Meet John Dreher | Actor, Singer and Teaching Artist

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

Hi John, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
TAs an actor, there are so many things that are out of your control; so control the things you can. For me that extends past the nuts and bolts of preparedness, punctuality and hard work. Every successful person does that. It’s the thoughts, emotions and energy that you can control. If someone doesn’t want your business, it doesn’t devalue you as a person. There is so much ambiguous information that you are not privy to. So choose to control those thoughts, feelings and energies and channel them back into the work. There are so many people and things working against you…don’t let yourself be one of them!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Wow, what a loaded question! I am an actor, singer and teaching artist. I fell in love with story telling when I was a kid and knew I wanted to do that rest of my life. I’ve always been a singer and musician and so I love to be able to merge the two to really affect people. After getting my undergrad degree in acting, I deepened my training by getting a master’s degree. Was it hard? Yes. Is it still hard? Yes. Acting (like most of the arts) is full of ups and downs. I was recently featured as a guest star on FBI: Most Wanted on CBS. That is something I’m very proud of but that was after a few years of not booking anything. People always told me “You have to love it because it’s a hard profession”. What I’ve learned is that being an artist is a lifestyle not a profession. Sure, the business of acting is it’s own beast, but you have to discover what fulfills you outside of booking work otherwise you can go down a dark path very quickly. My podcast, Movies in the Buff, is one way that I’ve found to sustain myself creatively and emotionally. I built it from the ground up and we are now in our 5th season with listeners all around the world. It’s a way for me to have a bunch of fun talking about movies, while also deepening my understanding and curiosity about storytelling and the myriad ways one can do it. Love of the art is crucial, persistence is key but the more you can be transparent with yourself about what and who you are, the more this lifestyle can truly affect others.

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?
Having recently moved back to Denver from NYC, I’m still discovering my go-to places! I’m a big sports person (having played soccer for 17 years) so several sporting events are definitely on the docket. Got to go to Coors Field and Ball Arena, as well as Dick’s Sporting Goods Park to see the Rapids. I really love RiNo with all the breweries as well. There are so many different types of people in Denver that is fun to go to Larimer Square on a nice night and just people watch. Of course the mountains also have to be in the plans. A good drive up Mt. Evans if it’s someone who is not acclimated for a hike, but there are so many options that I’m not very picky. In fact, going camping for a few nights would be so lovely. I’m always so refreshed after spending time in nature. And then, of course, I’d go see a show at the Denver Center. Probably not one of the touring big-named musicals, but something that the rep company puts on.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I had a few very important mentors when I got my master’s degree from UNC Chapel Hill. My acting, voice and movement teachers absolutely shaped how I view the world, myself and the work. So much of what they taught about being present and connecting to your breath has been integral in my success. I also observed incredible work ethic and curiosity about the craft that has inspired to this day.

Website: www.john-dreher.com

Instagram: @moviesinthebuff

Twitter: @buffmovies

Facebook: @moviesinthebuff

Image Credits
Headshot by Billy Bustamante