In every neighborhood, there is someone who makes the Arts a part of their life, and our community. You'd be surprised to discover how many different people use the arts to improve the quality of life in our hometown. EAT MORE ART! VEGAS will feature them regularly in our series "10 Bites."
What kinds of art do you enjoy, create, or perform in?
I am an actor and singer first and foremost, but as someone that lives in a bakery (proud big sister shout-out to Painted Sugar Bakery), I can say wholeheartedly that I enjoy the culinary arts as well!
Why do you do it?
Storytelling has always been my passion. I was lucky enough to grow up seeing live theatre, but I had never considered it to be a career choice until I saw "Amadeus" at LVLT my freshman year -- the incredible inspiration I left the theatre with that night made me want to share that feeling with people, and that's when I decided that I wanted to perform for the rest of my life.
What’s your favorite production/performance experience so far?
I'm guilty of always picking the show I'm currently working on! Maybe I'm biased, "Newsies" has been my favorite thing since 7th grade, and being able to perform in your favorite show with a STELLAR cast and crew is the definition of a dream come true! However, I did love my time at the immersive dinner theatre production of "A Christmas Carol" last year, and I absolutely adored doing "Scotland Road" at LVLT and "The Fantasticks" at the SST Playhouse as well!
What jobs have you done other than being an artist, or what do you do when you are "at work?"
My very first job was at a kids' online news channel as a reporter -- since then, I've joined the College of Southern Nevada's Alumni Services team, but my love for writing lead to another reporting gig with an online 3D printing magazine called All3DP!
What is an Arts experience that you will never forget or a memorable response to your work?
Oh gosh, there are so many! I love how the Fine Arts have the ability to inspire others to create, and hearing people's feedback on how art changes their lives is why I love doing this. I remember once a friend of mine came up to me after seeing me "The Fantasticks", and told me that our cast made her want to finish writing an original play she had started a while ago. That's stuck with me since then, knowing how much of a difference theatre makes on us young people -- I fully expect to be invited to opening night of that show when you finish, Angelina!
What would you be doing if you weren't performing, creating, or enjoying the Arts in Las Vegas?
A life without the Arts? No thanks! If I can't have it in my hometown, I suppose I'll just have to move -- I can't live without the excitement and joy that the Fine Arts brings!
Name something you love about Las Vegas, and why.
I was born and raised in Vegas, and there's just something about the community here that makes me so proud to call it home. And it's not just the Arts community -- it's the way we all come together to celebrate our successes and support each other in times of hardship. That's what makes this city so great.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
That's hard, I've been lucky enough to meet and befriend so many amazing people that have shared things that have changed me for the better. The "nothing to prove, only to share" mantra gets thrown around in almost every show I've done, it's a brilliant mentality. On a more personal level, I've been taught to simply be honest when performing, because that honesty will ensure that the story is told as best as it can be (major shout-out to Papa Glenn for that pearl of wisdom).
What superpower would you have and why?
The ability to talk to plants, so I could figure out why my aloe plant doesn't feel well right now...
Any future projects or events that you're looking forward to?
Playing Katherine in Disney's "Newsies" with Signature Productions! We will be performing April 2-27 (dark on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays with matinees on Saturdays) at the Summerlin Library Performing Arts Center -- you can find information and tickets here: http://www.signatureproductions.net
Are you a local artist of any discipline? Do you work with a company as a designer, stagehand or administrative staff? Do you love to experience it as the audience? We'd love to get your 10 Bites to share. Fill out a form here, and you might be featured in a post!