What’s your fantasy? Charlotte actor performs autobiographical myth at CreativeMornings
On Nov. 11, the Charlotte Chapter of CreativeMornings dove into “Fantasy,” a global theme shared with 156 other chapters around the world, with an original one-woman performance called “The Tale of Oparatis” by local actress and director Kim Parati.
Parati has performed and directed with the former Charlotte Rep, Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte and Three Bone Theatre. Most recently, she directed “The Bluest Eye” for On Q Productions.
To demonstrate how embracing fantasy and creativity has enabled her to explore reality, Kim tapped into her love for Homer’s “The Odyssey” to craft a mythological tale based on elements of her own life, including the murder of her father and a stroke suffered by her mother.
The morning’s theme of “Fantasy” was helped by the setting, Boxman Studios, a local company that transforms metal shipping containers into fantastic retail spaces, experimental marketing space and rental properties.
Thanks to Charlotte Star Room, you can watch the video of Kim’s incredible performance here:
Kim also agreed to answer a few follow up questions about her relationship with creativity.
How has your personal life impacted your development as an artist?
Working as an artist allows me to analyze some things in my personal life. It helps me step outside myself as much as possible and look at my highs and lows before making a judgment on what it means for how I’ll move forward. It’s how I cope and move towards something better.
As an artistic person, you have qualities and skills (or “gems”) others may want to take advantage of. How do you share your gifts while protecting yourself at the same time?
Once I put something out there, it no longer belongs to me and I know that. Much of who I am is a result of the “gems” I’ve received from others. Sharing my personal thoughts, experiences and ideas might make me vulnerable, but I’ll choose that any day over hoarding them and not contributing to the collective story of what it means to be human.
What excites you about Charlotte’s artistic community today? What disappoints you? What do you want to take up as a challenge?
People from all over the world are moving to the Queen City, helping to make it a richer environment. I believe diversity of thought, background and experiences creates the best work. As far as challenges go, I do hope our city works towards providing a place for artists to make a living doing their thing full time.
How do your creative talents and those of your husband, Tim Parati, mesh? How do they act on each other?
My husband is my love, best friend, most ardent cheerleader and trusted confidant. He challenges me to take on difficult projects, is my sounding board in telling me what works and what doesn’t and always helps make my work pretty. He has an amazing eye.
I also think Tim and I represent progress. We come from different ethnic, socio-economic and generational backgrounds. Our amazing love, understanding and partnership is a sign of hope. Some see their own lives through the prism of ours, and as a result, Tim is a bridge to help people who are more like him understand people who are more like me.
What was your most formative experience as an actor or a director? What did you learn from it or in spite of it?
Disappointment is sometimes a better teacher than success. Having to navigate a cast and crew through a show where the support was challenging has been one of my most difficult tasks. Maintaining my confidence and vision, while trying to encourage the cast was one of the biggest challenges I’ve had to face.
We kept working, found resourceful ways to cope and remained resilient throughout (the) process. The cast worked hard and stepped up to make it an amazing and transformative experience for the audience. I could not have been more proud.
Have Yourself a Creative Little Morning!
Make plans to join CreativeMornings/Charlotte Friday, Dec. 16. The group will be back at its “home base,” Warehouse 242, to celebrate its first anniversary and hear Julianne Gold Brunson speak on the topic of “Sound.”
Deaf from birth, Julianna played Lydia in the original and Tony-award winning Broadway production of “Children of a Lesser God” before moving to Charlotte, where she works as a licensed clinical psychologist. Tickets are free and will available at 9 a.m. Monday, Dec. 12 at at www.CharlotteIsCreative.com.
Photo: Courtesy of CreativeMornings/Charlotte
This story was originally published November 20, 2016 at 9:34 PM with the headline "What’s your fantasy? Charlotte actor performs autobiographical myth at CreativeMornings."