Today we’d like to introduce you to Cosette Montemayor.
Cosette, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started singing in elementary school, which eventually led to me branching out in the arts and finding theater around seventh grade. I grew up in Mesquite- so there wasn’t a huge emphasis on the arts, and ironically my seventh-grade year was the VERY first year my middle school (Wilkinson) offered theater as a class! My mind was absolutely blown. Acting changed the game for me. My name, Cosette, is actually from Les Miserables- so I guess it was kind of written in the stars for me to later mush my two favorite things– singing and acting– together in musical theatre later in life. I furthered my theater exploration in high school, and by my senior year, I started vlogging my experiences. Every rehearsal, concert, audition, etc. It’s kind of cringey watching my high-school-self repeat “IT’S LIT!!” over and over, but also sweet and innocent in a way. I didn’t go straight to college after high school, but somehow it worked out because just a few months ago I returned from a year-long journey in my first ever national tour! I vlogged the journey and even now, I like to revisit the videos to put everything into perspective. Theatre is tricky because you can go from a national tour for an entire year- perform on massive stages, and feel like an absolute STAR, and once it’s over, it’s over; and you’re back to auditioning every week until you book your next project. It’s always worth it, though. To pursue theatre you have to stay hungry, and you absolutely have to love it enough to bounce back from the rejections and skip over your own fears. I wouldn’t want to do anything else.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has NOT always been a smooth road. I think anyone that has a story worth telling knows that the struggle bus is gonna pull around as your only form of transportation- and girl, you’re gonna have to ride it. It’s going to be inevitable. Theatre (or performing in general) is so tricky because it is not calculated in any way. It’s never a sure thing, no matter what you do. In performance art, it’s all about the training- whether you go off to school or not. Even more, it’s about the hustle. Sometimes I go months without making a show- and that’s just how it works, which can be hard if you’re in a bad mental place. As someone who suffers from depression, I have to work hard to keep myself afloat in the right ways. Rejection alone can be heavy- and when you’re not in the right mindset, it’s really hard to put yourself in front of a table of directors whose job it is to give you a Yes or No. When I have dry-spells, which is that struggle bus I just HAVE to ride most of the time, I make sure to stay in some sort of dance/acting/singing lessons to keep myself creatively fulfilled. Or work on those vlogs I mentioned before. Of course, I also have a steady day-job (as most performers do) that keeps me busy. In theatre, you’re taught 90% of the time, you’ll receive rejections- and only 10% of your journey will be success. Which I definitely agree with. Luckily, though, DFW has so many opportunities for growing actors. So that’s nice. Fun Fact: I went to an audition in New York City that I had spent MONTHS preparing for- and after ten hours of waiting- I didn’t even get to audition. They cut off at 400, and I was 401. I never even got to hand in my headshot. A few days later I auditioned/booked the national tour I just finished, I used that same headshot. There’s always another door to open.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the story. Tell us more about your work.
As an actor, I am my own business. There are so many actors in the DFW area to go with SO many wonderful theaters. To stay on top of my game, I make sure to invest time in my Social Media- and have a strong internet presence- luckily something I’ve been working on since I was 18. Feel free to follow my social media @CosetteMontemayor
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck is being at the right place at the right time. The right audition, more specifically. And that’s more on your hustle and less of your luck.
Contact Info:
- Email: cosettemontemayor@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cosettemontemayor/?hl=en
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeXDO1Cxc7xHoFXP06sjlBA?view_as=subscriber
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