A Michigan native (but proud New Yorker from 2001-2015 and now Chicagoan!) I earned my BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan. I’m really proud of all those things. I love Michigan and consider it “home.” I love that I can say I’m a U of M grad and often sing the school’s praises. I love that I was a thriving New Yorker for so long. And I love that I made the decision to try something new and move to Chicago. All parts of what makes me . . .well . . .me!
    According to my family, I was always dramatic. (Insert obvious joke here!) I used to watch all the classic movie musicals and then proceed to act them out – alone, mind you, as I am an only child. Imagine a little stubborn, strawberry-blonde haired, tiny girl in footed PJs singing both Laurey AND Curly while watching Oklahoma, and carrying Care Bears around the house – THAT was me.
    My family has always enjoyed going to the theatre, so we used to go to whatever musical was in town. I always liked doing that, but it wasn’t until we went to Toronto to see The Phantom of the Opera that I totally fell in love with musical theatre.
    Eventually, I started going to some summer performing arts camps and taking many more dance classes. And for some reason my Uncle Rick asked me to sing in his wedding when I was about 13 years old. (Maybe because I was too old to be a flower girl and too young to be a bride’s maid?) I don’t think anybody really knew if I could sing very well at that point, so he took a big chance on me!
    I feel so at home when I’m performing and my theatre background colors all of who I am – whether I’m wearing my office hat, my political activist hat, my producer hat – whatever it is. Once I got started in theatre, it seemed like it was only natural to continue to pursue it. I have an incredibly supportive group of friends and family to thank for much of my success, onstage and off. I hope I continue to make them proud. I’ve been truly lucky so far!