Episode 50: Improvising Through Adversity with Dionna Griffin
“We have to embrace all of who we are, the mistakes, the good part, the bad part. I mean, it is who we are. I think there's some valuable lesson. There is some source of inspiration that can help another person.” - Dionna Griffin
Failed it! Fam, we have an amazing guest who is such a light in the improv world. Get ready to hear the crazy journey that Dionna Griffin went through as she strived to overcome failure by embracing her true self.
In today’s episode, Dionna talks to us about:
How fearing a huge pivot in her life was exactly what she needed
How a stint in jail changed her life
The importance of sharing failures
Links from show discussions:
About the Guest: Dionna Griffin-Irons is a writer, comedy producer, and the longtime former Director of Talent Diversity and Inclusion for The Second City U.S. and Canada. She’s delighted to share her story on the "You Failed It" podcast. For two decades, she's used her inclusion and belonging strategy "finding your truth voice" in boardrooms, prisons, shelters, classroom spaces, and stages, to create personal transformation around leadership, empathy, and resilience. As an instructor and consultant, Griffin-Irons has facilitated 200+ workshops to corporations, organizations, and students around the globe including Embassy Norway and Latvia, using improvisation as a creative tool for social change. Her work has been featured on ABC, NBC, American Theatre Magazine, Diversity Journal, and with University of Chicago's TEDx, The Incredible Unknown. Griffin-Irons teaches at DePaul University in the Computer Digital Media program, core faculty with Story Studio Chicago, Chicago Dramatists, and The Second City Film School nurturing the next wave of storytellers. Her signature class "Telling Your Truth" has helped students and professionals who fear the writing process, go from one page to 15 pages in a month. #slaytheegoandwrite
About the Host: Erin Diehl is the founder and Chief “Yes, And” officer of improve it! and host of the failed it! Podcast. She’s a performer, facilitator and professional risk-taker who lives by the mantra, “get comfortable with the uncomfortable.” Through a series of unrelated dares, Erin has created improve it!, a unique professional development company that pushes others to laugh, learn and grow. Her work with clients such as United Airlines, PepsiCo, Groupon, Deloitte, Motorola, Walgreens, and The Obama Foundation earned her the 2014 Chicago RedEye Big Idea Award and has nominated her for the 2015-2019 Chicago Innovations Award.
This graduate from Clemson University is a former experiential marketing and recruiting professional as well as a veteran improviser from the top improvisational training programs in Chicago, including The Second City, i.O. Theater, and The Annoyance Theatre.
When she is not playing pretend or facilitating, she enjoys running and beach dates with her husband and son, and their eight pound toy poodle, BIGG Diehl.
You can follow the failed it! podcast on Instagram @learntoimproveit and facebook, and you can follow Erin personally on Instagram @keepinitrealdiehl here. You can also check out improve it! and how we can help your organization at www.learntoimproveit.com. We can’t wait to connect with you online!
Episode 50 Transcription
Erin (00:30):
Hey friend, are you a leader who has career-focused, goal-driven, and possess a life-long learner mentality? Do you dream about achieving your goals and spend hours Googling how tos and gurus. Does a side effect of your awesome, might I add, personality include perfectionism, the dreaded imposter syndrome, and the ever-present fear of failure? Well, you've landed in the right place. We just became virtual BFFs. I'm Erin Diehl, the founder of the improv training company improve it! And a recovering perfectionist turned failfluencer. Inspired by the improv rule, there are no mistakes only gifts, this podcast is the creative outlet you need to not only motivate you, but the people that you lead. Through interviews with corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, and even comedians, you'll walk away becoming a more empathetic boss by realizing that failure is a part of the journey and you must fail in order to improve. In the scene of life, we all have our own unique guests that we bring to the world, and it is our mistakes that help to unwrap them. Welcome to failed it!
