Sam prince is joined by actress Julianne Howe-Bouwens. In this episode Julianne shares her experience, her goals, and she also shares a few tips on the differences between acting on stage and acting on film. For acting classes from your host; Sam Prince, check out his website: www.samber.productions and follow along on Instagram: www.instagram.com/samberproductions
Sam Prince 0:05
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a great actor on stage or television? Do you wish you had an acting coach to help you get to the next level? Or maybe you just have a great idea for a movie series are played but aren't quite sure where to start? Well, you are in the right place my friend. My name is Sam Prince and I am the director of a production company here in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and have been an actor for over 30 years. I've directed and written plays, and screenplays and taught many acting classes. This podcast is your place to learn how to move forward with your career in acting, theater, film, playwriting, screenwriting, and much more. There will be inspiring conversations with special guests as well. So welcome to the creativitorium podcast and action.
Welcome, welcome. Welcome to the creativitorium podcast. So glad you're joining us. My name is Sam Prince. I'm your host. I am here with Julian how Bowens how are you? Madam?
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 1:29
I'm fabulous. Thank you. How are you?
Sam Prince 1:32
Great. Great. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm so honored to have you. You are. I'm a big fan of you. Oh, big fan. I'm a big fan. And we've done some stuff together. Yes, we Yeah. Yeah, yeah, we did the vous thing way back
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 1:53
that I had somebody say, I want to say a couple years ago, that they saw that in their church, and they're like, down south somewhere. Mm hmm. I get somebody from college reach out to me. And I don't even know where they were at that point. But yeah, they saw their church too. Yeah, yes. We're national. We were national. For a minute. Yeah. Um, but yeah, I just big fan of yours. And you know you from stage to, you know, acting on film all that stuff. I mean, it just, it just great. Nah, thank you. I appreciate it. I'm a big fan of yours. Oh, thanks for doing thanks. Yeah, I'm trying. I'm trying. I try. But hey, this is about you. So I want to talk about I want to learn about Julian. Like, where to start. Where'd you get the acting bug? And all the stuff all the amazing stuff that you can tell us? Wow. Okay. Um, so I have been a fan of just entertainment. Like from a very early age. I remember my Nana always wanted me to sing the subtle come out. So that's probably the first song that I memorized. And yeah, yeah, whenever she came to visit me was one of my favorite musicals. So just in Shirley Temple.
Sam Prince 3:23
Oh, yeah. Shirley Temple. Course. Big fan? Hers. Yeah. All right. So
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 3:32
that fan at church, and then I think my first play was Goldilocks and the Three Bears in second grade. I got to play Mama Bear.
Sam Prince 3:43
Okay.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 3:47
Yeah, and then the Wizard of Oz. And like, fifth grader and I got to play Glinda the Good rich. I was too fat for the pink costume. So I had to wear the blue costume. Work.
Sam Prince 4:01
Alright, and this was through the schools. Yeah. Okay. Okay. All right. Wow. So I mean, fifth year, that was early. Mm hmm. Okay.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 4:12
And they worked in theater all through high school. I went to de Wette high school and they had a, an amazing theater program. And I picked basically live there. And so Jeff Crawley was our theater directors. So he had a big impact on my life. And I think that's probably a big reason why I pursued it. I didn't think that I could make a living at it. So I would just go for communications and Spanish. But my first job out of college was was a theater job. So that was pretty cool.
Sam Prince 4:46
Wow. Okay. Okay, doing what?
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 4:50
So I toured with a children's theatre of Cincinnati, and I got that job going to one of those regional auditions. So, you know, where you get two minutes to audition for all these different theaters, the cattle call, right? That was pretty cool. I did that. And I also worked with in Ithaca, New York, I got a gig. And so I did their, their training, called the lab company. And we did a summer training, I got a scholarship. And they hired me to do their school tour a couple months later. So that was another theater job that I got. So I was pretty excited.
Sam Prince 5:37
All right. All right. Wow. Okay. All right. Then. Walk me through what happened after that?
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 5:48
Well, honestly, I, I just did some community theater once I got to Grand Rapids. That's really when things kind of hit for me. It's so Dream Girls was my first show that I did here in Grand Rapids, and I played low Raul. And that was such an amazing experience at Civic Theater. So gotten to do lots of community theater in this area, and that I'm so grateful for all of the opportunities that we have here. I don't think a lot of other communities can match what happens in Grand Rapids. So
Sam Prince 6:27
no, I agree. I agree. And that dream girl shows a great show. A show. That was I mean, hate to date ourselves. What was that? Oh,
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 6:38
back in 2008. Say, right. Right. Yeah. Terrible. Like,
Sam Prince 6:46
around there. Yeah, right around there. Yeah. Right. But you're right. I mean, growing up is I'm gonna grab a Civic Theater, and then actors circle. I mean, just a lot of talent. And there's even newer theaters popping up. Newer groups.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 7:06
Oh, yeah. That's what's awesome is if you want to start a theatre company, you can do it. That's right.
