We had the good fortune of connecting with Lee Ross and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lee, how do you think about risk?

Everything is risk… Risk has many forms and will disguise itself often as we adventure down the road of the unknown… in career, in love, in play. Risk is often opportunity disguised as loss & that opportunity may be terrifying or daunting or require trust and a leap of faith. Risk is an every day occurrence. We are faced with choices and options as artists and creators. As human beings we must endeavor to face our fears jump off the cliff into the unknown and trust that our own emotional intelligence and creativity will guide us.

I remember in the mid-late 90’s Cirque du Soleil came calling, they wanted me in their oldest during show as the lead mime-clown. In fact, I would replace my old friend from Paris (Rene Bazinet), who created the roles they were offering me – at that time, I was very happy in my life in community theater and performance in Boulder, Colorado… Yet most of my friends, my girlfriend, all said the same thing… You have to take this job at Cirque du Soleil. But I could not listen to the still little voice in my head that said “No… I’m happy here”-  logical mind was saying… “Risk, go, you will never have an opportunity like this again” – and with that, I faced my fears, packed up my life and moved to Montreal. I jumped into the abyss!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

I’ve led many different lives. Aside from touring with Cirque du Soleil, having a career as a professional standup comic in Canada, Australia, and the US… I’m also a produced screenwriter — my first movie hitting Sundance & starring Maria Bello and Jason Patric (directed by HBO Chernobyl Emmy winner Johan R) titled “Downloading Nancy”. Since then, I’ve written, and produced a half dozen award-winning short films with various foreign directors, and a 2nd feature available on demand “Benjamin Troubles”. When I’m not working on a script I am often facilitating writing practice workshops or consulting / coaching other screenwriters. These days I’m more interested in community design and the big question of how are we all going to survive these next 50+ years? How do we design for a new type of living, a new alignment that considers all of our potential (and all of the control systems holding us back)… At this time, the storytelling canvas of film, the enormous amount of content / shows being created for streaming (the amalgamation of media in general) all point in the direction that we must  pivot to a different system of connectivity and humanity. I think about this a lot… I remember going to Burning Man my first year and being amazed that a gifting value system is in use in this instant city of creativity (the needs-based economy) where gifting and giving are the value chain… that your personal value is barter-able inside an ecosystem that leaves the default world behind. It was eye-opening to say the least –

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

I grew up in Manhattan, New York City… I went to The High School of the Performing Arts (the original “Fame” school)… I moved to Paris at 19 to study more theater movement and mime with the great teachers of that time. By the time I returned to the United States, I was offered a job in Australia and moved to Brisbane where I became a regular on late night television shows, touring colleges and comedy clubs in the early 90s. I’ve lived in many cities including Montreal, Melbourne, Los Angeles, and even Boulder, Colorado. I have traded my big city life for small arts town mountain town living with only a handful of cafés, breweries, restaurants and galleries. In my little town skiing is nearby at Monarch Mountain in winter and river rafting in the summer – it’s a place where you can hike to the top of a 14,000 foot peak or mountain bike down expansive trail systems nearby. I take friends visiting to our Arts Center, where touring shows and classical music can be heard… but unfortunately, at this time, prices are rising and there’s an uncertainty in the air. People put on brave faces, and we are all hoping for the best as we all participate in the unfolding drama of life that we are all faced with… Take time for nature and to listen to the small voice inside.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

I was asked to give a talk in my town the other week, speak to creatives about rediscovering the fire inside our lives, even now, even today, even in the face of all the chaos surrounding us – I asked the crowd to reflect on what their original superpower was? In their personal life, how did they see their own special strength or inner power re-emerging today? – I told the story to the 20 some odd people about how I used to go to sleep-away camp when I was young, and that one year, my bunk counselor (who was also a mime… in fact I believe his name was Tom, and he performed one evening at the counselor show. Tom performed several amazing mime routines, from walking in the wind, to blowing up the invisible balloon, and of course being trapped in the box… For me, as a 11-year-old boy, I was, dumbfounded, it was mind blowing, I knew right then and there I had to be a mime I needed to be able to do these incredible feats for myself (making the invisible visible) …I returned home to confront my parents and told my Mom I need to go to mime school. My mom was shocked, but understanding, and she instantly enrolled me in therapy… (Just kidding that’s a joke) actually, my big shout out  is to my Mother, who has always supported all of my creativity, allowed me to shine in sports, in theater, and in life. I did go to mime classes and I would have never ended up as the main dramatic and comedy role in Cirque du Soleil had it not been for the inspiration and understanding of my amazing Mom.

Website: http://www.mimebox.net

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