I started acting at a very young age. Growing up extremely poor, my mom worked 3 to 4 odd jobs and my big sister and I would have to entertain ourselves. I often would do impersonations to make my sister laugh; I love to make people laugh. My favorites were Robin Leach, Hulk Hogan and Pee Wee Herman. One day I was spotted by a talent agent, as I was dancing around doing my Pee Wee act in a shop. The agent approached my mom…the rest is herstory.

I’m writing today because I find that I am constantly learning, honing my craft and expressing more and more of my own life through my art. I get lost in each role, whether it’s on stage or screen. Recently I was asked “Why did you quit doing Theatre?” This person knew I had just wrapped the feature film The Device. I replied “I didn’t quit Theatre!! I just came off of doing The Foreigner at Village”…Rewind to 2013, I’m on stage as Gabriella in Boeing Boeing at the Seattle Repertory Theatre. After the show, I see a friend of mine and they ask “So you’re not doing film anymore?”…

After my last show, I did think about taking a “break” from the stage and throwing myself deeper into film work. I auditioned a ton, networked even more and I’m now slated to do three more films this year! But then some amazing Theatre opportunities crossed my artistic path and my heart swelled with excitement. How can I pass these up? So I am diving into those opportunities as well.

I am an ACTOR. I am not just one thing, film actor or stage actor. I am an ARTIST. For the past 30 years I have continued to hone my craft, train with professionals and learn from each project I do. I am a STORYTELLER. Each person I have become on stage or in film has become a part of me. Each time I get to BE in those moments, telling each story, I forever change and grow.

I understand why people may ask me if I have left one medium or the other. A show can take 3 months or more of your life in the Theatre. A film can shoot for 15 to 45 days, then hits festivals, sales, theatrical release and more. But know that I could never walk away from either of these platforms that I love. I also know that saying no to great opportunities, great scripts, is silly. An Actor shouldn’t shut those doors that are opened to them.

As a teacher, and head of the Youth Division at our company, Mighty Tripod Productions, I tell my students, every audition is a job, every gig is an opportunity, and every day is your own. As Artists, we should stay on the path that we love, a path that inspires and fulfills us. Today was a good day because I found myself at peace. At peace with my life, with my career and my path. That doesn’t mean I will get lazy and assume things will just fall into my lap. That doesn’t mean that I won’t feel a bit empty about that part I didn’t get last week. That doesn’t mean that life is flawless and birds are flying around my head signing a pretty song. All it means is I am happy.

Today I feel at ease, proud, excited, blessed and thankful to just BE. So if any of you are wondering, let me introduce myself…My name is Angela Marie DiMarco and I am an ACTOR.

The Importance of Being Earnest as Cecily (Village Theatre)

Worst Laid Plans as Betty (Film, Creative Differences)

TRAUMA a Mighty Tripod Film

The Taming of the Shrew as Bianca (Seattle Shakespeare Company)

SIFF 2014 Opening Gala (Seattle International Film Festival)

By Gods Grace as Karen Taylor (Film)

SIFF 2013 (Renton Opening Gala)

Jesus Hopped the A Train as MaryJane (Azeotrope at ACT)

TRAUMA a psychological thriller (Mighty Tripod Production)

Together Forever as Robin (Film, At First Sight Prods)

Boeing Boeing as Gabriella (Seattle Repertory)

The 13th of Paris (Seattle Public Theatre)

The Device as Abby (Film, The October People)

The Foreigner as Catherine (Village Theatre)

The Device (Horror film)

Angela DiMarco

Its always an amazing time on the SIFF red carpet! David and I love getting dressed up, seeing so many filmmakers all together and going to see film after film after film! I love my city of Seattle and am so proud of the mighty moves we are making in the film industry! Heres to another 40 years!

When David and I returned from our trip to Los Angeles we dove right into the Seattle 48 Hour Horror Film Project. We put together an MIGHTY Team and couldn’t wait to get started!