Sam Prince 7:13
That's right. COVID No, COVID gone. So alright, so yeah, I mean, you've been doing a whole bunch of shows. And you're being really modest. Because, I mean, you've done movies. You know, you've done commercials, you know. So, I mean, but I appreciate your modesty. Yeah. So are you working on anything like right now this minute.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 7:41
So I just wrapped a short film that was done for the Metro cruise with Todd Lewis. And it's called horizons, we just had a movie premiere this past Saturday, or two weeks ago. And that was really exciting to see I was a little stars. So that was kind of fun. And we just wrapped that got to see it. And it turned out beautiful. So that should be available at some point online, just on YouTube. And we'll we'll share all of that, when that is available for the public. On Wednesday, I am doing a video shoot for target. So this summer, I did a photo shoot. Yeah, I did a photo shoot for them. And they said they were going to California to hire the actors and do the actual shoot. And then they're like, oh, it's probably cheaper to do it here. So I'm just guessing video. And the director said that he likes working with me. And they asked if I would come back. So that was cool, because I got reached out to by one of the producers. And then on top of that my agency reached out to me for the same projects. So yeah.
Sam Prince 9:02
Great, that's so great. So we're gonna see on TV doing some targeted ads.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 9:09
You know, I'm not sure about that. I think this is going to be internal like training video. Oh, get my hands. I will share that
Sam Prince 9:16
right. Yeah. Yeah. That's awesome. That's awesome. Yay. And hopefully that leads to be even bigger, better things after that. Maybe you'll be the next target. The target lady.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 9:27
There you go. Right now I'm kind of like the car city ladies. So I do. Yes, you are running.
Sam Prince 9:36
Yes, you are. Yes. See? Yes. Okay. You're being modest. That is awesome. You are the car city lady. Are they gonna cross your fingers? There'll be more maybe,
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 9:49
you know, I have no idea. I was shocked that I got into two of them at the same time and I got that through two different representatives. So Rosa Castillo and unique. So I got those two gigs from two different casting agencies. And then you shout out to unique. I this is probably in a year, like this whole year has been awesome. They've been amazing. And oh, I have a Ford airport commercial that's been running, I think for a couple of years. Flying in or out of the Grand Rapids airport.
Sam Prince 10:24
Look for my face. That's right. I've seen that too. I've seen it. Yeah, yeah. That's so great. Yeah. Then the next thing you know, you're that airport, lady.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 10:41
I'll take it.
Sam Prince 10:42
Yeah. That's awesome. Well, let's talk about Frederick for a quick second. Because you were so gracious to be in that play about Frederick Douglass with me and you play as mom and Anna Marie and just talk about that experience. You know, the good, bad and
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 11:02
ugly? I first of all, I have to say it was hot. It was hot.
Sam Prince 11:06
It was hot, y'all. Let's for the listeners who haven't weren't there. My dumb self. Got this theater in August with no air conditioning. And, yeah, that was not a good. That was not a good move. Um, God bless you, Julia.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 11:26
That was actors suffering for their arts, suffering. Oh, man, but you know what I actually really appreciate. I thought it was funny because you asked me to do it. And I'm like, man, don't talk to me. I'm sick with COVID. And like, yeah, Bill worked out that we could do that. So it was clearly meant to be.
Sam Prince 11:51
And it was it was my first choice. Said I cried a little bit when he said no. And then Yep, it all worked out. Yeah.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 12:01
Yeah. But it was a great experience. I really, I kind of joins later on. I think we had like jet weeks.
Sam Prince 12:10
Right? Yeah, it was super something crazy like that.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 12:13
Yeah. I love that kind of stuff, though. I'm like, Let's get in. Let's get out. So yeah, that was intense. And I think that's really great training after training. So that's what most theaters do. You rehearse for two weeks, and then you're performing. So that's how it is with professionals. And just to be a part of a project where the subject matter is so important. I'm super excited to do that again with you for Black History Month. So yeah, great experience.
Sam Prince 12:44
Yeah, awesome. Yep. Yep. And you did an amazing job. thing. So looking forward to February with you.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 12:57
It's a small, but I'll work parts are important. So I appreciate that.
