that’s truly spectacular. I would then have dinner and cocktails at the oldest, and best, restaurant in Hollywood, Musso and Frank’s. (Their martinis are always in my dreams.) After dinner, I would hit up theatre row on Santa Monica and see a show. There are so many small companies in Hollywood that produce incredible work. I’d end the night at one my favorite bars, The Broadwater Plunge. The drinks are strong and tasty and the staff is top notch!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give a shoutout to my parents Richard and Patricia Blaine for their unwavering love and support of all of my endeavors. They’ve always fostered my love of the arts and supported my career. From buying my first pair of tap shoes to driving me to auditions, and sitting through many a performance… their support of me has never wavered. They’ve always been my biggest cheerleaders.

Website: https://iamanunknownartist.wordpress.com

Instagram: @meghan_e_allison

Image Credits
Betsy Martinez, David Haverty, Daniel Sliwa

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.