Meet Morgan j Smart | Writer, Roamer, dramaturg & performer.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Morgan j Smart and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Morgan j, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
The short answer is: there was no other choice.

Sometimes I think I knew myself the most in early childhood. Before the dissolution of growing up hit, before I discovered doubt, I knew I was meant to be an artist. I’d write “singer” on the “what I want to be when I grow up” assignments. I imagined a life on stage, singing, because I truly believed at that time that it was the only thing I was good at – or maybe that being good at it was the most interesting thing about me. I would feel so connected to a song that I couldn’t leave it alone until it consumed my brain. I marveled at the fact that a song could do that. I wanted to be capable of that impact, and I always thought the outlet would be my voice.

I began storytelling as a kid, playing with dolls and creating situations out of scenes I’d seen on TV shows. I can distinctly remember when my friends no longer thought playing with dolls was cool or fun, which was disappointing for me. They saw it as a childhood activity. I saw it as a tool of communication in a home I didn’t always feel heard in. As a child of divorced parents, I felt things deeply and I think I was subconsciously looking for an outlet.

When dolls phased out, I began writing in notebooks. I remember a particular story from my first composition notebook about a boy who lived in a one bedroom apartment with his entire family, who fell for a girl at his school whose family was better off monetarily than his. He finds, eventually, that his family is better off in other ways. I remember showing it to a teacher that would often compliment my writing, saying that I wrote with a maturity beyond my years. My favorite show at ten years old was Desperate Housewives.

Despite the compliments I received throughout the years, it took a while to commit to writing as a career. It always seemed like an isolated and lonely life. I wanted to sing, but I couldn’t ignore the impulse to create stories. Now, I know writing is and isn’t as lonely as I thought it would be, and I feel very blessed to say I use my voice in more than just one way.

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.
The only time I could see myself pursuing a more academic career field was because a powerful woman character was doing it. I thought about being a lawyer after watching Jessica Pearson dominate as managing partner of her law firm on Suits. I wanted to study forensic anthropology because I thought Dr. Temperance Brennan on Bones was a badass. Olivia Pope sparked an interest in politics. Lorlai Gilmore made the hospitality industry seem like a viable option. Media made me dream big, and I never wanted to lose those dreams.

I was lucky enough to be encouraged to explore all of my interests, and so I took at least one class in many of these industries while studying at Florida International University, but I didn’t feel at home at college until I found and immersed myself in the film club. I was around other creatives, and I felt inspired to create, and I learned that being a writer would allow me to be everything and anything I wanted to be, through the characters I created.

From FIU I then moved to New York City to study Musical Theater Writing at NYU, where I found the intersection of storytelling and song writing, and first explored the world of writing for theatre, which has proven more fulfilling than I could have dreamed. Since then, I’ve been able to explore many avenues of my multifaceted artistic impulses. I write musicals for the stage, and I sing on it. I write songs with songwriters, producers and performers from all over the world. I screenwrite and I act. I follow in the courageous footsteps of my ancestors, who believed there would be a world for me to be all that I am, and I will encourage future generations to do the same. That’s the most exciting part.

None of it was easy, in fact I’ve experienced imposter syndrome at most stages in my life and career. I can’t escape the moments when I don’t feel that I am enough or that I’m doing enough, so I try my best to sit in that feeling, acknowledge it, and move through it. I continue doing the work because it’s all I know to do. It’s what I’m best at, and it’s what fulfills me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I consider myself a resident of the world. Those who know me best know I don’t stay in one place for too long, but when I’m in LA I love to start with a hike. LA is one of those amazing places with so many textures and feels, and you can experience more of it from up high. Runyon Canyon and Griffith Park are some of my favorites.

I’m a huge food truck fanatic, and I think LA has some of the best street food to offer.

One of my favorite spots to visit is The Last Bookstore. I love the book tunnel and the local art you’ll see inside. It’s also got a vintage feel to it, and I always happen upon an unexpected book or vinyl find when I go.

Other than those things, I love to hang out with my cousins and friends that are spread out around LA. It gives me the opportunity to see different sides of the city, and, I might be biased in saying so, but my people are some of the most interesting people on this planet.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I feel very blessed to have been so encouraged by my early educators. I cannot stress the importance of teachers enough – they deserve to be compensated so much more for their contributions to society, I mean, not many other occupations are as influential. I believe it’s one of the most important jobs in the world. There were so many amazing teachers, directors, and principals that instilled in me a promise that if I believed in myself, anything was possible. I also owe so much of that confidence to my mother, who pursued a creative career despite adversity from the world she grew up in. My mother has always known what she was capable of, at least as long as I’ve known her – and she stressed to myself and my siblings to be leaders, and to explore outside of our given realities. I come from a very close and loving family, albeit a big one – which also inspired me to find my own ways to stand out amongst the crowd. I owe so much to the friends that pushed me out of my comfort zone, and to myself for taking so many chances on me. I have also been fortunate enough to be mentored by actual geniuses in my industry, particularly Kirsten Childs and Rachel Sheinkin, both incredible playwrights, fantastic educators, and passionate storytellers.

Website: Morganjsmart.com

Instagram: @shhhmorgan

Linkedin: Morgan J Smart

Twitter: @mjsmartmorgan

Image Credits
Mecca Medina Alexandra Folster