Meet Victoria Nation | Writer, Director, Producer

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

Hi Victoria, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
To be honest with you, the older I’ve gotten, the less I talk about one of the more interesting aspects of my life – that is, where I’m from and how I was raised. That was nothing to do with me, after all. No conscious decision I’ve made, no action that I took to make my life more enriched or interesting. It’s just … who I am.

Of course, as with all things, we think that what’s most familiar to us is the least interesting. If you grew up on Mars, it wouldn’t be this incredible thing to you, it would just be home.

I was born here in Atlanta to State Department parents. After that, it will be fastest to simply list where I’ve lived in chronological order: Saudi Arabia, Georgia, The Philippines, Virginia, Syria, Egypt, Virginia again, Vermont, London, and back to Georgia, where I seem to be doing the unthinkable and putting down roots.

I acknowledge that this is objectively pretty nifty. But perhaps there’s a more nuanced way to say that.

I used to love the term ‘third culture kid’ or ‘global nomad’. Elegant, catchy names for what I was. Words to describe the wandering existence of the company kids and military brats who were the companions of my childhood.

You learn to make friends fast and hold them tight because they’re moving next month and you’ll never see them again. Learn to say goodbye over, and over, and over, and then learn how to make a home someplace new. Learn that even though it hurts to move on from all the things you’ve come to love, it is so, so much worse to stay aloof and unattached. That command strips are your best friend because nothing makes the bare, parmesan walls of an embassy-standard room feel like home quite like covering every inch with whatever you can find in your moving boxes. Scratched CDs, carnival masks, posters from library books you never got the chance to return – I still feel guilty about that one.

It’s not all goodbyes. I’ve learned that the world is wider and more wonderful than I had ever guessed. And I’ve learned that although I grew up overseas, I never really left the safe little bubble built for me by my parents and my embassy. I went to American schools, watched American TV at home, and even had a pitcher of sweet tea in the fridge. A slice of American Pie in the heart of Cairo.

No wonder it was so jarring for the real world to insert itself into my life. Politics, revolution, outrage against corrupt governments – they didn’t fit into my cozy, curated American life. I knew they were there, but they were somehow aloof. As if the protests happening on the other end of town wouldn’t penetrate the walls of my school and home. But of course, they did. And my main memory of the Arab Spring was cowering, watching comfort movies in the dark, and wondering when the Embassy was going to evacuate us. That, and the tanks rolling down my street. And my mother, waiting by the curtained window, with the best weapon she could find in her hand – an old wooden broom.

I feel like a phony, sometimes. To claim the places I’ve lived as part of my identity. I lived there, yes, but I only partook in the culture tangentially, through school events and talks with friends and supervised outings. A visitor, but not a tourist. A local? Not even close. Perhaps ‘third culture’ is an appropriate term after all – a third option, ‘none of the above’.

The strangest thing of all was returning to the US. When we were abroad, we called the States ‘home’. And when we were in the States, we called our post ‘home’. We were never home, no matter where we were. And, somehow, at the same time, we were always home. The difference was that when I was abroad, my foreignness was no secret. In the US, it felt like I was tricking everyone into thinking I was from ’round here. It still feels that way sometimes.

As for how it’s shaped me, well, I have very little in terms of lessons I’ve learned and morals to my story. But the few that I have, I live by. Love fast, and love hard, who knows where you’ll be tomorrow. Put down the camera and be in the moment. Be kind and patient, you never know what someone’s going through. Have the courage to face injustice where you find it, because if my teenage friend in Egypt could join the revolution over cell phones being cut off, you sure as hell can join the revolution over your human rights.

Oh. And once you’ve had proper hummus, you can’t go back to store bought.

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.
At first, I wanted to do nothing more than act – which was surprising, considering how I would run around my high-school theater doing practically everything except for acting. Scenic design, lighting, costumes, makeup, props, puppets, I wasn’t happy unless I was involved in it all. It got to the point where the janitors would let me in the theater building before the teachers, because I had work to do in there, dammit.

But I was an actor. So in college, I did the acting thing, and I was pretty decent at it. Continually frustrated by how much more interesting men’s roles typically were, yes. Annoyed at the character-actor pigeon hole I was placed in, sure. Feeling desperately depressed when I saw how extremely talented my competition was, oh absolutely. But I stuck to it.

The only times I didn’t feel inadequate was when I was writing, directing, or stage managing. I felt confident and content. Funny that – the kid whose favorite class was Stagecraft, loving production. But no, I was an actor. And having put my mind to it, I stuck with it for years.

But then there was a teeny-weeny global pandemic and I suddenly had time to reflect. To sum up a lot of therapy, I will always love performing, but the jealousy and vulnerability I experienced when it was my only outlet for creativity wasn’t healthy for me.