Erin (01:50):
Hey, failed it! Fam it's time for your failed it! Family member of the week. Sometimes we sing up this show. This failed it! Fam member is mellasnipes. Mella says relevant and insightful. Erin is a wonderfully engaging host who also keeps it interesting and on our toes. Her partnerships with others in her podcast are spot on and incredibly relevant and insightful. I have loved her tips on trying to survive this word we’re currently living in! Mellasnipes, thank you and failed it! Fam, if you haven't, please leave us a review. It really means the world. And mellasnipes because of you leaving this review, I'm going to give you one of our improve it! E-Learning courses. You can check them out on our website, learntoimproveit.com/onlinetrainings. That's learntoimproveit.com/onlinetrainings, and there is going to be 11 different e-learning courses for you to choose from. So pick one, email me info@learntoimproveit.com and we will hook you up for leaving us a review. Thank you so much. It really does mean the world. Failed it! Fam, let's get to failin' it.
Erin (03:05):
Failed it! Fam. This is Erin. I'm so happy you're here today. I have a very patient woman, an awesome woman, an improviser, a fellow improv lover, a facilitator, and just an all-around great human being here with me today. Welcome to the failed it! Podcast, Dionna Griffin.
Dionna (03:30):
Hello. Thank you so much, Erin. I am delighted to be here. I am in my mom's house. It's a little bit dark down here, but we're good.
Erin (03:38):
That's okay. That's okay. Because this show is actually no one can see it except these little clips we're going to play. So you're fine. They just need to hear you, which was just failed it! Fam. Okay. You're hearing me say this a lot for these past couple of episodes. We've had some technical difficulties and you have been the most patient human being on the planet. So thank you, Dionna. Oh my God. Bless up. What a journey. So I'm going to share with what we call our failed it! Family, your bio, because it is so impressive. We're going to build you up and then we're going to break it down, not you down, but just the failures that you've had to get to these awesome places. All right. So failed it! Family. Dionna Griffin-Irons is a writer, comedy producer, and the longtime former Director of Talent Diversity and Inclusion for The Second City U.S. And Canada. She's delighted to share her story on the failed it! Podcast. For two decades, she's used her inclusion and belonging strategy "finding your truth voice" in boardrooms, prisons, shelters, classroom spaces, and stages, to create personal transformation around leadership, empathy, and resilience. As an instructor and consultant, Griffin-Irons has facilitated 200+ workshops to corporations, organizations, and students around the globe including Embassy Norway and Latvia, using improvisation as a creative tool for social change, which is just let me give a little praise hands yeah! Her work has been featured on ABC, NBC, American Theatre Magazine, Diversity Journal, and with University of Chicago's TEDx, The Incredible Unknown. Griffin-Irons teaches at DePaul University in the Computer Digital Media program, she is the core faculty with Story Studio Chicago, and that is actually how we met thank you Jill Pollack, Chicago Dramatists, and The Second City Film School nurturing the next wave of storytellers. Her signature class "Telling Your Truth" has helped students and professionals who fear the writing process, go from one page to 15 pages in a month. Okay. Let's pause right there. First of all, when you hear these accolades about yourself, are you just like, who is this amazing person?
Dionna (06:09):
Yes. I'm like, Oh my gosh, who is this? Because I tell you, yes, I'm wondering like, who and what did I tap into to do all of those things? It's like a stranger. It's like the imposter, but a good imposter that has creeped in. And that takes over and somebody is having a lot of fun, right?
Erin (06:32):
So much fun. I mean, I hear your bio and I'm just blown away at how you've taken the tool that we both love improvisation. You've used it. And so many areas you've impacted so many lives through the art form. So we're going to get into that and just a minute, but I want to ask this is just a fun question. What's a fun fact about you that we couldn't find from your profile on LinkedIn, your resume, your bio. What's just a fun fact about Dionna that we don't know.
Dionna (07:06):
Oh, a fun fact is that I'm a Girl Scout.
Erin (07:12):
Like how many pins? What are they badges? How many badges do you have and what is your favorite girl scout cookie?
Dionna (07:19):
Well, hospitality, first aid, cooking. The outdoor one. There's a civic service one. I did. I went up all the way to junior. I didn't go to cadet because I think we ended up moving, but I'm a girl scout and I love outdoors. I love nature. And so I don't even know if I got a bird one, if there was a bird one, but I'm so into, I'm an amateur birder. I like birds.
Erin (07:46):
What, okay. First of all, this so many questions, there's my brother doesn't listen to this show, but he loves, he considers himself a bird. There's just that the whole thing in itself. Again, we want you to get into that, but I'm just fascinated by this. Wait and I also need to know what's your favorite girl scout cookie?
