ARTIST’S STATEMENT

I grew up in a tiny town in North Dakota. It was closer to the size of a small village, to be honest, and I explored the world primarily through books and my own imagination.

Although my mother described me as “such a little ham” whenever they pulled out the video camera, I didn’t fully discover my love for performing until I started participating in competitive speech, debate, and student congress in high school. The adrenaline rush I got from being in front of people was intoxicating, and I couldn’t get enough.

Having a creative heart but a scientific mind and coming from a very practical community meant I struggled to find my calling in college. I thought studying theatre was impractical, so I bounced between studying chemistry and education and communications. When I was about to graduate with a degree in Mass Communications, with a nice office job lined up, I realized the thing that was sustaining me and bringing me true joy was acting in college and community theatre. With encouragement from my various directors, I decided to apply to grad schools to pursue acting. I was accepted to Columbia and moved to New York City—an enormous place that I had never even visited before—to give my passion a chance to become my career.

Now, I’m equipped with great training and a renewed sense of purpose. As a plus size woman, I am passionate about creating theatre and film that makes space for diverse bodies as well as diverse backgrounds. I’ve always been curious about people and their stories, and I want to play characters that depict the contradictions that exist within every human. I want to give insight into humanity—what makes people tick and what moves them.