Meet Allison Dayne | Actor, Writer & Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Allison Dayne and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Allison, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Ah…of course! Why have a creative career when there are so many other options. To me it was the only option. Charles E Gerber, a dear friend and who was in Group 1 of Julliard asked me, “Do you need to do this?” And depending on how long it took you to answer you knew if pursuing acting and writing was for you. I believe artists find a need in their bones to have a creative career. It is not for the faint of heart. It is for the dreamers who understand that today’s struggles lead to tomorrow’s dreams.

I pursued a creative career because it is my dream and goal to create stories for TV that help people not feel isolated or alone. The power of storytelling is addicting. The moment you find your life’s purpose…you don’t give on it. As an artist I found that making the private public was my duty. To put a lens up to the situations, topics and cliches we need to discuss as a society. We need to meet in the middle. Art imitates life. To create passion art…creates a passionate life.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Let me first start off and say, “I was a really weird kid.” I had a speech impediment, cystic acne and did not know how to style my German Cherokee curly hair. Ha! I was the weird theatre girl that only wanted to perform Shakespeare and didn’t understand why people didn’t sit next to me at lunch. I read a lot. I was bullied for being six feet tall at age 12. Looking back, I too would be freaked out for having a giant next to me in the sixth grade.

College really started my artistic career. I was a semester during my time at Westminster College where I wasn’t cast. I ran to the casting sheet and realize my name wasn’t on the list. I cried and called my mother, as I always do. I then decided to create my own production company titled Leading Ladies. I found three other incredibly talented women who weren’t cast and put on a production of Agnes of God. All the monies I collected I gave to the Rape Recovery Center. The production was sold out and I realized Leading Ladies was a force or nature. The next production I interviewed domestic violence victims, abusers and children around the country. The production included over 30 artists that were passionate about helping survivors on this complex issue. We gave the monies to the Domestic Violence Coalition. The production was titled, “The Experienced.” I was asked to speak on this issue with Elizabeth Smart at a Women’s Conference and wanted raise awareness that believing victims is the first step to healing. Sometimes making a project for others to shine is your key to happiness.

My next play was Scorch, my original one woman show on how I am a phoenix rising through my ashes to become the woman I am today. I partnered with the suicide hotline and was given critical and commercial success through the Utah Fringe Festival.

This was when a dear friend Ayan Chanel Monroe in Boise, ID told me I could be a modeled. I laughed at the idea, but I found myself in Dubai and began modeling across the country. Ayan Chanel Monroe is still a true source of artistic inspiration for myself and a soul sister.

I hosted Park City Film Studies at Sundance Film Festival and took in as much advice from world renowned film makers. The advice that kept coming up was, “Don’t give up. You have your entire life to make your dreams happen.”

I was selected for the Comedy Studies program at Second City. What I learned from that program was to not take anything personally, keep your head low and actively listen. I was one of the youngest writers to perform at Second City. I was so young I would call my Dad asking him to tell me ways I could get into a bar so I could watch comedians. I remember standing outside with a journal and listening to people’s laughter. My time in Chicago helped shaped my idea on comedy. In fact, that is where my inspiration for my Ted-X Talk at Westminster Thinks Big began. My talk was on my original theory of comedy: Pain, Truth & Distance.

I found myself still hungry and ready to take on the world. I was selected to receive my MFA at SCAD and kept my head low to the ground. I wrote short films, plays and directed an all female production of Othello.
After my MFA at SCAD I was selected into New Jersey Shakespeare’s Apprenticeship program. I got to perform in an off-Broadway production of Titus Andronicus. It was a whirlwind experience and I hope every young actor pursues that apprenticeship program.
I finally landed myself in Atlanta, GA when I was immediately selected for writing residency through SCAD’s Atelier Alumni program. I wrote a screenplay that landed me my writing agent Peter Giagni in Los Angeles.
My original play Unrequited: A Chekhovian Collison, was selected at the Atlanta Fringe Festival. That was a brain child of mine I wrote during my MFA. The two actors perform over fifteen Chekhov characters while breaking character to go through a break-up. Needless to say, I love Kaufman writing. I was humbled to have won the Critics Choice Award with a score of 99 out of 100. Diana Brown and Chris Alonzo two leaders of the Atlanta Fringe Festival deserve a shout-out for giving artists a space to show their original work to the community.
Leading Ladies production mounted it’s first GA production with Blackbird at Alliance Theatre’s Blackbox. We partnered with the Georgia Children Advocacy Program through this production. Blackbird starred myself and James Carey.
After Blackbird I wanted to focus on healing. This was a huge life lesson. To take time to heal. Your artist brain needs time to re-focus.