Dionna (08:02):
Oh, shortbread. Not too sweet. It's not, you know, it's just a simple shortbread one that I can have with tea and it's not too sweet at all. But yeah, that's my favorite.
Erin (08:12):
Do you love a thin mint?
Dionna (08:14):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
Erin (08:16):
But do you put those in the freezer? Are you a thin mint freezer person?
Dionna (08:21):
Oh, I haven't done that.
Erin (08:23):
It's like a peppermint patty, a York peppermint patty frozen. It's just like, it's like a, something you feel like you would get in a fancy restaurant at the end of a meal, you know, like a pallet cleanser. I digress, but that is exciting and something I did not know. I'm so thrilled to know that. So thank you. So you were introduced through a mutual friend, which came up in your bio Story Studio Chicago, Jill Pollack, who we both love adore. She's somewhat of a mentor to me and you and I had a previous convo prior to this conversation. And it was like talking to a long lost friend. You're just such a breath of fresh air and someone I am so proud to know. So I'm thrilled to have you share your story with the failed it! Family today. I want to know if you can tell us a little bit more about how you became an improviser and just to let you know, we've had comedians on the show, but no improvisers yet. So you are truly the first true improviser. So how did you become an improviser and then what drew you to this art form?
Dionna (09:37):
I happened on this art form by mere coincidence and luck because I had just got out of college and I made myself go back down to the theater, calling on boards and ran into a friend who said, Hey, did you know about Second Citty? And I was in Detroit at the time is hiring and holding auditions. I didn't know a darn thing about improv. I just knew improv as jazz and dance, which I both loved, and in music. And I'm like, I'm not funny. What in the heck? It's like... But I took it as a sign because it's like, why did I bump into this person right before looking for a job posting on the theater boards? And I auditioned and, on a whim,, it was an audition of 400 people and on a whim on the last day of a five-day audition, I made it down to the top, gosh, 20 out of 400 people who had auditioned and the, I made it to callbacks. And I was, I was mentioned by the one of the producers who said, Hey, you know, we see something in you. We want you to get training. We want you to continue on and give this improv a shot and got a scholarship. And that's how I kinda got my way into this art form that took my life over. It literally took my life over.
Erin (11:02):
Was this just a general audition? Was this for all the things, the boat, the TourCo, house companies, all the things?
Dionna (11:11):
This was a general audition at Second City, Detroit. They were casting for understudies for the touring company and for the resident stages. And they were also looking for talent for the business. And then that would be the corporate division that would go out and do improv for corporate, for corporations.
Erin (11:32):
That is insane. And you had never done improv until that point. That is so awesome because people audition for like directors, like there's a directing program at second city and you'd kind of get cast in some of the shows that these, you know, up and coming directors are looking for talent for, and sometimes you don't even get those, and that's, you know, they're looking for like new improvisers. This was, you were up against the best of the best and you made it through that process. I mean, that's insane. And then, oh my gosh. Okay. So I don't want to get too, I don't want to get too far in, because I have so many great Qs for you because you took this role of improvisor now, and then what happened? I don't want to go too, too far down, but what happened right after that?
Dionna (12:20):
After I did the audition, I started training. I started studying the work and I would say this was probably six months, maybe nine months or so and little, you know, before you knew it, I got the call, you know, asking, could I understudy. Could I understudy the stages? So that was coming in the peaks. And then, you know, things got, I mean, I was doing the work. I was learning the art form. And the next, you know, thing is I get this call, you know, being offered a job after I had been training, you know, and the job was, we'd like you to go in. We think you've been doing great as an understudy, but now we'd like to offer you this role for the resident stages and mind you, I still hadn't gone in on the official stage yet. I was still quote, unquote, the understudy, but now it's like, okay, we want to move you up. And now we want you to take this job. And it was the best news ever. The freaking best news.
Erin (13:31):
So if anybody listening failed it! Family, most of you are not improvisers. So I'm going to just say that for everyone listening, this stage is so hard to get on to. I mean, it is cream of the crop. Like you are like top dog in the improv world to get on a Second City, main stage you know, was it ETC?
