Showbiz Spotlight: Betsy Struxness

Welcome back to our Showbiz Spotlight! In this series, we are putting the "Spotlight" on a few incredible humans in the entertainment industry.

Today’s Spotlight is on Betsy Struxness!

Betsy voices several detectives in our Broadway Murder Mystery games, including "Detective Drood" in the popular game "Bullets On Broadway." It has been SUCH a pleasure getting to know her and seeing her talent in action.

Before we get into the interview, check out her KILLER bio below! 

Betsy is an interdisciplinary artist and WERQ Dance Fitness Master Trainer based in Los Angeles. After graduating with a BFA in Dance from The Juilliard School, Betsy has gone on to all sorts of performing adventures from cruise ships to voiceovers, Broadway to TV, you name it. On Broadway, Betsy made her debut with Wicked, and then very quickly joined the cast of Memphis right before its run into the Tonys. Her first originating experience was with Leap of Faith, to be joined in swift succession by Scandalous and Matilda. Her biggest honor to date has been bringing the smash hit musical Hamilton from the workshop to off-Broadway to Broadway as one of the original cast members. Her performance background makes her a powerhouse instructor who entertains while motivating and Betsy is sought after all over the country. Betsy enjoys her free time as a traveler, especially with her camera, shooting everything from landscapes to portraits to all things dance. Check out Betsy’s Hamilton-inspired series: #StruxSelfie along with her dance series #PatioJams and most recently her work with drag queen Miss Evita Loca on YouTube. www.betsystruxness.com IG: @be_strux

 1. How did you get your start in the biz?

"My mom put me in dance when I was 4, and I was instantly hooked.  I was in my first professional production (KC Lyric Opera's Madame Butterfly, where I was Sorrow, the mute little boy) by the time I was 6, in productions at Starlight Theater by 7 and studied and performed with the Kansas City Ballet for 12 years, performing The Nutcracker every year for 11 years." 

2. What is something you learned about yourself while working as a performer? 

"Being brought up in the ballet world with so much discipline, I've carried that with me more than I expected. I find that a lot of my colleagues seem to laugh more and have more "fun" than I do in rehearsals, or on and off stage. My joy comes from the work of it all, the physical feats, the puzzling out of new shows, and the understanding of the business side of things. That tends to make me more serious at times. Discipline however is also what's kept me pretty injury free and healthy considering what I put my body through. I know when to pull back, when to go to physical therapy, when to push it, and when to take a break. I also know what to eat before shows so that my body has the most efficient energy to perform, so that I can go full out 8 shows a week, and be tired, but also energized. Figuring all that out is fun to me.  Ha."

 3. What is your favorite project you’ve worked on?

“Hamilton (workshop & Off-Broadway). It's the only project I've ever been a part of that I felt used almost all of my particular talents to their highest degree. It's the only place where all my dance training and clean execution of choreography have been fully wanted and celebrated. It's the only show that required all its dancers to be incredible singers. That original ensemble was a FORCE of talent from so many aspects, and to be amongst them was an honor."

4. What is one piece of advice you’d give your younger self? 

"Broaden your focus to other creative outlets besides performing/theater/Broadway."

5. What is a fun fact about yourself that others wouldn't know?

"I won a black belt karate kata competition and I wasn't (and still am not) a black belt. "

6. How do you spend your free time?

"OUTSIDE!! Hiking, cycling, beaching. And traveling, now that I'm fully vaxxed!"

7. Tell us about the pandemic as a performer. How has it impacted your day-to-day in terms of career, life, business etc?

"I was fortunate enough to have made the decision to move to LA and expand my career options beyond performing before the pandemic struck. However, along with all my performing peers, I lost every bit of my income, and am only just now starting to gain some of it back, in different ways. I teach and choreograph for my sister's dance fitness business, WERQ (werqfitness.com), and she pivoted to get content online very quickly, so I was teaching online fairly quickly, though not extensively. Haley (my sister) and I also developed and produced a few virtual dance fitness festivals to keep the WERQ community engaged, active and positive during a global health crisis. I was responsible for storyboarding, directing and editing while also choreographing some and performing in them. I worked on photography projects, both personal and professional. You can find that on my website (betsystruxness.com) or on IG (@be_strux & @be_strux_photography). Mainly I was very alone, so I kept myself occupied creatively."

8. If you could start a business of your own, what would it be and why? If you already have a business, tell us more about it!

"This question! I have an answer, but I'm not putting it out there quite yet. It's coming, stay tuned. "

9. How do you define success?

"That definition shifts with the years. Now I define it as happiness. If I'm happy, then I'm successful, whatever the endeavor. "

10. Do you have a favorite quote or inspirational message?

"Not necessarily, but there is an adage my therapist told me once that has stuck...'Unsolicited advice is criticism.' As a performer taking criticism and notes are part of the job. You HAVE to do it. But you also need to know what's constructive criticism and what's just straight up criticism both professionally and personally."

11. Describe yourself in three words. 

"Capable. Multi-faceted. Adventurous."

How incredible was her definition of success? Happiness is everything. Thank you for sharing your story with us, Betsy! We can't wait learn more about your new business venture!  

Stay tuned for another Spotlight coming your way next week.