“Welcome to Enter Stage Left. I’m your host, Yvette Monique Clark. This is the spot where we kick it about all things theatre — with veterans and newbies alike. From onstage, to backstage, and even under the stage, we’re talking stories, craft, and the passion that keeps the theatre world alive. So whether you're a performer, a crew member, or just a lover of the stage, you’re in the right place. Let’s get into it.”

On this episode of Enter Stage Left, Yvette Monique Clark sits down with actor, director, writer, and educator Lisa Strum for a candid conversation about the craft—and the business—of building a life in the theatre.

Lisa traces her journey from growing up in Philadelphia and performing as a child to discovering theatre in college and pursuing intensive graduate actor training. Along the way, she reflects on typecasting, staying present onstage, continuing to develop your craft, and what it takes to navigate an industry that doesn’t always give artists enough time to fully explore their work.

They also talk about the increasingly short rehearsal process, the unpaid work actors often do away from the rehearsal room, creating your own opportunities, developing new work, and why artists have to remain curious enough to keep learning.

It’s a funny, thoughtful, and refreshingly real conversation about what happens when the love of performing meets the business of show.

And allegedly there's a purple trombone....