Check Out Madison Gunn’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Madison Gunn.

Madison, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
There was no big light bulb moment in my life where I thought to myself, “I want to be a performer”. It’s something that I have felt for as long as I can remember. I grew up with a mom who always encouraged us to use our imagination and just be silly. As kids, my siblings and I (there’s 7 of us, and they are my best friends!) put on skits, hosted talent shows, and had fun singing, dancing and creating stories together. Throughout my childhood, my mom would have weekly gatherings where friends would come over and we would all sing and dance in our big kitchen for hours. We listened and danced to all sorts of music, but it was definitely a lot of Madonna! Music has always been an integral part of my life. By the time I was graduating high school, there was really only one answer for what I wanted to do! I went and got my Bachelors in Dramatic Arts and an additional degree in Music.

I graduated college in 2020 (unfortunate timing, I know). Coming out of college in the midst of Covid was a challenge. Theatre was mostly not happening, and the amount of uncertainty was palpable. But during this scary time, I was given the gift of moving back in with my younger sisters for the first time since high school. While we were isolated from the world, we had each other, and I connected back to the imagination of my youth. Stuck inside, my siblings and I had dance parties, had dress up days, made funny videos, and had fun just being silly. Through this time, I started writing again for the first time in years. I got involved in Zoom play readings and performances. I made sure I was still creating. And then finally, in 2022, I found myself in a new job: Voice teacher.

For the last three years, I have been working as a Voice Teacher and Director at Dynamic Ballroom and Performing Arts in Mt. Juliet, TN. It has been such a blessing to me. While I love the collaborative practice of theatre, I had never done it in a teaching capacity before taking on this position. Since this initial teaching position at Dynamic, I have now grown in my love of teaching and have worked as a voice teacher, acting coach, director, music director, camp instructor and more for Dynamic and countless other local theaters and schools such as HPAC, Nashville Rep, Nashville School of the Arts and more.

And of course, while I love to teach, my first love is still performing. I am doing multiple musicals a year, some favorites in the last few years being She Loves Me, The Great Comet of 1812, and the show I am currently working on, Sweeney Todd! When I’m not working on a musical, I am working in film and commercial work. I also work as a vocalist for different seasonal groups and random gigs throughout the city. While there have been many many more steps in between, that’s the basics of what led me to where I am now!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has definitely not been smooth. Of course, there was being a graduating student in 2020 (as mentioned in the previous answer). But the most challenging event of my life was losing my mom, who was 9 months pregnant with my baby sister, in 2018. My mom was, and truly still is, the heart of my family. The loss was sudden and unexpected. While the initial trauma of death is excruciating, something people don’t often talk about is that loss keeps on hitting over and over again. There have been and continue to be new pangs of grief: My siblings, some who were still so young, losing their childhood. My younger brother moving states away with his dad and our family being separated. Never getting to meet my little sister. Life milestones being hit without your mom there. Grief is something that stays with you forever. You never lose that innate feeling of wanting to tell your mom when something exciting happens, or the desire to call her or crawl into her bed when you’re sad.

I was a sophomore in college when she passed. I really thought I was going to drop out of school. Of course, people and professors were kind and supportive at first. But life keeps going, and people keep living, and it eventually feels like everyone forgot about what happened, except for you. At home, I thankfully had my siblings. We are each others greatest support. But on campus, the person that kept being my safe space, that never forgot the grief I carried, was my voice teacher.

Singing is so vulnerable. It is the one instrument that is wholly inseparable from your own being. Whatever you’re feeling, whether that’s happiness, sadness, fatigue, etc it affects your voice. Every week in my voice lesson, my teacher would ask me how I was. He’d ask about my family. He’d sit with me in my grief, and pray for me. I would sing, and I would cry. Wow, I cried a lot in my voice lessons! And I am so thankful for that safety he gave me, for the vulnerability that one’s own voice requires, and for the catharsis of singing. It’s what got me through college. And without even knowing it then, that time in my voice lessons would deeply impact how I would function as a teacher. Performing helps me feel close to my mom. Her creative spirit lives on in all the work I do.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I was asked by someone else recently what unique quality I bring to the table as an actor. I sat there and thought about it for far too long! As performers, there can be a lot of pressure to be special or unique. And that’s valid! You do have to stand out amongst dozens, sometimes hundreds or even thousands of other people who are going out for the same role as you! This is what I always come back to: I know I am good at what I do. It’s a common joke that actors are just really good liars, but I actually think acting is all about telling the truth. People can tell when you’re lying to them. As an actor, you have to be connected to the role you’re playing and the lines you’re saying that they become your truth, not only so you believe it, but that the audience believes it too. It is an incredible practice of empathy and honesty. I think it all comes back to my core belief of vulnerability being your super power. I am proud that with everything I do, I let myself deeply connect with the material and find the humanity. My storytelling is grounded in honesty.

Now, I also teach private singing lessons and work as a theatre instructor/director. This goal of honestly and vulnerability seeps into this aspect of my career as well. I have three main teaching principals: 1.) Create a space where the student feels safe and seen. There is no way to flourish and bloom if we don’t feel safe enough to plant the seeds. 2.) Help students meet their specific goal! Some of my students want to be on Broadway, others want to sing harmony in their community choir. I am going to cater each lesson to that students desires. 3.) Help students achieve their desired sound in a healthy, sustainable way. No two voices are the same. Thank God for that! It’s not my job to make everyone conform to one specific sounds. It’s my job to learn the students style, help them get the sound they want, and make sure we are building healthy technique so they can sing for the rest of their lives. My youngest student is 7, and my oldest is in her 70’s! Singing is something we should be able to do forever.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
While I do believe some people seem to just “get lucky”, I think more often than not, it’s about dedication and hard work. Even those people who seem to be in the right place at the right time, I bet you could look at all the steps they took before that seemingly pivotal moment and see a lot of time and effort they’ve put in. Even if luck is real, you can’t rely on it! You have to put in time, energy and a lot of love. Not just into reaching your goals, but also into taking care of yourself so you don’t burn out on the way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://madisonrosegunn.wixsite.com/madison
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madison.rose.gunn?igsh=aWdzaDNmbW0wdW5x&utm_source=qr