An Actor’s Life For Me!

I can definitely blame my older brother for passing on the acting bug! 🙂 He is seven years older than me, and I always looked up to him. He is the reason I am an actress, have pierced ears, and have a fond memory of the Nintendo 64. He started acting when he was 8, and I loved watching him and the other kids act in local productions. My favorite production was “Gypsy”. I used to watch the girl who played Baby June in the production my brother was in, and I tried to be like her. I sang “Let Me Entertain You” constantly, and sometimes I would even be a bit more daring and sing the burlesque version of the song…. even though my Mom told me not to! 🙂 I was constantly singing. My Mom says she always knew when I was either very sick or doing something naughty – because I would stop singing. If I was sick, she always knew when I was beginning to feel well again, because the singing would start again! We have so many home videos of me when I was little – making up skits, singing, dancing, etc. I was constantly making my Dad film me on our old video camera. At the age of 3, I began begging my Mom to let me start acting. My Mom has always been extremely supportive of my dreams and ambitions – but at the time, she was concerned I only wanted to act because my older brother was doing it. She wanted me to be old enough to make my own decision to act, rather than just copying my brother. So, I suppose when I turned 4, I felt I was old enough, because I snuck into an audition at a local theater. We were there because my brother was auditioning for a show. When my Mom wasn’t looking, I snuck into the audition room, and asked the director if I could audition for him. He said I could, but I would have to sing for him. I sang “Let Me Entertain You” and got the part (with my Mom’s permission, of course). I played Carrie Ingalls in an adaptation of “Little House on the Prairie”. Nothing could stop me after that.

My Mom soon put me in dance classes to help me follow my dream. She knew I would need to know how to dance if I wanted to be in musical theater. So I took the usual tap, ballet, and jazz.

When I was 8 years old, I auditioned for my first professional theatrical production. I was cast as Susan Walker in an adaptation of “Miracle On 34th Street”. Around that time, we started traveling to New York for auditions. My Mom and I went to so many Equity open calls. I definitely paid my dues as a non-union actor. When I was 10, I was cast in my first New York play. I still remember dancing around the house after hearing the exciting news!

It soon became too problematic for me to take off of school to act. My Mom gave me the choice. She said I could either quit acting and stay in school, or she would homeschool me (I am so blessed to have such a supportive Mom!), and I could continue my acting career. I think it’s pretty obvious which one I chose. 🙂 I was homeschooled from halfway through 4th grade until I graduated high school. I enjoyed being homeschooled. I was able to learn about a lot of topics that really interested me, along with the usual curriculum laid out by the school district.

I always dreamt of being on Broadway. I specifically remember being at a street fair in NY. I wanted to have my fortune told by a fortune teller at the fair. I asked her if I would ever make it to Broadway. She said I would in a few years. Maybe it was a coincidence, or maybe it was fate, whatever you believe – I was cast in my first Broadway show a few years later at the age of 13. I turned 14 during the show. It was an amazing experience. Very different from how I ever imagined it! I became an Equity member during that production.

I am now 19 years old. I’m still working in the biz. I have grown up in this industry – literally! I don’t regret a single day of it! I loved being a child actor, and I have such fond memories of my Mom picking me up early from elementary school and grabbing a bite to eat before rehearsal! I love the fact that I was able to experience life as a child actor – tutoring on set or backstage, having a child wrangler, meeting wonderful and inspirational adult actors – who were major role models for me… It has been a journey!

I have since been transitioning from a child actor into an adult actor. I considered going to college for musical theater, but decided I wanted to follow a different path. I did, however, take courses with the New York Film Academy (digital filmmaking) and the School of Visual Arts (cartooning). Aside from acting, I am also a vocalist in a jazz band, and I am working on my own mini comic series.

I am so glad that I stuck with it all these years, and I look forward to many more years to come!