🎭 What I Learned from the Theatre
by Theodora Voutsa
“My name is Theodora, and I am an actress.”
From a young age, I knew what I wanted to do; I wanted to get paid to play.
But the fear of being compared to my father, Kostas Voutsas, an actor who became a Greek legend, starring in over a hundred films, with his own production company and known and loved wherever there are Greeks, didn’t allow me to say it out loud.
I kept that need hidden inside me, an unspoken truth that wanted to be expressed but was locked away by fear.
I was so afraid that the words would come out on their own that I began to “stuff” them down with food. By the time I was fourteen, I weighed 80 kilos. No one knew what I wanted, so no one could help me.
At fifteen, after my parents divorced, I found myself in a restaurant with my father to talk about my future.
This time, I could hide behind my size, behind the “shield” of my 80 kilos and finally say it: I want to become an actress.
Now, I know what my father already knew back then:
You don’t choose theatre, theatre chooses you.
Art is not a choice. If something can stop you from stepping on stage, then it’s not meant for you.
Knowing this, my father looked at me and said,
“You’re too short, too fat and too ugly to become an actress.”
In that moment, without realizing it, I chose love, love for my dream, my goals, and my life.
And love showed me the way.
At seventeen, I was in New York studying acting.
🌟 What Theatre Taught Me About Truth
Later, I understood that my father had always been my greatest supporter. When I would return to Athens from NY AND went to the theatre to see him (his dressing room being my favourite place in the world), everyone, from the cashier, to the ushers, the lighting technician, the woman at the bar would congratulate me on my successes or send their blessings when things weren’t going well.
That’s when I learned:
To be a successful actor, you must first be a successful human being.
You can’t express emotions on stage that you can’t feel in life.
How can you be sensual on stage if you can’t express sensuality in life?
Otherwise, you’re only pretending and that’s not art.
Theatre is built on truth.
To find truth in theatre, you must first find it in yourself.
People go to the theatre to watch others do what they’re too afraid to do.
Simply standing there, illuminated before an audience sitting in the dark, gives you power.
As Jerry Seinfeld put it, the greatest human fear is public speaking.
The second is death.
In other words, most people would rather be in the coffin than give the eulogy.
🪞 Knowledge, Self-Knowledge and Growth
Knowledge is power but self-knowledge is wisdom.
To last in theatre, you must know yourself.
The more I got to know myself, the more I appreciated myself.
The more I appreciated myself, the more I loved myself.
And the more I loved myself, the more I took care of myself; what I ate, read, watched and who I surrounded myself with.
I sought to be around the best, so I could learn from the best.
I learned my limits, so I could push beyond them.
I discovered what I truly wanted and I learned that the more specific you are about what you want, the easier it becomes to achieve it.
Theatre saved my life.
Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say:
Theatre taught me how to create the life I wanted to live.
🎬 Leadership, Choices, and Responsibility
To succeed in theatre, as in life, you must be a leader.
You must be dynamic, proactive and ready to make choices.
Everyone has talent. What differentiates a great actor from a good one is how they use it.
Marlon Brando said that what makes an actor a star is their choices, how they choose to interpret a role.
To have choices, you must love what you do and invest in your education.
The same applies to every profession. If you do not know what your options are, how can you choose?
A greengrocer is better than another if he opens first, closes last, cares for his customers, seeks the best produce and keeps learning. No one can do that for you.
You must become the leader of yourself, and convince yourself that you’re doing your best for you.
Once you believe in yourself, others will believe in you and they’ll follow you wherever you go.
🎭 Life Lessons from the Stage
Theatre taught me never to play the victim.
To take responsibility for my actions.
To stay flexible, if something doesn’t work, try another path.
To live in the now, the truth of the moment.
On stage, the most magical moments happen when you listen, just like in life.
To truly listen, you must be present, let go of your ego and give your full attention to the person before you.
Theatre taught me to ask:
“How can I help this situation and add to the solution?”
instead of
“What can I gain from this situation?”
🎭 Theatre as a Reflection of Life
I believe theatre is a miniature version of society.
If we applied its principles to our everyday lives, things might shift in perspective, perhaps even light up.
I’m not saying everyone should become an actor, after all, without an audience, there is no theatre!
But I do believe that business professionals should add art and theatre to their education.
To create spaces where they can experiment, connect, laugh and discover truth, both their own and that of others.
Because the secret to success, manifesting and attracting what you desire is joy.
And what better way to find joy than to play?
🎥 From Stage to Camera
This is exactly what I bring into my work today, whether I’m directing a documentary, a brand story or a portrait photoshoot.
When you work with me, you’ll experience the same process I’ve practiced for over 25 years; a blend of acting, storytelling and truth.
I help you discover your authentic presence, find the courage to be seen and create visuals that reflect your truth, your values and your light.
✨ Book a photoshoot or documentary session with me — and let’s create the visuals you truly deserve.
