Madison Crees #13

What does being a powerful woman mean to you?
Being a powerful woman means everything to me. Growing up in the very rural Midwest, I learned pretty early that the best thing I could be was bold and willing to forge my own path... because no one was going to make anything happen for me. As I’ve gotten older, I think I’ve come to see power as more than independence, though. It’s knowing who you are, standing firmly in what you believe, and using your voice even when it would be easier to make yourself smaller.

What is something you have done, overcome, created, or accomplished that makes you proud?
I think I’m proudest of creating a life that feels deeply aligned with who I’ve always known myself to be. Growing up, I always had this feeling that there was more out there. More to see, more to learn, more ways to live, and I wanted to find it. As an adult, I think I’ve really let myself explore, whether through my interests, my career, the places I’ve lived, or the people and communities I’ve found along the way. I’ve built a life that feels robust but also balanced, and most importantly, I can genuinely say that I’m happy. I’m really proud of that.

Who is a woman who has influenced, inspired, or empowered you—and why?
I’m inspired by women all the time. At any given point in my life, I think I could give you a different answer to this question. But more than any one person, I’m inspired by my friends. I’m constantly in awe of the women I’m lucky enough to share friendship with and so grateful to know them. They make me want more for myself and challenge me to be better, but they also teach me how to have fun and not to take myself too seriously. Maybe most importantly, they reflect back to me who I am. There’s something incredibly empowering about being known and loved by other women.

What is something you know about yourself now that you didn't know when you were younger?
Simple doesn’t mean unfulfilled. I’ve always had high expectations for myself and a desire to see, do, and experience more in life. When I was younger, I think I projected that onto other people. I could look at someone choosing a quieter or more conventional life and wonder why they didn’t want “more,” or feel like they weren’t living up to their potential. I know now that my idea of a full life is just that: mine. What would make me feel stuck might make someone else feel completely fulfilled. I still have to remind myself of that sometimes, but learning it has made me softer. There are so many ways to live a beautiful life, and not all of them need to be extraordinary to anyone except the person living them. I’m now happy to be happy for people, no strings attached.

What do you bring to your family, your work, your community, or the world that you believe matters?
I try to create space for people to come exactly as they are. I don’t think anyone owes me gratitude, agreement, or a particular version of themselves in order to be treated as a fully valued and deserving person. I hope I bring openness and genuine connection to the spaces I’m part of, whether that’s at work, in my community, or with the people I love. And humor, never forget humor. Can you tell I’m a social worker? Lol.

What is one thing you will never apologize for being?
Emotional. I think there’s something deeply misogynistic about the way we treat emotionality as a negative trait, especially because it’s been so intimately associated with “womanhood.” I feel things deeply, and I don’t think I’ll ever apologize for letting that show. There have been plenty of times, especially in professional spaces, where I’ve expressed big feelings in rooms where that maybe wasn’t the standard. I’ve learned that when I try to contain all of that or make myself smaller, I can actually feel myself withering. My emotions are tied to how deeply I care, how I connect with people, and how I move through the world. I’ve learned to hold them with more intention as I’ve gotten older, but I never want to become someone who doesn’t let herself feel them.

And finally: What makes you roar?
Life! Art, people, community, and the whole strange experience of getting to be human alongside one another. I’m fascinated by all the ways we create and connect and care for each other. I hate the commodification of our lives and the idea that our value has to come from what we produce, achieve, or can offer someone else. I really believe we are intrinsically tied together by this one shared human experience, and I want to participate in as much of it as I possibly can. Making things, seeing things, loving people, learning from them, laughing with them, fighting for them. All of it makes me feel alive.

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Tickets for The Wolves are on sale now:

 

Performance Dates:

September 25 & 26 at 7:30 PM | September 27 at 2:00 PM

October 2 & 3 at 7:30 PM | October 4 at 2:00 PM

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