Q&A with Amelia Acosta Powell, Line Producer at Actors Theatre of Louisville

How do you define burnout?

Mental, spiritual, and physical exhaustion that causes detachment from the greater world and/or loss of sense of purpose.

What are some times in your life when you experienced it in the workplace and how did you overcome it?

I think it’s a spectrum, and I have felt burned out to different extents in various work situations. In some situations the causes were situational, so I powered through the burnout period and once the particular project, issue, or incident ended, I was able to restore my energy. In some cases there are possible adjustments to schedule, tasks, or relationships that I have been able to implement with the relevant personnel. In the cases where it was not situational and I could not pursue material adjustments, I have overcome it by exiting my position.

How do you see your own burnout, potential or otherwise, affecting organizations as a whole? How do you see that of others affecting the organization?

Sometimes I see burnout affecting an organization in the form of generally low morale, sometimes significant staff turnover. Especially since the pandemic we have seen the pervasiveness of burnout not at the organizational level, but I would argue at the field/industry level and perhaps even the larger societal level. One can observe a sense of exhaustion from the whole machine of capitalism, and a resulting disconnection from our roles in a mutually caring community.

What tools are in place, would you like to develop, and/or create to combat burnout in your organization?

The best tools that I’m aware of do not function at the organizational level. At the individual level, pursuing a sense of purpose comes first so that one can align one’s work at an organization with one’s core values. This could be through therapy, meditation, faith community, etc. I also find that participating in volunteer work and other “third space” activities that connect one to the rest of the world outside of one’s home or work is very important.

Workload, Control, Rewards, Community, Fairness, Values. These are all aspects of work and life flexibility that we learned in reading in class, and when in balance, they can all combat burnout. Can you pick one (or more if you’re so inclined) that speaks to you and discuss how that informs the work you do and the life you lead?

Values and Community are big factors for me. I feel the most energized by work that aligns with my own personal core values, and work that places me in community with other individuals who share those values and support each other. These inform my work in ways such as being very up front with my values in hiring processes, to ensure that both myself and the prospective employer are set up for success, as well as seeking out like-minded individuals within and outside of the workplace to connect with.

Amelia Acosta Powell

Amelia Acosta Powell (she/her) is the Impact Producer & Co-Director of Artistic Programming at the Actors Theatre of Louisville. Previously she has been honored to serve as Associate Artistic Director at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Line Producer at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Artistic Associate & Casting Director at Arena Stage. Most recent directing work includes La Egoista world premiere, Every Brilliant Thing, The Gradient world premiere and The Thanksgiving Play (nominated for Outstanding Director of a Comedy, St. Louis Theatre Circle Awards). She is a steering committee member of the Latinx Theatre Commons, a member of the Casting Society of America, an inaugural grantee of TCG’s Rising Leaders of Color, and a proud alumna of the Allen Lee Hughes Fellowship. Her teaching credits include serving as adjunct faculty at Webster University Conservatory of Theatre Arts. She is originally from Denver and holds her bachelor’s and her master’s degrees from Georgetown University. Read about her passion for Latine comedy on Howlround here.

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