Teddy Margas Says Let The Children Create!
If Teddy Margas could give the world one message, it would be to embrace the power of creativity. He is a shining example of creative talent and dedication, and we are very lucky to have an amazing conversation to share with all of our listeners today!
Actor, writer, comedian, performer; however you want to describe him, Teddy has his fingers in many pies and continues to grow and branch out, embracing new challenges and forms in order to stay inspired.
In our chat, we talk about Teddy's upbringing and family, the moments in his childhood that left a mark on him, bringing the power of personal trauma into performance, and why connecting with an audience can be so powerful. We also touch on some of Teddy's amazing character work, which you find on his social media channels, and the lessons he learned about how to approach auditions.
For Teddy, being creative doesn't have to mean dropping everything to make it in Hollywood, he just believes that allowing space for the magic of play and creativity can bring so much joy and fulfillment into our lives, a message we at the Not Real Art Podcast fully endorse!
New Book By Katie Love
From Cult To Comedy, A Memoir, by Katie Love
![Author Katie Love: The Comedian Turning Heartbreak Into Humor [Podcast] cover](https://notrealart.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/KatieLove_TwoTickets_3480e51b580ddab4420c3075f139bc39_2000-400x209.jpg)
The year is 1970. The horror soap opera “Dark Shadows” is all the rage, the Vietnam War is raging and nine-year-old Katie, an imaginative and independent latch-key kid, comes home from school to discover her mother’s suicide.
Taken in by her older sister who has recently become a Jehovah’s Witness, Katie is shown an illustration from a bible picture book featuring wild animals peacefully lounging by a pool of water, surrounded by happy people picking fruit. An enticing offer is made: “Katie, this is Paradise. Do you want to see Mom again, happy and living forever? All you have to do is follow all of Jehovah’s commandments and you can be with Mom again.”
Mom happy and living forever? Two tickets to Paradise, please!
So begins Katie’s zealous quest to attain perfection and entrance into a utopian world which promises peace, love, and happiness. She discovers a much darker world. “Two Tickets to Paradise, from Cult to Comedy” tells the hilarious and heartbreaking story of an earnest, bible-toting kid intent on saving the world, and follows her metamorphosis into a boisterous comedian intent on saving herself through the healing powers of humor.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Teddy's early years, birth in North Carolina, and formative years in Philadelphia.
- Reflections on the benefits of growing up in a cultural melting pot.
- Moving to LA and leaving the small pond for a big city.
- Teddy's belief in nurturing the artistic impulses of young children.
- The bravery it takes to get up on stage and why Teddy thinks everyone should try it!
- Thoughts on the connection between comedy and trauma.
- How Teddy properly found his voice and truly connected with an audience.
- Teddy's approach to describing his work and skillset in different situations.
- The work that goes into the development of Teddy's characters and his fascination with 'Karen'.
- A look back at the important periods of learning in Teddy's journey.
- Teddy explains some surprising elements of successful auditioning techniques.
- How Teddy uses silences and pauses in his routine.
- The surprising roles and places that Teddy has found himself in through his love of creating!
- Teddy's perspective on the hurdles he faces at this point in his career, and his attraction to challenges.
- Exciting information on upcoming projects and how to connect with Teddy online!
“We all have our own trauma, and when I tapped into that, that's when my comedy became almost easy.” — @teddymargas [0:28:41]
“ I was just constantly creating, in any way that I could possibly think of. And loving my family for constantly embracing that.” — @teddymargas [0:32:18]
“When it changed for me, the first major shift happened, I want to say, probably two or three years into it, when I realized, 'Here's my voice.' I think as a comic, the way it works is first you have to get your legs, which is, 'I can stand on a stage'. Once that is settled, then you start doing what you are doing, then you start figuring it out, and you start finding your voice. And it happens when the audience reacts.” — @teddymargas [0:29:18.2]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
- Teddy Margas — https://www.teddymargas.com/
- Teddy Margas on Twitter — https://twitter.com/teddymargas
- Teddy Margas on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/teddymargas/
- Teddy Margas on TikTok — https://www.tiktok.com/@teddymargas
- Laugh Gallery — https://www.laughgalleryusa.com/
- The Comedy Store — https://www.sho.com/the-comedy-store
- Not Real Art — https://www.notrealart.com/
- Scott “Sourdough” Power — https://www.notarealartist.com/