In February I was hit by a semi-truck that landed me in Shepherd Center Complex Concussion Therapy. I needed to re-learn how to walk, talk and speak. I lost sight in my left eye and was in critical condition mentally. My brain was a mess. I was a mess. I was then diagnosed with a vein disease which caused me to have 50 surgeries in a year. I had a brain blood clot and was told several times I may not survive. This was when I wrote Madly. I thought, if my time was coming to an end, I needed my legacy to burn as bright as the phoenix I am.
I was selected into Rob Mello’s Acting Intensive where I was directing Madly. I wanted casting directors, film makers and more artists to come see the beautiful talent at Mello’s studio. Unfortunately, two weeks before opening the pandemic canceled the production. I focused on healing and demanded my brain and body to heal. Thankfully, I am here today to say I am still here wanting the world to be a better place. During the pandemic I saw several artists lose their careers, financial security and loved ones. I wondered how my writer brain could help. I explained to SCAD that supporting a feature film done by alumni will be an incredible challenge. SCAD agreed and allowed me to bring on some of the the most talented alumni SCAD has to offer.

I can’t describe to you how long this journey has been. I can tell you that not giving up is the answer. I was told I may not survive several times. Alas, I am still here declaring that art matters.

On a personal note –

Here is the poem I performed at Atlanta’s Writer Club that won me the the title of best poet of the night.

Fauna – Allison Dayne
In ancient Roman religion Fauna is seen and revered as the goddess of wife, daughter, and
mistress for all men.
She has many names. I can relate. Depending on who you ask what my name can be anything
from succubus, harpy, beautiful, mercurial, slut, ruined or my personal favorite – Allison.
You see I am a modern-day goddess. I have grown from the woods of oak and have become a
modern-day deity. I am worthy of worship.
Fauna could see the future and was seen as a mad woman for knowing her own fate. Perhaps we
can all take a moment and remember our fate is in our hands. Except when it is not. You see.
When you are a girl to be transformed into a woman – you are left with tiny holes. Not only the
fun ones…but like the universe that “insert name of whatever you believe here” created…those
black holes in the sky are in women’s stomachs.
Because we have grown to take in all energy and create it.
I can’t help but find Rome being my reality. As my ex best friend and boyfriend raped me
viscously and hit a hammer on my thighs – I screamed as the gladiator I am “are you not
entertained!?”
This is what strength looks like. It is not with armor and with spears today. It is with wearing red
lipstick every day, mini skirts and having the courage to fall in love once more. The goddess
Fauna is known for nurturing all living creatures. O, what a joy we share.
Nurturing others is not something that ends with a bang. They are small whispers and like the
animal that I am – I have learned how to crawl on all fours, roar my name and say…I have
nothing to prove to you.
Yes. I dare to defy man. For as a modern-day goddess I am here to say – my worship has come
through love. I moved to Atlanta in January to pursue acting and writing. Because nothing says
original like a six-foot-tall blonde wanting to be an actor. But you see audience – I am original.
My voice matters. My goddess was challenged this year by fire, brimstone, abuse and alas…a
semi-truck. I was hit this March by a cement truck that gave me a concussion that has me placed
in the shepherd center complex concussion therapy. I have lost sight in my left eye and had to
regain the ability to remember, speak and walk. My demon was myself. Being wrapped in PTSD
and therapy to not puke every 30 mins became my reality. I lost sight of myself and vision in my
future. I was left in a form of isolation so deep I became an animal.
I became a primal version of myself I am not proud of.
I became, dare I say. Human. I wanted to create a version of myself that would transform the
world and create light and brilliance but in order to die a Phoenix but burn and rise. My spirit
animal is a Phoenix. I have died many times before. I know women in this room have died and
regained themselves. Out of the ashes of my 2003 Honda Civic rose an animal deep within my
forest fire spine. I’m the animal you cannot mold or break. I forgot my name, purpose and was
known for screaming down the streets of piedmont park and Peachtree street. My animal brain
began to attack me. Every patient in complex concussion is placed on suicide watch. Every
patient is an animal trapped in a cage of their skeleton. You are asked if you plan to kill yourself.
Well doc, I wasn’t thinking about it. But now you mention it…seems like an okay outcome.
Thanks for your wisdom and bedside manner. Now. It is important to know. I knew 3 men
commit suicide this year while in concussion therapy. I saw a man bash his head into a hospital
white wall screaming “I don’t remember!” He lost his wife and daughter from a drunk driver.
Every two weeks we must remind him they are gone. I saw them crawl on all fours. As a patient
we all were howling for humanity.
It is difficult to believe in fate like Fauna if my fate was left in another driver’s hands.
Fauna. hark!
I prayed for you to give me strength. Why did you deny me love when I needed a woman’s
kindness more then ever? Where did you go? It wasn’t until I stared myself in the mirror after
my 2nd MRI in which they discovered a black spot which they assumed was brain cancer. They
handed me a pamphlet with beautiful bald people smiling. My primal instinct wanted to discover.
I had to kneel on my knees for any higher being to hear my pleas. I want to live. I want to live.
What a strange thing to want to live. I stand here today to say I am alive.
I watched a Ted-talk that perhaps saved my relationship. Doctor Ralph went over how you have
two brains. A monkey brain and human brain. We are all animals. In fight or flight, we respond
quicker than our civilian brain. If anyone in this room has forms of depression, anxiety, PTSD or
have been raped. And statically I am not alone. We are in a beautiful chaotic tribe. We are all
wolves howling to the moon together. In moments of isolation, I have found comfort in the fact I
am not alone. Remember my dear friends, your scars are tribal marks. Your emotional baggage is
howls requiring to be heard. You deserve love. My MRI discovered it was a shadow and not
brain cancer. Fauna was on my side. I still am in recovery. But once you accept that you are
always in recovery it becomes easier. Grander. Life is beautiful. I wanted to write this piece
today to say that in life – you are an animal. A beautiful mess. A symphony of scars. A gladiator –
I am entertained by you all.
As your screams and cries are heard. Know a girl from Boise, Idaho is next to you crying with
you. Loving you. I do not need to know you to love my tribe. I found myself in PTSD group
therapies learning your animal brain will win.
During my time in the hospital pleading for a God I do not know or perhaps believe in… I was
given the realization. I am Fauna. I have an animal brain that has bruising and swelling and
recovering. Healing is invisible. No one sees your strength. They only see your reactions.
Remember this – you all are modern day Roman gods. You filthy animals. You warriors.
Fauna was and is a Roman goddess known to protect her life through love and kindness. She has
many names.
I can relate. Depending on who you ask what my name can be anything from succubus, harpy,
beautiful, mercurial, slut, ruined or my personal favorite – Allison