Dionna (13:56):
Main stage.
Erin (13:58):
That's just, it takes so much time, usually effort just years of reps and showcasing to get on this stage. The fact that you moved from understudy who had never really been on the stage as an understudy to a main stage performer is crazy.
Dionna (14:19):
Yes, yes. And you know, and now I have to say this, I think the caveat, you know, I was touring with eight misbehaving a touring group with my college. I had already graduated from college, but I had got cast in this touring show. And at the same time, you know, when I'm auditioning, so they, I guess my background kind of like, well, I'm already an actor theater. I already had this background, but I didn't have the improv chops. So let's just get her some improv skills under her belt. And so then when we need her, she'll be ready to go. And then that call just came so freaking fast. I mean, it's like, I thought like, you know, understudy human I'll go in. It's like, Nope, you got the job. We want to hire you. You're going in for the main stage. So you're going to go in, but then that's going to be a permanent role. And it was just, it was mind blowing, but it was the best news ever because I felt like it solidified, you know, me wanting to be a notified, you know, actor, performer finally get paid for this craft to get on stage, to get an equity card. And so I felt, you know, it's definitely a milestone. It was definitely a milestone because like you said, it was so it's so competitive and a lot of people are vying for that, that slot. So I felt pretty lucky.
Erin (15:42):
And then how long were you on the stage from there? So how long did you perform?
Dionna (15:48):
I performed for about four reviews. So about a year, a year. So yeah. Yeah, it was the best, but you know, that day was filled with the day that I got the news was all the good news was also a day that was also filled with a bit of surprise and unexpected news.
Erin (16:11):
Yes. Okay. So I do know this story and I'm going to just pause you right there because I, this leads us into the purpose of the failed it! Podcast.
Erin (16:21):
Hey, failed it! Fam. Do you have what the kids call zoom fatigue? Are you sick of watching on zoom and hearing things like, can you see my screen? Oh, you're muted. You're muted. And, Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry. I'm late. Are you working from home in your bedroom slippers and business mullet like me, which I'm talking about wearing a business top and yoga pants on the bottom, feeling like it's Groundhog's day, every single day. Do you need some laughter, levity and fun in your workday to change things up while remote? How about a laugh break? That's right. It's called laugh break and it's improve it's newest virtual offering. Laugh breaks bring seasoned Chicago and Charlotte based improvisers into your virtual conference call for a little taste of short form improvisation. In each session, improvisers engage on live on the spot games based on your team's laughter and suggestions. Now whether your team needs a quick 15 minutes of laughter or a more substantial 30 minute break, improve it! Has got your back. You can go to www.learntoimproveit.com/laughbreak, or just click on the link in our show notes to book yours on demand today. Again, learntoimproveit.com/laughbreak. Get ready to sit back, relax and grab some giggles because we could all use a little laugh break right now. See ya on the zoom.
Erin (17:53):
You know, just as much as I do that, one of the biggest rules in improv comedy is there are no mistakes, only gifts, right? And I love the story that is about to come failed at family. So wherever you are, turn up that volume, sit down, get a coffee, a tea. We're going to need a kumbaya moment because this is one of my favorite lessons, AKA guests that I have heard. It's so good. It's so good. So let's talk, let's get into failing at what was one of the biggest gifts that the world threw at you that day. And I just did air quotes for those of you who can't see. So gifts is what we call our fails on the improv stage. So talk to tell us about that journey.
Dionna (18:44):
Yes. the same day that I get this great news that we want to hire, you you're hired for the main stage. 10 hours later, I also get the worst news and that is, I am arrested for picking up my boyfriend's mail. And so this is in my twenties at the time I was staying at this sugar daddy. Oh, I'm so embarrassed.
Erin (19:17):
You know what? We all have some 20 something moments. We do not want to laugh. Okay. So trust me, this is, this, this gets to a good point. A lesson learned though. So, okay. Keep going, keep going.
