I suppose garnering attention for performing Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney’s song Ebony and Ivory at 3 years old was my earliest recollection of my enjoyment for performing. I would expand my repertoire as I advanced to one-person shows in gleeful childhood make-believe where my granny’s closet and dresser became my stage. Grade school presented the opportunity to move up to the bigger leagues when my social studies teacher grouped students and had us present a skit on drug-abuse. Welcome to the world of improv! The success of my groups impromptu skit was the featured performance for the end-of-the-year awards celebration. Baited…Bitten….Bugged! I was always a Thespian.
As I write this I reflect that one-person performances was always my outlet to any school project and have since become my niche for expression. I was trained classically at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington D.C and continued my training at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia theater community opened its doors to me and embraced me. My first professional experience was in my senior year of college, alongside my Acting professor Irene Baird. I continued working consistently and my resume began building up. I added voice-overs, independent films, and industrials to my repertoire. By the time I graduated college I was a professional, working, paid actress.
Like most actors I set-out to test the waters in both the New York and Los Angeles markets. Both of which did not turn out the way I intended. The biggest lesson I discovered was factoring in what works for me as a person first before making big decisions solely for my career. In 2009 I settled in Chicago for personal reasons and real life presented the grandest stage. I was presented with life changing choices which would ultimately impact the trajectory of my life for the greater.
Chicago has been an institution for me. I had to learn the Chicago market and what it would take to be successful in it. Chicago proved to be extremely challenging to penetrate which has ultimately sharpened my focused, fueled my drive, and made me a better actor. I had to learn that the roles I play now will shape the future of my career, and that saying “no thank you!” is sometimes necessary. I also learned that not getting cast for long periods of time can birth the miraculous. Far too many times I felt submissive in my career. We submit our materials and wait to be selected so that our talent can be audited then just “maybe” get cast in or away.
I have since learned to be an actor with purpose and actor on purpose. I knew that all my education, training, and life-experiences had to amount to something. I absolutely value life’s stage because it always informed my art and my artistry. Creating ones own opportunities is very empowering, which is why I have written my first one woman show called the The Princess who rescued herself
Chicago works for my personal values and offers opportunities where I am able to grow my acting career into Television and Film. Succeeding in any market always comes down to relationships and building relationships takes time. I am represented by Hayes Talent Agency, Karen Stavins Enterprises, and Chicago Talent Network. I now stand in a place knowing the quality of person I am will determine the quality of projects I lend my talent to.