!
What is your best
advice for someone who
would like to follow in your
footsteps, but doesn’t know
where to begin?
!
Find community theaters
around where you live or get
plugged in at your school
theater program. If you want to
sing, then you can find a vocal
coach. Ask around, as well.
The best way to get connected
is talking to other people that
are doing the same thing. This
business is all about
networking. There are
opportunities everywhere, you
just have to look.
!
Who is your mentor
and why?
!
Illich Guardiola, who is
my acting coach, director and
life-long friend. I’ve worked
with him since I was a
freshman in high school and
he has taught me everything I
know about acting. I owe so
much to him. I have always
loved musical theater, but it
wasn’t before I met him that I
truly fell in love with it. He has
such a heart and love for what
he does and it is truly inspiring.
He brings such a life and
passion to his rehearsals that
it makes everyone else in the
room interested and willing to
work. Working with him has
been a dream. He has pulled
emotions out of me that I
never knew I had and has
made me able to connect to
the character I’m playing on a
level deeper than I ever
thought possible. I can’t talk
that man up enough. He is so
dedicated to his students and
puts on the most beautiful
productions that I have ever
seen. God definitely put him in
my life for a reason and I just
thank him for everything he
has taught me and for helping
me grow as a person as well.
!
How did you get
involved in acting?
!
I was seven or eight at
the time and my older sister
had been involved with theater
at her school. Someone told
her about a play that was
going on at a theater called
Playhouse 1960. The play
turned out to be “A Monster
Ate my Homework,” and
because my sister was
auditioning my parents tried to
get me to audition as well.
Let’s just say they got their
way and I decided to audition
even though I was scared out
of my mind. I’m pretty sure I
sang “Animal Crackers in my
Soup” from a Shirley Temple
movie. I was casted as the cat
and let’s just