Dionna (19:30):
So I was, bad news. I get arrested eleven hours later after receiving good news and 11 hours later, I'm arrested for picking up my boyfriend's mail. My boyfriend's out of town and he's an older man. I thought it was business mail. I thought maybe at the most that maybe, okay. Maybe I'm picking up money. Maybe I'm picking up some money, but it ended up being drugs, lots of drugs. And let's just get specific because details are good in improv: two kilos of cocaine. So mama didn't go big. Mama didn't go little, I went big. Little did I know he was a kingpin. He was like kingpin. And he let little old me, the girl scout, go - will you pick up my mail while I'm out of town? Oh yeah I'll go get it. So I picked up his mail and I held it while he was out of town. And I would do this often, often little of me, I'd never opened up his mail, but I pick up his mail. I would hold it. And then I mean, I would give him his mail that mail contain large amounts of drugs. They didn't get him, they got me. So I had this secret, you know, I spent one night in jail and on Sunday, you know, when I was released out of jail for that one night, I had no money. I had to ask for money for the first time in my life and a stranger, can I have a bus fare so I can get home to my mom and tell her guess what happened? And Monday morning was when I was signing my contracts for the theater.
Erin (21:11):
Oh my God.
Dionna (21:13):
And so I signed my contracts and took my mom with me. And meanwhile I have this dark cloud that is just hovering over me during my entire journey, performing on the stages. I'm making up characters, I'm singing songs. And then then I'm going home and I'm just bawling. I'm crying. I'm putting my hands on TV. I'm trying to find every, every evangelist TV show that I can find. I put my hands on the TV screen. And I am just like, please, Lord. I'm just, I'm asking to just take this thing away. This cannot be happening, but it was very, very real. And for about a year, I had this dark cloud of maybe I might be going to jail and I didn't tell anyone about this, this failure that I have failed myself. I had this big guilt thing that had happened. Like, Oh my God, I made the worst mistake in my life. I fell in love with the wrong man. I fell in love with the crook. I fell in love. And I said yes to him, yes to this. Yes to getting a fake ID. Yes to pick up his mail. And all of these things just led me down this dark road of no return, but I had the stages and I had improv to see me through to kind of be my guiding force, my guiding light that would allow me to take my brain away from the reality of like, jail is coming. It's coming girl. But you go ahead and keep playing. But jail is coming!
Erin (22:54):
It's like, I totally picture that moment. And just, and you know, when you come home, I just totally just picture you walking in the door. You just made hundreds of people laugh. You're living your best life. And then you walk in and realities hit then and you're like, Oh, you know, like, it's like, it's here. It's a, it's on your shoulder. It's in your mind. I totally, I can't even, I don't even know how that would feel because that is so real. Cause you're you haven't told anybody at Second City, right?
Dionna (23:25):
Exactly. And it wasn't until maybe the last two weeks or so. And mind you, this thing gets, it escalates like a great freaking scene where I get indicted, you know? So I get first, I'm just like, Oh, I hope that they will go away. It never goes away. I get approached by an attorney, very character colorful attorney. I get indicted. I get, I go to trial all the while, while I'm also in a rehearsal process, learning characters and creating satire for show the irony of it all as one of the last shows that I performed at Second City was the title was like, wait a minute. What was it? I can't think of the title now, but one of the, the closing act was we're all guilty, lady justice is lady justice fair. I mean, I, how ironic can I be going through this experience?
Dionna (24:20):
And then I'm just singing, you know, I want something that is fair. I want something that is free. I just want to be like me. You know, I'm just going through, I want a system that is not blind. I want, I mean, I couldn't, how, how more ironic could this, you know, could the universe be sending me to me for me to be creating a song about lady justice and about everything being in the world. And here I am going to trial in the day and then singing about justice and freedom on stage. And then I'm wondering what is going to happen in my life. So the last weeks I tell, I tell one of my cast buddies Kim Green and she goes Dionna, everything's going to be okay. They don't want you. Trust me, Dionna. They don't want you. You're small fish.
Dionna (25:11):
It's going to be okay. Then I get Second City to come and I cast. And so I invite them, they come to the trial with me and we all think they don't want, I even make plans. It's like, we're going to go to my favorite Mexican restaurant and we're going to have, I already had it, like, I'm going to order chicken and cheese enchiladas.
Erin (25:30):
Wait, you didn't get the, this didn't happen because you'd basically from there, they took you in from there?
Dionna (25:44):
Yes. So the verdict comes down, guilty, guilty, guilty. My cast is there to witness it. My bow is there to witness it. We all thought that there's no way, there's no way, but here's the thing. You can't try to fight the government. The government wins 98, 99% of their cases. And they didn't have the crook. They had the next best thing. And that was his girlfriend. And so, yes, I lost the trial and I did not have a self-surrender. I did not have an orange is a black moment where it's like, let me just think about this and let me just stop surrender. Let me get right to the mindset. I did not have one of those. It was, I was immediately, I was immediately remanded to custody. And so I, I mean, I had just been performing maybe the day before onstage and then the next day I'm handcuffed and I'm escorted off to jail because the verdict is guilty. And that beyond being just like feeling like I failed and just felt so miserable, you know, myself. I, you know, I remember mentioning, you know, I had this other moment, like my life is over my life is over. And I was squeezing my attorney's hand. And I said that, I said, my life is over. And then that same instant I heard it's just beginning.
Erin (27:22):
Do you know that I've had chills for real? And I know I hate when podcasts say this, oh I have the chills. No, I for real have had the chills twice during this conversation. This is, I believe in the universe. I really do. I believe in everything you're saying signs, and I believe that voice. So tell the failed it! Family what you did because you were sent to all women's prison. Is that right?
Dionna (27:44):
Yes. Yes.
Erin (27:45):
So what did you do when you got there? Or how did you cope with being in this prison?
Dionna (27:55):
I taught improv. I taught improv and here's the thing, and this is why it was so freaking huge for me because, you know, the only identity that I knew was daughter, you know, improviser, mentor girlfriend, you know, sister, all of these, you know, things, roles that I play that I knew. And then instantly I fell into this other identity and it was improv that allowed me to tap into a whole level of being, and not only just a level of being in a different persona, I could, it reminded me to remember who I really, really am. Despite the new label of inmate, you know, prisoner, you know, whatever you want to call it, you know, felon or whatever you want to call it, all those, you know, labels I had, I had this theater background. I had improv that reminded me that no, you can play anyone.
Dionna (28:56):
And it also reminded me of that, of who I really, really am. And then I taught this, this work of improvising, of getting out of our heads of giving into the moment to get us out of this depressing environment. And that was life changing. That was the ability for us to go back to the grocery store, go to a beach, go to the strip club. Not that, that I went, Oh, you guys been here for a long time. You know, we can go anywhere. We can go to the supermarket, we can go to the strip club. We could go anywhere with improv. We can do it. And it was so freeing. It was freeing to give ourselves that permission.
Erin (29:44):
I love that so much. I hear you. And I could see the lights in you when you talk about this moment, because I resonate with it so much. It's like therapy. I always tell people the more you do, it's like a drug. It just keeps making you want to come back to it because it creates this kind of dopamine in our brains that makes us feel good. It makes us feel good. We can go anywhere. We can be anything we can get to the root of who we really are. And that's what you did. And so you were in this women's prison for how long?
Dionna (30:18):
For two and a half years. And actually it was six months of bootcamp and then a year and a half that was split. But, you know, with Kentucky in Kentucky at a, I always call it, Martha Stewart is very Martha Stewart for experience because, you know, we could walk on the, on the Rhode Island on a little, on a little jogging trail, you know, I could see the Kentucky heals and, you know, across the way there was the men's camp, we had jogging pants on. There were no bars, you know, we had exercise and yoga and taxpayer money is going, ladies and gentlemen.
Erin (30:59):
Oh my God. I'm like, what? Some days I miss that.
Dionna (31:05):
It was minimum secure. It was minimum. So that's why I say it was a Martha Stewart-esque experience where, you know, but you're still separated and you still had to work, not to, I'm not trying to glamorize prison at all. Do not go, don't do anything at all to get yourself into that.
Erin (31:23):
I'm like looking at my microphone, like I'm telling people like, right, right. Like right now, I'm just staring at everybody in the audience don't yeah. But I, but I will say this so two and a half years, and then you get out and then what happens? Because I wanted to say from what I remember, you went right back into improv on the stage right?
Dionna (31:45):
Yes. Yes. Oh my goodness. I, I connected. I had an incredible lifeline of support and I returned to the stages. Actually I did not go to Detroit. I went to Chicago and made Chicago my new home, and I was offered a job to start in accounting. And then I think about a month or so later, I am under studying, under studying the resident stage again the same gal, the same gal who had left Detroit. I am now understudying her she's now in Chicago, performing Angela Shelton. And now I went in for her and I ended up doing that run. And I was her understudying. This was in Chicago on the EDC stage. And it was just incredible. Meanwhile, I worked at for a year accounting learning the business and book inside of theater, running a theater. And I worked alongside the VP of Finance.
Dionna (32:49):
And then I got promoted to do corporate theater. And I started producing corporate theater and working with clients of all different sizes, major league baseball. I was the first producer female producer along with another producer for that gig. And I was really, really pleased and happy to kind of harness, you know clients and, and, and use improvisation, all of that. So it was incredible, incredible. And then, you know, my work evolved because I started creating shows and reaching out to communities, bringing underserved, underrepresented voices to Second City by creating shows and reaching out to that community. And that evolved into my work of diversity and inclusion for a year long program, which is what I had, what I had done for two decades running and expanding that division. At Second City actually creating that, you know, that division, cause it only was just annual workshops and outreach to, you know, particular niche audiences that have not been exposed to the art form. And I created a year long program.
Erin (34:02):
Can you tell the failed it! Family, the name of the Bob, I know what it is, but will you tell everybody the name just in case they know somebody who could apply to the program? I don't know if it's still going right now. Cause I know COVID is still going on. We're in the middle of the pandemic, but can you share the name just in case? So, because it's true, it's such an amazing program. And I just want you to share a little bit more about that.
Dionna (34:23):
Yes. It was the Bob Curry fellowship program ran for six years at Second City. We got NBC sponsorship also launched a festival, which it, it, it had different comedians from all over the world that performed in it. I recruited lots and lots of talent, but yes, the program is a incredible program for those who are interested in getting into the art form and learning master classes in such an expedited way, it really opened the doors.
Erin (34:56):
Can I just say to the failed it! Family listening today, the fact that I get to talk to you today is an honor because you have paved the way for so many people, including improve it! professionals that are our facilitators here and helping them just reach their full potential. You've created this program that's just helped so many different communities. You've brought so much light to Second City. I, you know, I trained at Second City a while ago and I got my love for improvisation there. And we have such a love for the school. And so many of our facilitators are teachers there and you and I know so many people. And when I said just a few people that I was having you on the show today, you can just, that you're a light there and everywhere. People who know you, their face lights up when they hear your name.
Erin (35:43):
So I just want to say that the world needs more Dionna, we need more. And I know that the pandemic hit the theater world. It hit all of us who are doing live and in person events. And I know you have gotten a lot of great work going on with storytelling and your, your D&I work and your consulting with different companies will never go away. You have such great skills and I love hearing you talk. You can tell you're a great storytelling teacher because you tell great stories. So I am thrilled. Let me ask you this. What would you say if somebody were to say to you, why is it important to share our quote unquote gifts or our fails with the world? What would your answer to that be?
Dionna (36:35):
That would be, but we have to embrace all of who we are, the mistakes, the good part, the bad part. I mean, it is who we are. I think there's some valuable lesson. There is some source of inspiration that can help another person. I also think that we wear too many masks, you know, in our corporate world and different relationships and different ways that we show up. But the most important thing is that everywhere we go is a stage. And I understood that my stage was not just on the freaking residents stage of this great, you know, comedy, legendary theater. My stage was also with those women and the prison. My stage was also in the shelters. My stage was, you know, in the schools, it was on the South side. It is also, you know, with my children. And so us being vulnerable, us being honest and telling those stories, those pieces of our life, our history, our history means something.
Dionna (37:47):
And our stories are really captured in the history of our lives, the ups and downs, how we triumph, the mistakes that we made. I mean, I'm telling you about, you know, I fell in love with this man and he was older and I'm, that was a huge mistake for me in my twenties, but I don't want it to have power over me where I'm ashamed of anything that I've done in my life. And nor should we. We should not. If we are still here, if we are still here above the earth with all that has going on, including the pandemic and all of the challenges and all the, the adversities that our parents, our friends and people are going through. If we are still here walking, my gosh, you know, we have to, to tell it. We'd have to tell that we're still here. You went through all that and you're still here. And so I know that I'm not the only one who has gone through something. You're not the only one who's gone through something. The fact that we are still here is the best gift that we can give to people to share. Here's how we did it.
