From starving artist to working actor, writer & director, Juan Francisco Villa on how the StoryTelling Circle transformed his life & career

My name is Juan Francisco Villa. I'm a writer, director, and actor. I trained at Maggie Flanigan’s studio in NYC. I've been on stages around the country in LA, New York City, and Chicago. About 10 years ago, I met April Yvette Thompson, who was teaching at the Maggie Flanigan studio.

Realization
I had reached a point in my career where I knew I wanted more.

I was tired of doing theater.

Acting felt like it was turning into a hobby, as if I was being taken advantage of.

Finding the Mentor

I had not taken a class with April, but something about her drew me to her. I reached out to her because I thought if there was someone who has a lot of experience, it would be April.

I told her how I felt and what was sort of bubbling inside of me, which was wanting to tell my story; it was that simple, and I needed guidance.

She had her solo play, Liberty City, that I had seen and thought was pretty damn solid. I saw that at New York Theatre Workshop.

So I just said, alright, she's the person. She's the person to go to, and I wanted a career like hers. I wanted to do what she wanted to do: Film & TV.

Acknowledging the Fear
I hadn't allowed myself to have that desire for a long time.

Because when you work in theater or you're in acting, you do it for the art... the starving artist. I had reached a point where I thought that was bullshit, and it didn’t need to be that way.

So up to that point, I didn't consistently work, and my discipline was non-existent. But after studying at Maggie's for two years, my bar was high, and I wanted to keep it there.

I knew April was the perfect person to help me do that.

Taking Action
I introduced myself and shared how I was looking into writing a solo play for the first time. People had recommended that I do it, but I shied away from it for a lot of reasons, probably because I was fucking scared. That's really what it was, and I knew April because of her energy; I knew that she would keep me in line.

So I went up to her and I just asked. 
 
I want to take a class of yours

The Leap of Faith
I wanted to know whether it was the business class or the writing class. I told her I wanted to write a solo show. She told me about her class, and I signed up.

It was definitely one of the best experiences I've ever had…cleansing.

It was just phenomenal.

I had a version of what were journals, but I didn't have any real stories, just sort of thoughts or whatnot.

I took a writing class with her, and I just felt so supported.

Storytelling Circle: The Process
April had some amazing exercises that were immensely helpful.

We would start off with some stream of consciousness to set aside whatever is clogging the brain. It was about four or five of us.

Then she would have a little dream bowl of prompts of what to talk about. You put your hand in there, take it out, and it would say what it needs to say, and then you just start talking.

We're recording what comes to mind without editing it at all.

You just talk, and you have the floor.

I think for a lot of artists, it's about wanting to be heard…wanting to express yourself.

April deeply understood that, and she guided you through that.

Then you end up transcribing what you recorded: everything with all the isms, vocalized pauses.

Then you bring it to class the next time and you have someone else read it just so you can have a little bit of distance from it. So you can be in the role of the writer to see how something works with someone else saying it.

Because we can be so precious about our stories, about our experiences, that it doesn't help us as writers.

It doesn't help shape the story. But if it works with someone else saying what you wrote, then you know there's something working there.

Then April would say just take out all the vocalized pauses, maybe save a couple, but make them purposeful. Then you bring it in again after editing the story, but in each class, you're also doing another new story, another prompt.

I didn't think I was a writer.

I wanted to be a writer,

but I thought I wasn’t.

But we're naturally storytellers, and that's a perfect, easy, simple way to get the story out. Because the way to tell it, like when you're out with friends or family, is the way it works strongest.

RESULTS
Then you get on the page, and BOOM! Before we know it, you have a few stories. Those stories helped me develop the heart of Empanada for a Dream. It was a huge success.

I did it in 2012 in New York City and got great reviews. I did it in Chicago, and I got a whole production out of it. It was part of a festival at first, and I got asked for a full run at Sixteenth Street Theater. Then I got an extension, and then another extension, and made best-of lists in Chicago and the Jeff Award. Then a whole run in Los Angeles, and I made best-of lists there.

Fear of Owning Your Story
I credit April's class because I got to tell my family stories.

I got to own it, and it was something that I'd never done.

I think I was too afraid, and April gave me the courage to tell it.

To tell the story in all its joyous, loving beauty and dark ...tragedies.

Transformation
I'd never worked that hard, but what it helped me do was connect parts of my artistic soul.

I was almost there after the 2-year program, but with April, she helped me connect ALL the parts of my artistic soul.

Before April's class, I had no TV or film credits.

After April's class, I had five episodic credits, guest, and film roles.

It didn't really happen until I made a commitment to myself, my dreams, and my desires. I started to find this with April, and things started to change.

Things started to happen.

Three years later , and I was just accepted into an MFA TV screenwriting program in LA at the heart of the industry.

I'm at that place that I never thought was possible, but with April’s help, I finally got there.

So make that commitment, sign up, and give yourself that opportunity.

Seize it, and you will see changes in your career and in your life.

-Juan Francisco Villa, actor/writer/director (Madame Secretary, Chicago PD, Empanada for a Dream, Don Chipotle)