Tristan J. Shuler
Actor, Director, Hustler
www.tristanjshuler.com
@TristanJShuler
Let’s start off with the obvious place to start, please tell us a little about yourself:
I’m a theatre artist currently based in New York City. I love that you call me a “hustler,” because that’s straight up what it feels like 24/7, I’m constantly hustling for the next thing. I direct, act, choreograph, dramaturg, script consult, write, coach/teach for any and all things related to theatre. I love to laugh and joke around – that’s what keeps me grounded- so you’ll find I work on a lot of comedies. I grew up in Brooklyn, New York, before moving to Pennsylvania, where I studied at the local performing arts high school. After that I moved back to New York City to study at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and start my career. Since then I’ve just been…hustling.
As you mentioned, you completed your early training at the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Performing Arts (LVPA) followed by the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (The Academy). What were these experiences like and what influence did they have in shaping the artist or person you wanted to become?
I think my theatre education has everything to do with what kind of artist I’ve become. LVPA was where I became “Tristan J. Shuler,” ya know? It was where I developed my work ethic & how far my passion could push me. I also discovered what type of work I was into. That school threw so much content at me, I got a taste of practically everything. So when I continued my acting studies at The Academy in New York, I knew exactly what kind of work I wanted to do. And the instructors and teachers I was blessed with in those years were so instrumental to who I am now. If they didn’t believe in me so much, I would not have chosen this as a career.
What made you decide to (or feel prepared to) take the leap to pursue acting full-time professionally? And what made you choose to settle in the NYC area as opposed to a different artistic hub?
I don’t even know, actually. I was in this major depression during my senior year of high school and most of that year I thought that I would be joining the military. My whole family had been or currently was enlisted and I thought that was the easiest option. Then, under a last-minute deadline, I applied to and auditioned for I think ten or twelve schools. I even applied for one school as a pre-law major! I got into all except one (I got into the pre-law program, thank you very much!). And that was the hint that “oh, I should do this.”
The final factor was that I needed to study in a city where I could also work. I wasn’t going to go study in a place where I couldn’t build a network. So NYC was the answer there and that narrowed my choices. I got a final push from two amazing mentors in my life, and they’re really the only reasons I ended up going to collegiate acting school officially, which is the reason I ended up in New York.
Your career as a performer has taken you in a lot of exciting directions. From television and film to Off-Broadway to Teatro Potlach in Italy, you’ve managed to make a lot of opportunities happen for yourself and seemingly without representation, which is hugely impressive. No doubt sheer will, hustle, and talent has a lot to do with this but could you give us a little insight as to how you sought out these opportunities?
This one I’m not too sure of. I guess I can amount it all up to “the more people that know you’re work, the better.” The funny thing is, that I don’t feel like I’ve really accomplished much of anything yet. But, I know that I have to celebrate all the wins, no matter the grandeur! Basically, I like to work hard and be kind to everyone. I’m happy to say that hard work and kindness is often returned in opportunity.
What advice would you give someone who’s just starting out (or super introverted) and not sure how to go about making connections?
Give up the coy act. I’m an introvert, but no one out in the world is going to believe in you if you stay indoors. Say “Hi”. Fall in love. Be kind. Just be a person. Also be honest – that’s huge.
At any given time, you’ve got your hands in a number of different types of projects. Between actor, performer, choreographer, director (etc., etc., etc.), is there any one of these identities that you identify with or mediums that you gravitate towards most?
Well it’s funny, when I was in high school, I decided that I was going to be a director. So I told myself I would go to acting school because I could never imagine directing actors without knowing every little thing about how an actor lives and what an actor does. So that was supposed to be a stepping stone, but it became a huge part of what started my career. Now, I think I’m mainly an actor, but I also do all of these other mediums, which I love. I love that I can be a multi-hyphenate and good at more than one thing, and that the industry allows me to do that.
In addition to working as a performer, you also pay it forward with your work as a teaching artist. Can you talk about why this work is important to you and what lead you down this road?
The teachers and coaches I had in my educational years are so instrumental to my success and future. If I can’t provide that same type of inspiration for somebody else, there’s really no point in doing it all.
Along the same lines, part of your mission as an artist is to support emerging artists and new works. Can you talk a little about this aspect of your career and about the work you do with A Night of Play? How did you think of pairing theatre and games in order to create such a fun and unique theater experience?
Aw, I love A Night of Play. Something I’ve been passionate about since puberty is new plays. I didn’t realize WHY I was passionate about them until a few years later, when I started seeing revival after revival and every. Single. Actor. Was white. Every. Single. Time. So the importance of new work became really apparent to me when I realized that for a lot of the people out there, “the classics” is just another way of saying “the white way,” which is literally the term for Broadway: “The Great White Way.” My eyes can’t roll back hard enough. I don’t have time or tolerance for that. So I support a lot of new theatre and new works festivals with emerging artists who need support from people who can identify with them.
