Did you ever feel like somewhere along the line you lost a piece of yourself? A hobby, a part of your job, a relationship or friendship that you wish you hadn’t let just fade away? It happens in life, with all of our comings and goings, that things slip between our fingers into some abyss. The good thing about that abyss is that it’s not really that far away and we can easily fish out what we once loved and make it new again.
Theatre is that candle for me that went out several years ago. I was in it, making it, and then my interest in it just faded away. I was disillusioned by certain practices and the politics and the commercialism of it all. I just cared about the art, and in that field getting the credit (and as much of it as possible) is crucial. Or so I thought….
I recently joined a brand new group at work called Temporary Shakespeare, a soon-to-be nonprofit, that offers free Shakespeare readings, and workshops to help corporate employees attain and maintain work / life balance. Our first show is Comedy of Errors and will be held January 14, 15, and 16. I’m excited about this new venture and what may come of it. At rehearsal today, I felt like I reclaimed a passion that I thought was so long gone, and it was actually just over my shoulder all along.
Published by Christa Avampato
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
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Nice! Kudos on getting back on stage! May you shine in a whole new light – literally.You set such a great example for those of us who desire to give interests another try and just check in to see if they are still as interesting as they were in the past. I’m so glad it worked well for you. Enjoy it.
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Nice! Kudos on getting back on stage! May you shine in a whole new light – literally.You set such a great example for those of us who desire to give interests another try and just check in to see if they are still as interesting as they were in the past. I’m so glad it worked well for you. Enjoy it.
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Hey Linda! Thanks so much. It does feel good to be back up there, albeit i this very small way. And it was nice to learn that the things I love about are still intact while all the things I didn’t love about it have fallen away. -C
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Good for you,best of luck…I recently rediscovered the joy of running again and it feels great to be a participant rather then a spectator
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Hi runner52,Congrats on getting back to running! How’s it going so far?-Christa
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inspiring. it's a reminder to me too — to get back to running. something i love, that was once a big part of me. good luck & enjoy
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Thanks, Col! It’s a fun project and I’m really excited to see how it goes!-C
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