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Alright! First off we have to go to little five points and get the best vintage dresses from the Clothing Warehouse. We would then need to get some afternoon tea at Mr. Bombay’s. Ponce City Market is always a must for walking the belt-line and getting a feel for the city. If there was an art showing at a new studio that just opened up, we would need to go there. We would fight traffic to land at Landmark Cinema for a independent feature film and walk around Piedmont Park. Depending on the day we are going to one of the many wonderful farmers markets in town. If Relapse theatre had an improv-jam I would happily join them on stage. If it is a Wednesday night we are going to Peter St. Station to watch incredible musicians play.
I would want to take them to an open mic or underground comedy show. We would probably land at Red Phone Booth for some craft cocktails.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
This Shoutout goes to the team of the upcoming film Madly. We are creating Savannah College of Art & Design’s First Feature Film. With this film we are helping alumni and actors who lost loved ones and financial security during the pandemic. Madly is the modern adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull. Mahalia Latortue, Natasha Sequeira, Tiffani Taylor and Bianca Townend are the incredible women who understood this ambition dream of mine. Women supporting women is the key to success. To understand everyone’s personal super-power will only make you stronger. Mahalia Latortue and I have worked together before and when I explained this large concept, she didn’t back away but said “yes.” And now…here we are. Helping alumni from around the world, pitching this script to executives in Los Angeles and making a difference in Atlanta’s Film Community.

Website: www.allisondayne.com

Instagram: @allisondayne

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-smith-19599152

Facebook: Allison Nicole Smith

Youtube: Write Club – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrSjHJyaavg

Other: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/madlythefilm/madly

Image Credits
Jason Kamerath Aiditi Singh