So... Why?

As an artist, I use my voice to create a space and tell stories for people who don’t see themselves onstage. To me, that means to perform outside of the box of the fat funny friend, to design shows that uplift those of marginalized bodies, and educate young audiences to see themselves in the work they create.

My work is built on the principle of self. Each role I’ve taken on, onstage and off, holds a piece of my love for storytelling. Every curl, every contour, every character carries with it my passion for the story and my fellow artists. My joy for art stems from finding myself in theatre. My work reflects my love for sharing stories that don’t always get told. The heart and tragedy and cruelty and passion of the world is what inspires me to get to work every day. Allowing an audience to experience a world that they do not always get to see is the real beauty of theatre.

The arts world has been the place where I have found my voice and used it to embolden myself and others to fight for recognition and representation. My humor is a part of me but that does not diminish my heart, passion, beauty, and power. I can tell jokes, I can dazzle an audience, but I refuse to limit myself to simply be one thing. I am the funny friend, I am the ingenue, I am the mom, I am the sex bomb, I am the villain. I have told stories authentic to my own experiences across the world of theatre and never held myself back from where I haven’t seen myself before. I have transversed far beyond being simply a performer to be an artist—I create the stories that I need to tell and help others find the way to share their own. As a designer, that is helping to empower others to find the reality and beauty of their work in order to best represent their own stories. As an educator, that is allowing young artists to find their place in the arts world without my own bias limiting them.

I am an artist, but moreso, I am a storyteller. I want to share what my own experiences are, the good and the bad, while empowering others to find how to share their own. The world can be lonely but the way we as artists share our stories not only brings us together, it allows us to find home and community there.