Walk away with tools that you will use for the rest of your singing career. I was first bit my the musical theatre bug as a junior at Lincoln High School, a performing arts magnet. Never taken a dance class or a singing lesson before, I soaked up everything my high school had to offer. I later ventured on to San Jose State where I studied opera with Joseph Frank and worked with Charlene Archibeque
in her Concert Choir for two years. Not wanting to give up dance I searched for a group that would develop and challenge all three skills: singing, dancing, and acting, which led me to Janie Scott's Compnay One. There is where I was inspired to move to New York and pursue Musical Theatre as a profession. After I graduated with my BA in Dance I hopped on a plane with two suitcases and headed for New York City. After living there for a month and a half I booked my first professional job. I was hired by Andre de Shields as a dancer in the musical “Play On” starring Leslie Uggams and Stephanie Mills. During that time I was offered my equity card and signed on with my agent whom I ended up working with the entire seven years that I lived there. Later I began making my mark in the big apple where I played in shows such as, Peter Pan as Tiger Lily, West Side Story as Anita, Miss Saigon as Mimi, and toured in Europe with Evita as the understudy of Eva and the Mistress. Touring Europe was such an unexpected gift. I got to travel in countries like Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. I saw where Mozart lived as a child and as a professional musician. We also got to travel, on our days off, to places like Vienna and Salzberg. It felt so great to be somewhere so beautiful and different doing what I loved. I also began a reputation where I would get a phone call to partake in the making of new musicals such as, "Zanna, don't" and "Caligula." That was an exciting time to be a part of creating something entirely new. As a musician I found it to be quite stimulating. In New York is where I honed in on the delicate balance of singing today’s tough scores eight shows a week, sometimes twelve shows a week, without ruining your voice. I also learned hands on how to stay healthy and sing while a cold comes on. When you are paid to perform and you are “it” being able to sing while sick, to a certain degree, is key. A fellow performer once said to me that he viewed his career as auditioning. I really liked that perspective, because it is true. On average a performer auditions 10 times before he/she can book a job. Not to mention callbacks and possibly having to “come back” several times for one show. Auditioning is a whole other skill that I have honed in on. A New York audition requires you to “take them there” without the light, costumes, sets, and orchestra. You have to create the magic all on your own and it can be done! After a good seven year run in New York City, my husband and I decided it was time to start a family and to us, there was no better place to do that than our home-San Jose. So I am here ready to offer what I know in Musical Theatre Voice as a performer and as an auditioner.