Sam Prince 13:02
That's right. That's right. And it couldn't be done without you. You know, and, um, you know, it's, it's mostly him with all these little small parts around him, you know, and so without you there would not be complete. Yeah, and the scene with you is such a touching scene.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 13:25
Makes me want to cry every time. That's one thing. I don't know if it's me being an actor, but I feel like I'm gonna cry all the time. Like, thanks hit me really, really hard very easily. So yeah, less than a curse.
Sam Prince 13:41
Exactly, exactly. Yep. Yep. And I'll just share the news that, you know, I'm going to be playing Frederick this time. So I'm looking forward to looking forward to Kryon with you.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 13:55
That'll be amazing. I'm so excited for you like that. Just the whole idea that you were stepping into that role. And it's like, well, you know, the show must go on. And I'm really excited to have you. Have you do that and see you shine.
Sam Prince 14:12
Yeah. Well, thank you. Thank you. I'm definitely nervous. But I think I think I'm gonna pull it off. Yeah.
Exactly. Well, let's talk about that great segue into the stage. Because you've done it all, like we said, from stage and film. But there are some acting differences. You know, like, some things you have to be aware of, you know, whether you're on stage or on film. So, talk about that and give some folks I always like to give folks who, you know, are just getting into the accident scene, some tips of you know what To be aware of when you're doing those two, definitely different
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 15:04
methods of acting. Absolutely. So the thing about stage is, you have to act for the back row. So you have to make sure that you are large enough that people can see in the back what's going on, you know, sometimes you do have opportunities to be in more intimate spaces, where you don't have to be as big, but generally, I would say, um, yeah, you're acting for the back row. And it's exactly the opposite for film, where you are acting for the person who has one foot in front of you. So well, everything has to be so much smaller, in general, depending on the on the role. So that was something like I come from a theater background. And so I, I would honestly say that something I struggled with, and it's still a challenge today, but it really took asking questions. I'm like, why am I not booking anything? I'm, I'm getting these opportunities, but I'm not booking anything. So after driving to and from Detroit, you know, 10 times and not getting anything. I'm like, You know what, let me find out. And I was told after I asked that, you know, you're, it's just too much. It's just too big. It's not really wow. And so I am so glad that I asked that question I have to you have to practice that you absolutely have to practice. So I think there are people who do a lot of film, where their challenge trying to move to the stage is trying to be bigger. So I think just a nutshell, those are the two main main differences.
Sam Prince 16:58
I want to help every single one of you achieve your dreams, whether it's acting, screenwriting, playwriting, play producing, whatever it is, I just want to help you. So go to sampler dot productions. That's Sambre dot productions, sh, br, and click on available classes and you'll see every single possible classes you can take to fulfill your needs. And if I can help you achieve your dream. How cool is that? Remember Sambre dot productions. See you there.
Yeah, and you know, what's so interesting is that I'm like the complete opposite. And I would say I, I mean, my, my love of acting came starting from theater. But I'm so soft spoken. That hidden that back wall. I have to force myself for that, you know, whereas on film, I'm good. You know, it's it's weird, but yeah, that is a super important. Yeah.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 18:17
So I love actors who are able to do both. So, you know, Denzel Washington was on on Broadway and Doogie Howser shout out to mph, Neil Patrick Harris, I don't Starks sands. He was in Kinky Boots. And he's a movie actor. So a lot of those actors who were able to go back and forth like that in the professional realm. That's definitely something I take note of and look up to.
Sam Prince 18:54
Yeah, yeah, for sure. Those are two great examples to two great examples. You know, honestly, I'm gonna be totally honest with you. I didn't know that Patrick was gay. What? No, no, no, I mean, I mean, like, not in the beginning. Like when you lose on that sitcom? Doogie Howser? Nobody cares.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 19:23
Yeah, you're your mother. Yeah.
Sam Prince 19:26
Oh, I met. How I Met Your Mother. I totally thought he was straight.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 19:31
You know what the funny thing about that? I think that's also the sign of a really great actor. Because it's not about that. It's not about you and your life. It's about that character. That character isn't gay. In fact, he's like, a big horror.
Sam Prince 19:49
Movies, ladies. Yeah.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 19:51
White Castle. Have you seen him in any of those movies?
Sam Prince 19:56
Oh, yeah.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 19:57
Oh my gosh. How larious He's amazing. And so just but just him as a performer and entertainer and but then he's got, you know, lovely husband and they're beautiful children. You don't think of him as a family person either. Yeah,
Sam Prince 20:16
no, right. No, no, no.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 20:19
Single there.
Sam Prince 20:22
Right? Yeah. Yeah.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 20:24
He's so funny stuff.
