The activist, performer and coach transitioned from life as an actress to working as a solo performer in 2009, when she graduated from undergrad with her first ever one person show. Still evolving, after living in New York City and performing the fringe festival circuits nation-wide and even internationally, by 2012 Siobhan identified as a storyteller.
A pivotal point in her life, one that molded the rest of her career, was a bike accident in 2014. “My bike accident in 2014 changed everything,” recalls Siobhan, “I created Broken Bone Bathtub as an interactive, experimental piece, without really meaning to. When I broke my hand, I borrowed bathtubs all over New York City, because I had a large arm cast and only a shower in my Bushwick apartment. The performance itself recreates the experience of awkwardness, humility, vulnerability and joy that came from my friends giving me a bath. I found myself connecting with “immersive” artists in Los Angeles in 2015, and I realized that that’s who I am and what I do.” This experience led Siobhan to target experiences rather than plays creating performance art that is unique but simultaneously very accessible.
The first five years of Siobhan’s career consisted of performances across the world. Siobhan explains, “To call it a "career" is complicated, because I barely made any money at all in 2015, and I was only able to travel and perform thanks to the fact that I had no apartment to pay rent for. I stayed at peoples' homes wherever I had a show, and I'm so grateful for that and for them. Now, in 2022, I have a studio apartment in LA that is fully funded thanks to my incredible supporters on patreon. It's a real dream come true – but boy, the hustle never ends.” Siobhan’s supporters know how true the sentence is as she is always on to the next big project – with a Broken Bone Bathtub documentary already in the works.
So, what is the next big project for this evolutionary artist? Only a month away is Every Day I'll Hope, a new interactive experience happening at VoiceTrax West in Studio City, starting on April 8th. The performance features Bambi, an “E-girl” who wants to be seen for all of her complexities, but struggles as her imposter syndrome gets in the way. The audience will be the stars of her new fantasy audio book project, of which she is the writer, director, and engineer. This is not unsimilar to Siobhan herself who also took over the costume design, direction and lighting for the show with a full audio experience scored by her brother, Shane O’Loughlin. Groups of four people at a time step into the booth and participate in the recording session – to hear the story of a relatable yet fragile heroine, while incidentally also learning a few things about each other. If you shy away from audience interaction, but still find yourself curious – this show might be a very good first place for you to dip your toes into. For the brave, or for the immersive theater fan, this intimate immersive experience is highly recommended, leaving participants with a new outlook and a hopeful mindset.
Another performance of Siobhan’s, Please Don't Touch The Artist, is about to have it's 100th episode in April, a two year anniversary for the online series. “It's a wild thing,” she relates, “and a beautiful community, and our St. Patrick's Day Party is going to be weird and good. People are always invited into this space!” When asked what to expect from this performance – nicknamed
PDT – she says, “They [viewers] should expect to have an experience unlike anything they've felt when attending a play, or even most performance art. The main thing that I hope the audience leaves with after attending my shows is that they've learned something about someone else in the audience.”
Lastly, The Misfits for Democracy are soon to launch their Spring Season of progressive campaigns supporting the Democratic Socialists of America in Los Angeles and in New York. “As Captain of this renegade team of Super Freaks, we are fighting to save Democracy and create as much harm reduction as humanly possible in this terrible world. We have endorsed Samy Nemir Olivares in New York, and Fatima Iqbal-Zubair in Los Angeles” reports Siobhan.
Siobhán creates thanks to a powerful community of supporters on Patreon. To join and get early access to content, exclusive blog and vlog posts, zoom links to all of her online performances, a patrons-only monthly youtube stream, love letters in the mail four times a year, and producer credits starting at $5/month, click here.
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