Actors: Angela DiMarco, David S. Hogan, Wonder Russell, Lisa Coronado and Rick Walters

Crew: Jeremy Berg (Director/writer), John Portanova (AD/writer), Chris Talyor (DP), Mitch Shepherd (sound), Nocky Dinh (AC), Charles McDowell (Gaffer), Cody Lewis (Key Grip), Ben Shahabi (Grip)

Post: Kris Boustedt (Editor), Ed Hartman (Composer)

FX of all things bloody and scarred: Jana Hutchison

And most important on a Mighty Tripod/Mama DiMarco set, CRAFTY: Amy Goetz

How the 48 HHFP works, first and foremost, Kirk Nordenstrom keeps it running smooth and then…FRIDAY: All 30 team leaders gather in one location and pull their Genre of Horror. We are all given a prop, character and line to be used in our films. 7pm Friday the magic begins! You have until that Sunday (48 hours) to write, film, edit, score and deliver your short Horror film. Not only did we turn ours in EARLY (5:30pm) but we had an amazing time on set and off, creating this mighty film.

Prop: Pineapple

Character: Lyle or Lucinda Pendergrass

Line: “That’s it I’m going back to school”

Team Mighty Tripod pulled Psychological

TRAUMA is a psychological thriller about a woman (Mallory played by yours truly) who can’t forget the demons from her past, they seem to haunt her day and night.

Friday night, David and I went over to our Director/Writer’s house, Jeremy Berg. His partner in crime, John Portanova (AD) was there and the four of us hit the ground running. I brought food, of course, because a happy cast and crew is a well fed cast and crew. We tossed around ideas, fine tuned and locked in. The boys (Jeremy and John) kept communicating with me throughout the night. Until we sent our final draft off to the whole Team before Midnight.

Saturday the whole crew was called at 7am at a local park. Our DP, Chris Taylor had found the perfect spot in the park to shoot.

David and I were the only actors called for the first scene of TRAUMA. A woman jogging, a man lost, he asks her for directions…darkness follows. We spent the rest of the film at Miss Wonder Russell’s house, she opened her home to us and was also in the film! We stayed on schedule and we wrapped earlier than expected.

Our editor Kris Boustedt worked his editing butt off all Saturday and night. Jeremy, Chris and I headed to over at 11am and we all worked on the final cut. Just like on set, things ran smoothly, people were respectful of each other’s input and we got TRAUMA finished. Jeremy and I drove over to the drop off in a daze of amazement and sleeplessness. We were ON TIME!

The screenings of all 29 films was on the following Tuesday, November 12th, 2013. I sat next to David, with most of our cast and crew in the same row. I had butterflies throughout the films prior to ours…and then…our film started…on the huge screen in front of 100s of our peers…it was MIGHTY! I have never felt so proud, humbled and grateful. Someone in the audience screamed “I want to see it again” when our credit started to roll. David and I both are still receiving tweets, posts, emails or in person raves about TRAUMA. Then the best of all, our peers and film goings patrons that night, votes us Audience Favorite…I am speechless.

TRAUMA coming to a screen in your home soon!

I was born and raised in beautiful Seattle, Washington. But after College I moved to Los Angeles and gave it a go. I loved the weather, the grind, and possibilities but missed my family. I dove into professional Theatre back in the NW and then met my now husband, David S. Hogan. Together we moved to Los Angeles so he could give it a go. He loved the weather, the grind, and possibilities…but I still missed my family. So now we are back in Seattle but love to visit and still work in Los Angeles. One of our acting coaches, Steven Anderson lives there, so we signed up for his LA workshop in October.

We were able to audit several other workshops, including the inspiring Anthony Meindl. We soaked up Los Angeles like we never had before. This time it was all on our schedule, no rushing, no pressure, just BEING.

We went to Venice beach for a whole day and loved every ray of the California sun. David even met a special furry girlfriend.

Not to mention we acted like tourists and went down the “Walk of Fame” which lead to us tipping many heroes for “letting us” take pictures with them.

Above and beyond the workshops, the sites and the sun, we met new people who made a MIGHTY impact on both of us.

This trip could not have been better. We did what we planned and more. We worked on our craft and met new coaches. We had delicious coffee and food with old friends and new ones. David Strasberg was able to meet us for a coffee, which ran over 2 hours and we could have kept talking. Our casting director pal Paul Weber invited us to a hilarious evening at the Theatre. David and I both felt like we were back to LIVING in Los Angeles

Leaving was hard but once we were back home, it felt great. One thing is for sure, we have many relationships in LA that we plan to nurture and continue to grow. We are both actors and now producers with our own company, Mighty Tripod Productions. So the sky is NOT the limit, we aim for the stars and beyond. As long as we are happy, healthy and living in the NOW, life is MIGHTY!