Rising Stars: Meet David Whitehouse of Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to David Whitehouse.

Hi David, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always loved laughing & making people laugh, so I was drawn to comedy early on.

I grew up in Steubenville, Ohio steeped in sports, music & academics, but the friends I surrounded myself with were those who shared my love of classic comedic films, Saturday Night Live, Monty Python, & standup comedy. It wasn’t uncommon for me to borrow my dad’s VHS camcorder and invite friends over to record comedy skits in my rec room.

While getting a Journalism degree at Miami University, I minored in theater which gave me the opportunity to audition, rehearse and perform in a series of one-act plays. I also joined the student improv comedy troupe and was part of a sketch comedy troupe that would write and perform our original material.

After college, I moved to Columbus, Ohio looking for a PR internship to bulk up my writing portfolio. Because of my love for my theater experience, I called every theater in the Yellow Pages to offer my writing services to – and the only one to talk to me was a theater company called Shadowbox.

An interview for a PR internship turned into an audition to join the company, which I did before I left the interview.

Two weeks later, I was performing in comedy sketches on the second floor of an abandoned warehouse building in downtown Columbus as part of the Shadowbox Theater.

Shadowbox moved to a new location on Spring Street shortly after I joined. Now, I was performing in front of larger audiences, and wanted to share this experience with my family back home. I asked if anyone ever recorded the performances to share. When the founder told me no, I suggested he should really do that. “Congratulations, kid. Here’s the video camera.”

I stood in back of the theater, recording our live shows to maybe someday send back home. Those shaky videos now serve as an archive of some of Shadowbox’s earliest productions.

I then used my high-school level editing techniques to cut together videos of the company using a broken camcorder and a VCR. When Shadowbox was trying to sell touring shows to colleges, I would cut together a short video trailer to send out.

A year later, Shadowbox was approached to create a 30-minute TV show – like Saturday Night Live for Columbus. Once the company (who had conservative investors) saw our content, they backed out.

So, Shadowbox bought our own video editing gear, and decided to go it alone. My job with the company became to shoot & edit comedic shorts, even though my only experience was from my rec room in high school.

Years later, those skills I used creating that content came in to play when Shadowbox created a 30-minute sketch comedy & music TV show called “Shadowbox Wired.” I was tasked with putting together each episode.

“But Stev,” I said to the founder, “I have no idea what I’m doing! I’ve never edited a TV show.”

To which Stev said, “If I waited until I knew everything about starting a theater before I started a theater, we wouldn’t have a theater.”

And because of that vote of confidence, “Wired” ran for 3 seasons (2003-2006) on late-night local stations in Columbus.

By this time, Shadowbox had moved to a new entertainment development called Easton. Our theater was twice the size of the Spring Street theater, and was soon outfitted with video screens, making video content an element of the Shadowbox live experience.

I have overseen the development of the video department, and provided in-show content for our live shows for nearly 25 years, while also being responsible for creating video assets for all departments of the company.

All because I wanted a video tape to send home to my folks.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think the biggest struggle for me personally has been to learn how to embrace the uncomfortable.

Not every joke lands.
Not every project reaches its intended audience.
Something that took hundreds of man-hours gets cut because it doesn’t measure up.

But, that’s the job.

And sometimes, the struggle to create something leads us in another direction that was much more fruitful.

Shadowbox Live creates original shows, so the show doesn’t exist before we embark on creating it. And on opening night, you have to throw your creation out in front of the public whether you think it’s ready or not.

As someone who overthinks quite a bit, that can be a scary thing to do. I’m getting better at it, but it’s not natural for me!

Luckily, I work with tremendously creative people, and we each have each other’s backs when it comes to this.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I was told by a theater professor in college, that I would never be an actor. (I don’t fault that person at all! They were honestly assessing my skills at that time!)

So, I’m proud to have been able to make a living doing something I love to do.

I love making people laugh, and I am able to bring comedic characters to life in up to five different shows a year.

I love video editing, and although I’ve never been formally trained in that area, I’ve mentored people through my department that went on to have careers in that field.

I also love teaching – my father was a teacher, and his patience and passion for sharing knowledge is something that I aspire to.

As one of the company’s teaching artists, I always say that there’s nothing as fulfilling as seeing people overcome obstacles and conquer fears. I never had the confidence to grow outside my comfort zone. But, luckily, I had people in my life who inspired me to try, and who made it okay to “fail.” I hope I can be that inspiration for someone who is able to overcome something they didn’t think they could. And that confidence spreads into other areas in their life!

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
When I help someone do something they didn’t think they could.

When you see the realization in their eyes, that they are more than they give themselves credit for, it fills me with joy.

Because I got that help from mentors and peers, so if I can provide that, I feel like a million bucks.

Contact Info:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.whitehouse.142
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-whitehouse-27678715a/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ShadowboxLiveVideo