EP19: Pulling Back the Curtain About Life as a Real Showgirl, Featuring My Acting Coach, Diane Christiansen

Diane Christiansen thought she’d missed her big break. But the path that opened instead led to a life full of creativity, community, and unexpected fulfillment.

In this episode, Scott Asmar welcomes Diane, his friend, mentor, and acting coach, to reflect on the stories behind her memoir “The Last Real Showgirl: My Sequined 70s on Stage.” She shares how she got her start at 13, fueled by babysitting money and a clear sense of purpose. From that moment on, she poured herself into the work, never waiting to be chosen.

What do you do when the opportunity you’ve been waiting for never comes? Diane opens up about her early audition for the Rockettes and the painful truth she uncovered years later, that her mentor never passed along the callback. It’s a moment that could have defined her differently. Instead, it pushed her toward something else entirely.

Scott and Diane talk about ambition, mentorship, and the winding nature of a creative life. They look at the ways the entertainment industry has shifted, and the parts that haven’t. There’s a sense of perspective here that only comes with time: the kind that sees rejection differently and understands the value of patience.

This conversation is for anyone standing at a crossroads, wondering if the missed chances ever really mattered.

Quotes

• “I don’t think I could have been just like every other girl in the line. I don’t think it was my destiny.” (11:20 | Diane Christiansen)
• “The great author Marianne Williamson says in her book, ‘A Return to Love,’ she said, she finds that grist of your mill the most interesting thing about a person. It’s like, what happened to that person to make them great?” (14:01 | Diane Christiansen)
• “It had a lot to do with ambition. It had a lot to do with wanting to stay in show business and at that level and being paid well and with those kinds of contracts and with the wonderful people that I got to work with.” (16:53 | Diane Christiansen)
• “The things that were difficult, I learned the most from.” (35:01 | Diane Christiansen)
• “It’s always a joy when people apply the skills and run with them.” (37:42 | Diane Christiansen)

Links

Connect with Diane Christiansen:

https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-last-real-showgirl/?srsltid=AfmBOopIU_UQUjzdoxLncQojXCx-0Ok6jvpHUkPcVLlSI2IG1MtRJYdz

https://www.instagram.com/the_last_real_showgirl/

https://www.christiansenactingacademy.com/

Connect with Scott Asmar:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottasmar5/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm