Starting Over at 65 | From Cancer Survivor to One Man Show at the Edinburg with Paul Shearman скачать в хорошем качестве

Starting Over at 65 | From Cancer Survivor to One Man Show at the Edinburg with Paul Shearman

In this episode of The Alex Lo Show, actor and playwright Paul Shearman shares the life-altering journey that compelled him to stop waiting, embrace fear, and step fully into creative purpose—at 65 years old. After receiving a cancer diagnosis, Paul was forced to confront his mortality and the quiet ways he had been postponing his deepest desires. What followed was a radical shift: instead of waiting for permission or security, he chose courageous action. That choice led him to write and perform his first-ever one-man stage play, The Last Audition, now touring major Fringe Festivals including Adelaide, New York, and Edinburgh. The play follows an aging Shakespearean actor navigating early dementia, memory loss, identity, and the threat of assisted living—mirroring real emotional experiences faced by millions of families worldwide. Drawing from personal encounters with Alzheimer’s and caregiving, Paul brings uncommon depth, compassion, and authenticity to a subject most people are afraid to face. Together, Alex and Paul explore what it truly means to create when there’s nowhere left to hide—emotionally, artistically, or spiritually. ✨ In this episode, you’ll discover: • How a cancer diagnosis can awaken creative urgency and purpose • Why it’s never too late to reinvent yourself artistically or personally • What performing a one-man show reveals about fear, presence, and identity • How dementia and Alzheimer’s affect not only individuals, but caregivers and families • The emotional and physical demands of solo performance at Fringe Festivals • Why embracing failure is essential to meaningful creative work • How lifelong learning and storytelling help preserve vitality and meaning as we age 🎭 This conversation offers rare insight for artists, creatives, caregivers, and anyone navigating aging, illness, reinvention, or the quiet fear of running out of time. It is a testament to courage, vulnerability, and the power of choosing purpose—even when the outcome is uncertain. 👉 Subscribe for more profound conversations on identity, creativity, resilience, and the human experience. 👉 Visit www.thealexloshow.com for articles, transcripts, and additional resources. 🔗 Connect with Paul Shearman & Learn More About The Last Audition Website: www.PaulShearman.com Show Page: www.PaulShearman.com/TLA 🔖 Hashtags #CreativeCourage #DementiaAwareness #OneManShow #EdinburghFringe #AdelaideFringe #AgingAndPurpose #Storytelling #ActorLife #FacingFear #Reinvention #thealexloshow 00:01 – Meeting Paul Shearman & Introducing the One-Man Show 00:21 – Cancer Diagnosis That Changed Everything 01:15 – From Waiting to Courage: Embracing Fear & Creative Risk 01:55 – Discovering the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 02:37 – Why Adelaide Comes Before Edinburgh 03:45 – Writing The Last Audition: Dementia, Shakespeare & Identity 05:47 – What the Fringe Festival Is Really Like (Venues, Scale & Energy) 08:12 – 4,000 Shows, Millions of Tickets: Inside the Edinburgh Fringe 10:38 – Actor to Playwright: Writing His Own Material for the First Time 12:44 – Creating Films & Vertical Dramas in China 14:32 – Storytelling, Mythology & Crafting a Compelling Arc 16:05 – Why Failure Is Necessary for Creative Success 17:27 – Rehearsals, Trusting a Director & Creative Collaboration 20:00 – Why the Audience Becomes a Character in a Solo Show 20:43 – The Joy (and Fear) of Producing Your Own Work 22:43 – Financial Risk, Ticket Sales & Losing $10K on Purpose 24:48 – Audience Q&A, Community & Dementia Conversations 26:16 – Performing Alone on Stage: Nowhere to Hide 28:45 – Emotional & Physical Demands of a One-Man Show 30:29 – Preparing Like an Olympic Event at 65 31:20 – Researching Dementia & Alzheimer’s for the Play 33:52 – Caregivers, Memory Loss & The Hidden Emotional Toll 36:03 – Learning a New Language to Keep the Mind Sharp 37:43 – Will The Last Audition Be Available Online? 39:57 – Where to Find the Show, Tickets & Tour Dates 41:24 – Expanding the World Tour Beyond 2026 44:18 – Final Reflections on Courage, Creativity & Reinvention