Podcast: Touch Grass, Then Show Up - A Conversation with Alexa Perez
There’s a version of Alexa Perez that almost didn’t exist.
The one who directs. The one who produces. The one who walks into a rehearsal room and calmly juggles casting, marketing, and a cabaret load-in before lunch.
On this episode of the Tampa Bay Arts Passport podcast, Alexa gets honest about the in-between years — the anxiety, the pandemic reset, the “maybe this is a sign” moments — and how she stopped trying to be exactly what she thought the industry wanted.
Instead, she did something radical.
She showed up.
Listen to the Episode
Now, as Associate Artistic Producer at The Studio@620, Alexa helps shape seasons, cast shows, manage social media, assistant direct, direct, and generally function as what she calls Erica Sutherlin’s “second brain.” (Accurate.)
But the story that sticks isn’t the job title. It’s the night she went on as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet — outdoors, during red tide, covered in ants, holding a tiny printed script under a sheet in Williams Park — because the show had to go on.
That moment wasn’t polished. It wasn’t perfect.
It was progress.
In this conversation, we talk about:
- Moving from freelance social media gigs to producing full seasons
- Why “community over competition” isn’t just a cute phrase — it’s survival
- The myth of being “just right” before you submit the audition
- Why collaboration is her one-word hope for the arts in Tampa Bay
- And why Olivia Colman would absolutely be cooking dinner
If you’re an artist wondering whether you’re behind…
If you’re juggling seven gigs and calling it a career…
If you’ve ever spiraled before hitting “submit”…
This episode is your reminder:
You don’t need to be perfect.
You need to exist.
🎧 Listen now.
📩 Share it with someone who needs the nudge.
🌱 And maybe — touch grass.
Episode Highlights
From Social Media to Season Planning
Alexa started freelancing social media during the pandemic. Today, she’s Associate Artistic Producer at The Studio@620 — helping cast, produce, and shape full seasons.
The Night She Went On as Juliet
Outdoor Shakespeare. Red tide. Ants. Heat exhaustion. A last-minute put-in rehearsal.
Alexa shares what it was like to step into Romeo & Juliet mid-run — script printed in tiny font and hidden under a sheet — because the show had to go on.
Progress Over Perfection
“I was so focused for so long on feeling like I needed to be exactly what somebody wanted me to be that I couldn't just exist.”
What changed when she stopped trying to fit the mold — and just showed up.
OCD, Anxiety & Artistic Pressure
Alexa speaks candidly about navigating OCD and the pressure to get everything “just right,” and how releasing perfectionism created momentum in her career.
Community Over Competition
“I think there's a lot to be said for community over competition.”
Why collaboration is her one-word hope for the future of Tampa Bay arts.
Why Specialization Is a Privilege
At this level of the arts ecosystem, most creatives wear multiple hats. Alexa reflects on juggling directing, producing, marketing, and casting — and what she hopes her career looks like long term.
The Dinner Guest Pick
Olivia Colman. No hesitation. Ideally cooking.