Erin (38:58):
Okay. Mic drop. First of all, that was beautiful. And I gotta be honest with you. That resonates so much with me. I think it's almost as if we aren't speaking our truth, we aren't allowing other people to know us. I love that notion of we aren't, we wear too many masks and I know, you know, this as an improviser, I feel like my whole life's work is that is to help people take those masks off. Although in 2020 and 2021, I would like put her, just put on like a safety man, you know, put on some PPE real quick. Um but take the other mask off and let's show up and let's let other people feel less alone through the mistakes and the things that we've gone through because no one is perfect. And I appreciate you saying that. You sharing the story here with us today is so meaningful. I know so many people I'm going to get so many texts from the failed it! Family about this one, because it's so good. And I want to end this with something we call our fail yeah lightning round. Okay. You're going to nail this because there's a little improv, a little thinking quickly on your feet. So I'm going to ask you a series of questions and you have to respond as fast as you can, but only give me a one word answer. Okay. So no, if you say more than one word, I'm going to give you a fail yeah like that in a really weird voice, like fail yeah. Now I'm gonna make a weird face that no one can see. All right. And this is just pure fun, but it's lightning round super fast. Are you ready for the failure Lightning round, Dionna. Okay, here we go. Here we go. Alright. One word to describe your early career.
Dionna (40:40):
Promising.
Erin (40:42):
One word to describe where you're currently at in your career.
Dionna (40:46):
Evolving.
Erin (40:47):
Oh, one word to describe your future self.
Dionna (40:50):
Pro.
Speaker 4 (41:03):
Was that pro? Okay we'll take it! It's still one word I'm not going to fail yet, but I liked that. I liked. Okay. One word to describe it your favorite boss?
Erin (41:11):
Um my mom.
Erin (41:13):
Fail yeah fail yeah. Mom, mom, mom. Okay. Thanks mom. Also, I'm loving she's at her mom's house. There are some fantastic pillows and fish tanks going on over here. Just so everyone's aware. All right. Back to failure. Okay. one word to describe your least favorite boss.
Dionna (41:33):
Narcissistic.
Erin (41:34):
Oh, yep. One word to describe your improv style.
Erin (41:39):
Freedom.
Erin (41:41):
One word to describe your facilitation style.
Dionna (41:45):
Vulnerable.
Erin (41:47):
One word to describe this interview.
Dionna (41:50):
Fantastic.
Erin (41:51):
Yeah, you nailed it. You didn't fail it. I'm giving you a golf. Here we go. Clap stuff. Think about another stage. You have a great performance. All right. So where can everyone find you if they wanted to find you online? How can they find you?
Dionna (42:09):
Sure you can follow me @DionnaGriffinirons. But you can also just go to DionnaGriffinirons.com.
Erin (42:19):
Awesome. We're going to link to that in the show notes. And everybody reached out to Dionna. She is awesome. Follow her. There's just so much good radiating from you. So I want to thank you Deanna so much for being here. I think it's safe to say the world needs more. You keep spreading that light my friend. And I appreciate you failing it today.
Dionna (42:41):
Thank you so much, Erin. Thank you for providing the space and for catching the gift and just making the world shine bright.
Erin (42:48):
Oh my gosh. Thank you! And to my failed it! Fam fail yeah. Fail. Yeah. Friends. Thanks for tuning into failed it! I am so happy you were along for the ride. If you enjoyed this show, please head on over to iTunes, leave us a five star review and subscribe to the show. So you never miss an episode. New episodes drop every Wednesday. Now, if you're really feeling today's show, please take a screenshot and tag me on Instagram at keeping it real deal and share it to your stories so we can bring more people to the failed it! Family. I'll see you next week, but I want to leave you with this thought, what will you fail at today and how will that help your future successful self? Think about it. I'm so proud of you and you are totally failing it. See you next time.