Sam Prince 20:26
So funny. One of my boss. Me too. Me too. So All right, great. That. That's beautiful. No. Your distance. Speak loudly. onstage? Softly. Oh, yes. Yeah. Cool. Awesome. So, let's play a quick game. Oh, my God. Okay, well, let's make them a couple of games because I asked you to send me your favorite singers and actors. And you gave me both. Yeah, it's awesome. Usually, somebody just picks one and gives me a whole bunch. But I love that you pick both. We can talk about all of them. Yeah, alright. So what we're gonna do is we'll start with the actors. And we'll just pick them up against each other. You tell me your favorites, and we'll pick your favorite today. Okay. All right. So first bracket. We got Viola Davis versus Octavia Spencer.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 21:37
Oh, man. You know, Viola Davis has gotten a lot of she's gets she gets a lot of big rolls. But Octavia Spencer has 140 credits on IMDb. Like, I have no idea talking about longevity. She has at least Viola Davis. So, you know, I want to be Viola Davis. But I want the career of Octavia Spencer.
Sam Prince 22:08
Exactly. So Octavia today? Sure. Yes. All right. Okay, that was a toughy though. It's hard. That's hard. Yeah. Alright, so now we got this interesting one. And saw the lady, which we talked about has been doing those commercials since 93. You said
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 22:28
1993. Wow. Talk about longevity and making that money. Yeah,
Sam Prince 22:35
making that money for money, honey, man. So we got to put her up against Denzel Washington.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 22:47
It's so funny because the career of Denzel like I remember when he was younger. He's he's a very attractive man, of course. But like now I want him to be my dad. So because he just seems he and his wife had been married forever, which is unheard of in Hollywood. So I respect that so much. But the Pines all lady getting that national commercial cash for a while lady.
Sam Prince 23:21
Okay. Yeah. Because the thing is with her, is it. I mean, she's working like why? Maybe? I don't know, a month out of the year.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 23:33
Oh, my gosh. Well, and she is like, she gets those commercials. She's a stand up comedian. So I was doing a little bit of research on her. And she's a stand up comedian. And apparently she's really known for doing lots of good in her community. Oh, yeah. That will go with the times. All lady.
Sam Prince 23:54
All right. So lady. All right.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 23:56
You don't need to know her name. You don't know her name.
Sam Prince 24:00
That's right. I don't matter. All right, so then the finals is Octavia Spencer. Versus a Pine Sol, lady.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 24:12
Oh, gosh. You know, we're gonna go with Octavia just all around. An amazing actor person, just like her career is just. Yeah. Immense once you actually look into it, you know?
Sam Prince 24:28
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And she's got a series now, don't she?
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 24:35
I think so. What's and it's one of those things where I work for years. And then overnight success is this is a line and one of the songs that I did in Thoroughly Modern Millie with leggings in them. And macsec says, so she's been working for decades, and now she's a leading lady.
Sam Prince 24:58
Right? Right. Right. Dang got this interesting. Do you think? Do you think so? So true? True. All right. Congratulations to Octavia. Yes. Yeah. All right. So let's go to the singers now. These are fun. The first bracket we got Audra McDonald Ragtime against lamea is it out? See I'm pronouncing that right isn't lamea
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 25:32
it's lamea. Um, yeah. My dad was crazy because she actually passed away quite a while ago. But I found one of her albums and I fell in love with it. And I think she, oh gosh, I'm gonna ruin this, but she performed she was like a backup singer to sting or something like that. Okay, and, but she put out her own album, and I don't even know how I found it. But I she has this song called, like mountains and I used it in my one woman show. But it's like, bring me men. Bring me move my mouth. And no, that's my dog. Yawning really loud. Wait. Bravo. But she has this amazing album. And when I found out that she had she was ill, and she passed away very young. I literally cried because I felt like I knew her through her music. So yeah, it's just very sad. She was a talent that is no longer here. But yeah, everyone. It's it's la my A so look up la mia. But yeah, I have opera. Audra. Ragtime.
Sam Prince 26:53
Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I hear Yeah. Well, thank you for introducing me to lamb. Yeah. Yeah. Because I'd never heard of her. So I looked at myself. And I was like, wow. And I listened to the exact song and mountain song. That video she's playing the drums. Yeah. Your voice is amazing. She's stunning. And stunning. Yeah, I didn't know she passed away though. Wow. Yeah. But Andhra takes a cake. Yes. All right. Okay. The next one we got Cynthia Erivo. Oprah Nasir, right? I believe so. Yeah, right. Yeah. The Color Purple. Yeah. And Heather Headley from Aida.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 27:40
Yes. I think that that's a that's a tough one. But like Heather Headley came first, you know, so it's like, yeah, she did like Cynthia Revo to be able to do that, like Heather Headley paved the way for that.