So, I rediscovered my love of production. I started stage managing, which lead to my first time professionally directing, which lead to writing and producing my own shows. I’m consistently a little stunned when I see the ‘Writer, Director, & Producer’ on my business cards, even knowing that those titles are well-earned.

Of all my projects to date, the one I’m most proud of is my adaptation of Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’. It was produced by Robert Drake and myself, and directed by yours truly as well. It premiered in October of 2021 at RoleCall Theater. The production process was fast and difficult, but my cast were amazing.

When I was thinking about writing a Halloween show, Frankie was the natural choice for me. I’ve always had a soft spot for the novel, and a dislike for how the characters have become immortalized in the cultural consciousness. Far from the groaning, neck-bolted giant and cackling mad scientist of the movies, Shelley’s characters are tragic and extremely human. I find them relatable on a deep and unsettling level – which, of course, is why they’re so effective.

The horror of the novel is not in bubbling beakers or reanimated flesh, but in the slow, inexorable way characters choose paths to their own destruction. One gets the feeling that if only different choices were made, it could have been a comedy or even a romance. Which is what makes the tragedy sting all the more.

When I went to write the script, one phrase kept nagging at me. It wasn’t from ‘Frankenstein’ at all, but an amalgamation of my own words and those of a much, much older story: ‘The Oddessy’.

“Sing to us, O Muse, of a complicated man. A man who wears exhaustion like a second skin.”

Why was it bopping around my head, like a song I couldn’t stop humming? Sometimes, my subconscious is a lot smarter than the rest of me.

‘Frankenstein’’s alternate title is: “a Modern Prometheus,” a reference to the Greek creation story. The novel deals with themes of fate, death, and God, even specifically referencing Paradise Lost. It also deals with the idea of nature vs nurture – i.e, would the Creature have been a monster had the world not forced him to become one?

Gods, death, destiny… it seemed only fitting to loop in the three Fates.

And so I gave the story, originally written by a woman, now adapted by a woman, into the hands of women. The three Fates tell the tale, stepping in to play everyone but the Creature and Victor. They weave the tale together as they weave the threads of fate, guiding the audience and the characters on the journey.

It seemed fitting.

Of course, I made a few other changes. Some storylines were dropped, some added, some altered slightly, and one changed outright. I feel that the art of adaptation demands such changes, however, and I don’t feel even slightly guilty about it. Because although it’s Shelley’s story, it’s my interpretation of it, and so it is inevitably a reflection of what I deem the most important elements of the story. And, on a personal note, it felt like the story I was telling really, truly mattered.

I’ve come a long way from the kid who was too hung up about becoming an actor to see that she had her own stories to tell. With self-clarity came the ability to get out of my own way and make art that I care about. It’s been hard, but it’s been worth it. And I still act, on occasion. But I’m usually too busy writing, or doing miscellaneous theatre things, or (possibly) plotting to take over the world.

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?
I actually don’t have to imagine this, as it’s just happened! My friend Cooper recently visited, so I gave him a bit of a run down of the city – we didn’t get to all of this, because life gets in the way, but here were some of our ideal spots!

We visited Ponce City Market, where I work. We hit the shops, grabbed some food, had doughnuts from Five Daughters and coffee from Eleven, and hit the beltline for a nice walk.

We grabbed drinks at the Book House, my favorite local pub. It always has great vibes.

I was surprised by the Cascade Springs Nature Preserve – it’s really close to my house, and I had no idea we had such nice hiking nearby.

Shoutout to Black Coffee Atlanta, in Lakewood, where we went for breakfast a few times. You have to try their Lavender infused coffee, it’s so good!

Puttshack Atlanta is possibly the coolest spot I know of. Which is weird, cause it’s a minigolf place. But it’s amazing! The food, the atmosphere, the golf – a super fun time!

The ATL stand-up comedy & improv community are a blast, so finding a show is always fun. I usually like shows at Dynamic El Dorado, The Third Place, Hump Day Comedy, or whatever show my friends are on at the moment. I just check Instagram to see what’s happening most nights.

Of course, the Academy Theatre in Hapeville has its Sunday Series, where there’s a different artist performing every Sunday, and it’s always a good time.

And a very special shout out to wandering around Little 5 Points at midnight while window shopping and questioning life choices.

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?
I owe a lot to Robert Drake, the Artistic Director of the Academy Theatre and ‘the guy who does the thing’.

When I asked for some tech help on the Atlanta Theater Facebook page, I had no idea what I was in for. Robert responded, and not only did he help me with that particular show, he took me under his wing. I’ve learned a great deal from Robert, from the day-to-day business of theater, to how to produce a show, to where the most interesting places in town are. He’s proven to be a great friend, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of Robert Drake. If you ever get the chance to be one of his ‘Ducklings’ (read: Interns), don’t pass up the chance.

Website: www.victorianation.net

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevictorianation/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-victoria-nation/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP226WKTayws41FLBKfncTw

Image Credits
Headshots: Charlotte East Photography, London, England.