Confessions of a Single Parent (Actress)

Over the last few days, I have been working with other educators, parents, and activists who want to see positive change in public education. Each time that I enter the space I am questioned about how I came to be involved in this work in the first place and how does that segue with my work as an artist. First, a brief history when I graduated from high school I pursued a degree in musical theater. After two years of nearly having my joy diminished and being pushed further away from performing, I decided to transfer.   During the transition, my faith in theater departments was in flux so I majored in secondary education at my new school, but fully participated in theater and dance studies without the constraints of being an actual theater student.   It was an amazing experience that rekindled my faith in my abilities and goals as an aspiring actress. The interconnection of my studies between education, English, theater, music and dance further enhanced my passion ...

On August 18, 2013 I started Confessions of a Single Parent Actress after a long train ride from Philadelphia to Chicago and lots of inspiration. On that day, I remember getting off the train and immediately heading to a local audition and the words, my story, and my need to share the details about this crazy life with others began and the beat continues. This year has brought many of the goals that I spoke of to fruition and I continue to be excited and open to even more. I am encouraged by the present and prepared for the future. Despite the fact that my family is always one step away from being on the street (literally and figuratively) I would not trade this journey for any other. My daughter published her first book and I finally have representation that believes in my plan and is helping me bring it to fruition. I have surrounded myself with like minded friends and have silently moved away from the naysayers and dream killers. This is my time and I look forward to more reco...

“Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.” Hendrix When I was younger my imagination played out in my mind like music videos. Depending on what I was thinking, there was a song to go along with it. When I liked a boy, I always imagined us singing a duet from Grease or Sparkle. When I imagined myself on stage it was always as the lead singer of some amazing video in my mind. When I imagined myself reading in the library that was a video too. At the club, I danced the hardest and longest and I felt every rhythm all the way to my soul. It was like an out of body religious experience. In the car and even on stage, music tells me a story and I want to share it with the world. When I was younger, my grandma would wake me in the middle of the night and we would dance to the Staple Singers all night long until I fell back to sleep. When we got tickets to musicals or operas, I remember sitting at full attent...

After I had my daughter, I took on a new persona. I like to call it, 'I don't give a rats ass!' Yep. At times I would worry about what others thought of me and if my actions mattered and would I be liked. And then I got pregnant and those outside vocal opinions started again.  The business of acting and choosing the riskier path is not always popular or safe. Sample voices: Why aren't you married? What are people going to think? Why do I keep trying to make acting work? You are not getting any younger. Why does she work more than me? Why am I not rich and famous? Why is she so irresponsible? I can't believe she is going to be a mother.What about my bills? And then I gave birth and soon after I found my own voice and it said, 'Fuck all that shit!" And that voice gets stronger and louder everyday. Because my joy cannot and will not be determined by the opinions of others. Fuck that! When I wake and hit the ground running, I am accountable to me, my daught...

The answer is YES! I started this life in Chicago, a great artistic town. Eventually, I built a resume and earned my Actors Equity membership and my SAG card. If you have been following my blog, you know that I ended up in New York and then moved to Philadelphia. Once I arrived, I quickly realized that the promise of support was quickly replaced with the reality of none.  Not all personal relationships work in this business, in fact between that and my daughter's needs changing, I had to quickly make a change.And boy was it a change, but that is a story for another day. The beauty of Philly is that union work is not very plentiful. How and why is that good? Well when you are trying to keep your pinky toe in the business while working a full time unrelated job, you can take a few days off for auditions and roles in film and television because they are not very often. And you can develop a great relationship with the local casting director. Once my support system was strength...

“I always tell my kids if you lay down, people will step over you. But if you keep scrambling, if you keep going someone will always, always give you a hand. Always. But you gotta keep dancing, you gotta keep your feet moving.” Morgan Freeman. I discovered this quote a few days ago and realized that it perfectly describes my world of acting. I have friends in the business who found instant success and have since moved on to other careers. I have some who have been presented with obstacles along the way and were either swallowed up by them eventually or continued to walk over and through them no matter what. All are great examples of what this business can and does look like. At times you feel as if everything is working in your favor and then in the same instance you can feel despondent because you simply cannot get the job or any job. What many do not realize is that you are never told why or why not. No one ever sits you down after a failed audition to say, “If only you ...