Sam Prince 27:57
Yeah. Yeah. Did you see her? Which one? Well, either one of you seen both of them.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 28:06
I saw Heather Hadley and Aida when I was in college, and that's when I fell in love with her. I really didn't know who she was. Until I saw that, and that show is just three Dacula.
Sam Prince 28:20
Yeah, it really is. Yeah, I know. I signed it to it was amazing. And it's one of those, one of those that you you know, you don't put at the top of the Broadway shows, in your mind, at least not in my mind until you bring it up. And I'm like, Man, this show was awesome.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 28:38
Yeah, and it's just it speaks to me because it is about not only an interracial relationship, where they are literally killed because of it. But just they they bring a nation together because of their love. And I'm like, Oh my God. Yeah. I went and saw it on Broadway with Deborah Cox. And did you see that? Yeah, yeah. Adam Pascale from red to his box. But Deborah Cox could not hold a candle to Heather Headley. I was actually pretty disappointed. Nope, she could not. I was in the front row and Adam Pascale looked at me, because I cheered I love hard won. Something is everywhere right now. So I'm gonna go with Heather cuz she is the OG
Sam Prince 29:42
alright. So then you got kind of two LG is going against each other now? Yes. Andrea McDonald versus Heather Headley.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 29:53
I think Audra needs to get it because of her arms. She has the best arm arms. Those are coveted. Those are arms that I covet. And that career. I'm not sure what Heather is up to lately, but I know that I'm sure she's doing something amazing. But Audra McDonald. She's beautiful. She has the most ridiculous vocals and those arms.
Sam Prince 30:22
Yeah. Yeah. All right. Audra. Congratulations. No, no, right. Yeah. Well, thank you for that. Thank you for playing that little game was me and introducing me to I just love doing this. Sometimes it just introduces me to just different actors that I haven't thought about, like opponents all ad and lamea. would never even heard of. Yeah. So thank you. You're welcome. Okay, so my last question for Miss Julian is, what are your dreams and goals? Now I want to plan for you now with the future and acting and what your goals for your ultimate goals?
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 31:13
Oh, gosh, well, there was a time when one of my ultimate goals was to be slain in a Saw movie. And that might still come true, because those are still rolling out. They want to pretend like it's not saw, but that spiral movie was I saw a movie so I might dance. But I have been, I have a Broadway review that I have been doing at the Kirby and I'd like to expand just my live performances, you know, just need a piano and singing whatever the heck you want. So expanding that out, and you know what, I'm really just open to whatever the universe has, I I was never one of those people who wanted to, you know, just be broke and go to New York and couch surf. I'm not about that life, but, you know, building up some money and I thought about going to Atlanta for you know, when they do all of their auditions and stuff. And is that like black Hollywood, so long as it's still safe. I would be I would love to do that, you know, Tyler Perry and all that stuff. So I'm really just open, I would like to do another one woman show. So even just revamped the one that I already have. So there's actually a lot of stuff that I wouldn't like to do. I also want to audition for Newsies. Like, anywhere. I kind of started doing that, you know, and yeah, I was like, I'll go wherever and be Miss Mehta, Larkin and Newsies. Wherever.
Sam Prince 33:01
Yeah, yeah. Cuz you did. You did a civic right.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 33:05
I did. I did. Right. Okay. Let's draw.
Sam Prince 33:09
Yeah, yeah. Was that the first time? You played? Yeah.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 33:14
Um, say that one more time.
Sam Prince 33:18
Was that the first time that you played that role in Newsies? Correct. Yes. Okay. All right. Yeah. Yeah, you're awesome. Well, shoot, that's a big, huge bucket list. That's awesome. Hope you do all that stuff.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 33:35
Ah, thank you. I hope so. I appreciate it. Yeah.
Sam Prince 33:39
All right. Well, listen. Thank you for joining me again.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 33:43
Thank you for having me.
Sam Prince 33:46
Yeah, yeah. And we talked a lot about a bunch of cool stuff.
Julianne Howe-Bouwens 33:51
We did. Thank you so much for having this, this creative space that we can come and talk about that. So just creating the space for that. That's awesome. We really appreciate that.
Sam Prince 34:17
Hey, thank you for listening to the Creativitorium podcast. Again, my name is Sam Prince. And it is my honor to be your host and thank you so much for listening. I'd also be honored if you could leave a review on Apple podcasts and say some nice things about what you just heard. And definitely please listen every week. We come out every Tuesday. Also, for more information about coaching classes, workshops, and upcoming productions, please check out our website Samber dot productions, that's s a m b e r dot productions. And you can also subscribe to our newsletter. And remember all the worlds a Stage