A Night of Play is just a little event I created to bring together emerging artists and new plays with a board game party to break the ice. I can talk about A Night of Play forever, but I’m taking a little break from that at the moment. It’s a lot a lot of work to curate and script consult for four different playwrights’ new plays every month and get them staged reading ready with great actors in three weeks for free. The process and the project, however, was so insanely fulfilling, and produced some really beautiful moments and scripts. Board games and new plays are my favorite two things on earth, so A Night of Play holds a special place in my heart. I can’t wait to do it again sometime soon.
Why is community so important and what advice would you give to those trying to find theirs or want to break in but don’t know how or are too scared?
I actually think LOOKING for your community is detrimental to actually finding a healthy community. I think you have to trust yourself and be true to yourself, then your community will wrap itself around you naturally. Forcing things like friendships and professional relationships never works, unless you’re Joe Goldberg from “You.”
What’s something you wish you knew before you got started on your path? Or, what have been some important lessons you’ve learned along the way.
This is going to sound dark, but I wish I knew how lonely I’d be sometimes. I wish I knew that what made me happy then is not always going to make me happy, and that’s okay! I wish I was in therapy earlier! Haha! But yeah, I wish I was more emotionally prepared for some of that. Oh, and I also wish I had a savings account.
Given all that you have going on at any given moment, how do you find or strive for balance?
I seriously don’t. I think I struggle the same as everyone else with finding balance. I’ve just recently started to follow the “put me first” rule, and it’s wild how some people don’t respond well to not being my number #1 priority. That being said, I think self-care is super important. Being honest with myself. Asking “What do I need right now?” And then prioritizing that. And in the busier weeks when I’m running around from event to show to audition to whatever else and I feel like there’s no time in the day for me, I add a two hour block to my Google calendar for “Tristan time.” I take a lot of naps.
Do you ever experience fear, doubt, or loneliness? How do you manage those feelings?
Every single day. I don’t think it’s a matter of managing them. It’s a matter of accepting them.
What do you do when you feel stuck creatively?
I go see other people’s art. There’s nothing like watching someone do what they love to inspire me again.
What do you like to do besides performing, directing, or teaching?
I play a lot of board games. I love a good Dungeons & Dragons night with some friends or a game of Uno with a charcuterie plate to share. When I have the time, I work out and practice yoga. I also am an avid audience member. I will never say no to go see a show.
Of what you’ve accomplished or experienced thus far, what are you most proud of so far or found most rewarding?
Something I’ll always be quite proud of is when I got to perform at The Drama Desk Awards with the cast of Spamilton: An American Parody. That was so wild and so fun, and I had no idea the show was really that big of a deal until we were rehearsing to open up for the awards that year next to people like Michael Urie and Jane Krakowski. That was a super big deal for me – I might still be reeling from that!
What’s something you would love to do but haven’t gotten the chance to yet?
Eek, I actually think I’m ready to try some new spots to live and work. I’ve lived in New York City for eight years and feel like I’ve experienced so much. But I want to travel a bit, and maybe find a new network out in a different part of the country!
In times of stress, how do you relax, take care of yourself, or indulge yourself?
Naps. So many naps.
Who or what inspires you?
I inspire myself. What keeps me pushing is always asking myself, “What would young Tristan think of me right now?”
What motivates you?
Faith.
What scares you?
Being forgotten after I die.
What brings you the greatest joy or satisfaction?
Laughing with friends. There’s nothing like forgetting where you are and just being with old friends that have so many inside jokes with
Who’s your idol?
Ryan Murphy. Lady Gaga. Baz Luhrmann.
What’s your favorite song or album? (or closest you can get to it)
“Marathon Runner” by Yellow Ostrich. I woke up once on a park bench (it’s a long story), and this song was playing in my earphones. It was a magical moment. I was 16 years old, and this song has stuck with me since. It reminds me that life is a marathon not a sprint. We run for a purpose not for a destination. I think it’s a beautiful lyric and I love the ambiance.
What is your favorite restaurant or meal?
Mac & cheese.
Who is on your guest list (alive or dead) for your perfect dinner party and what would you eat?
Rosa Parks, and I’d let her sit wherever she damn well pleased while we eat mac &cheese.
Where is your favorite place on earth?
My bed.
What’s one thing you can’t live without?
My friends – I have such beautiful people in my life. I couldn’t live without them.
What’s next?!
Ah! This question. I am actually currently in Toronto rehearsing to embark on a Disney Cruise Line for a couple of months, doing some of their shows, including Frozen as Kristoff. I think it'll be pretty magical, and it should feed that travel bug I've been having. I just finished a little stint on the Spamilton National Tour, but I am so ready for new adventures. What's next is scary but exciting, and I'm so ready for it. Follow my social media and you can be in the loop! ;) I post everything up on there! @TristanJShuler.
Beyond what we’ve covered here, is there anything you really want people to know about you?
I think the best thing to know about me is that I don’t believe in luck. Or if I do, I have never been blessed with it. Working hard is my claim to fame – that’s all I can accredit any of my accomplishments to, which makes every step of the way that much more special.
