#4 Kelly Kimball - The Woman, The Witch, and the Acting Teacher

Kelly Kimball.
1975.
The Odeon. 
I am sensitive
I cause a stir
I am still learning
BE one who allows.
Badass Quotes:

 > “I was doing many things, not realizing that I was wanting to be in a relationship with fear.”
> “I was not allowing the “more” through my very tight perfection.”
> “What we’re really trying to do is be human.” 
> “I knew that was in me. I knew that it had to get fed and expressed.” 
> “Who would want to teach. You want to be on the stage acting.” 
> “Then there was just the stillness. And then they started coming.” 
> “If I really felt I was doing it all, I think I would be very happy to take the praise and go ‘oh, aren’t I amazing.’”
> “I hold the space for it, with all my force.”
> “There was the you writing it, and now there is the you speaking it, and when you speak it, things surprise you.”

Podcast Intro:
 Kelly Kimball is an incredible teacher who helps people take risks. She works with actors to express their authentic self. She got out of a marriage that stifled her passion, which left her to create a boutique acting studio named Kimball Studio that she started 20 years ago in NYC. In the time since then, she has built a ridiculously creative, supportive, loving and rising community. It’s important to note, she’s a little woo-woo, in the best way, an she’s a self-proclaimed witch, her grandmother even called her Witchy-Poo, and she knows so much about astrology, tarot and all the things you know about when you know about things like that. **She’s even going to let me pull a tarot card during our conversation.” Her advice is endless because her life has been so damn big.

Official Bio:
 Kelly’s formal training includes a BFA from Denison University (DU Award for outstanding performance by a woman) and a certificate of Merit from the London Shakespeare Studio.  While at Denison, she was a founding member of the improv comedy group Burpee’s Seedy Theatrical Company with Steve Carell. Kelly learned to direct by working on Broadway under Mike Nichols, Neil Simon and Gordon Davidson.  She has directed original theater works for The Lab Theater, The Performance Workshop, and The HBO Aspen Comedy Festival.  Kelly has written and produced on pilots and series for NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX and WB.

Biggest Takeaways:
> Why actors are so courageous 
> Why people resist
> Why perfect is not perfect
> Eye transplants are genderless
> How she teaches regular people to deal with fear
> How to access your download of knowing
> Kelly’s morning routine
> Advice on fear from her parents
> What makes a good life coach
> Kelly’s advice to everyone, straight from the Tarot 
> Wins Exercise - to do before the New Year 

Major Conversation Highlights: 
> How curiosity drives expression
> Why she created Ballistics – her signature acting class
> Opening line exercise
> The power of the period at the end of your name
> Most important points about posture for corporate presenters
> How playing the perfect wife in real life helped her leave her marriage
> How she found out she was a witch
> How Kelly cast a spell on her Studio to create a supportive community
> Kelly’s 7-line pitch
> The Fool Card

Science & More Info:
Curiosity
Aristotle: Virtues
3 Ways to Get More – Online Class

Links:
Pema Chodron – Glorious and Wretched
Harold Pinter - The Lover
Herbal Essences Commercial, with Lanie
The Dirty Life
Kimball Studio
Thomas J. Leonard