Susie mcgarry: interview for columbus underground

We had to edit Susie's answers to fit the CU guidelines, so here is her full interview!   

You ran a theatre before coming to MadLab. Tell us about that.  
During our last year of college, my great friend “John John” (John Galbraith) and I learned The Freshman Show was discontinued due to budget restraints. This show was an annual tradition at Baldwin-Wallace College. My involvement as a frosh had a deep impact on showing me the importance of theater. So with $20, ingenuity, and the code to the copy machine, we produced and directed a successful short play festival including original work and all first year (and in some cases, first time) actors and stage crew.
 
Soon after, we noticed three local theaters were all producing the same popular show, at the same time. A show that has been produced thousands of times before. Feeling a bit haughty from our short play fest triumph, John John and I started producing original shows under the name Wayward Theatre Company. Our goal was to showcase unpublished, unconventional plays. Every show was a world premiere. In every facet, participants were chosen for their attitude over all else. No experience necessary! It created a welcoming, safe environment for self-expression. Wayward kept gaining momentum, especially after moving to New Orleans where our business model attracted some significant donors. Our most ambitious production to date was planned for late 2005.  Hurricane Katrina happened in August. John John and I swam out of our home and yada yada yada about a week later managed to rent a car and drove north. Wayward ceased operations. John John and I are still great friends. He’s now a happily married, bass playing, wine making father of one human and three dogs in the Atlanta area. 

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What brought you to MadLab (and has kept you there)? 
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MadLab’s Theater Roulette got my attention. Original short plays are my favorite and, admittedly, auditioning for a production with 40+ roles available was less intimidating then some other theaters around town. I was still super nervous but it was a great atmosphere. Plus, I managed to get cast in The Last Word as hitwoman, Mercer – one of my all-time favorite roles.
 
MadLab is professional without being pretentious. It’s serious yet relaxed. There’s also opportunity to try something new and to learn. They give you a chance. Then it’s on you. My kind of people. 

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You had an artists space in Franklinton. Tell us about that.
​My “super awesome special friend” (now spouse) Eric Shook introduced me to the Franklinton arts scene. Eric is a metal artist and when we met, he had a studio at 400 W. Rich. Because of him, I started going to Franklinton Fridays open studios and other events at 400, The Vanderelli Room, The Idea Foundry, and Rehab. I love the energy and sense of community so I rented a studio at 400 for a while. That space was even used for some Theater Roulette and OGP rehearsals. Eric is currently one of the artists at the Central Ohio School of Metalworking (COSOM) and an Idea Foundry member. I’m back to being a Franklinton tourist and have a small home studio in Clintonville. 

You lead meditation sessions. How did you get into that

​My initiation to meditation was through hypnosis. Hypnosis is a type of deep meditation and my guided meditations include hypnosis techniques. I’ve kept up independent study of mechanics of the mind for a decade. It’s fascinating what our brains are capable of.
 
Attending local shows and having the studio space at 400 W. Rich helped me get to know some local artists, including Alicia Jean (AJ) Vanderelli.  Her gallery, The Vanderelli Room, hosted live events in addition to exhibitions with an emphasis on community. Through her kindness and generosity, I was able to use the space for donation based guided meditations for the general public. Before the recent state-of-affairs, I was working with Witchlab leading group and individual meditations. Since being at home, I’ve started a YouTube channel for meditations (Meditations with Susie) and continued with one-on-one hypnosis. 

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You can perform hypnosis. Where do you learn that?

I was professionally trained and certified through a former employer.
 
Using hypnosis, I help clients change their behavior (i.e. quit smoking, overcome phobias, improve eating habits) and achieve goals. Hypnosis is an effective tool. Unfortunately, there often are negative associations and false assumptions due to media misrepresentation. Please know even the best hypnotists cannot coerce a hypnotic state. You must be willing to be hypnotized for it to work. I promise you cannot be forced to do silly tricks or worse. That’s on you.