I call this section “My Life as an Actor” because I can never remember a time in
my life when I didn't have a passion for performing. My parents say that before I
could even walk, I’d pull myself up in front of the TV while they were watching
American Bandstand, and I’d put on a dance show of my own. My first public
performance was a ballet recital at age 4 and I was hooked. All through school, I
was involved in every performance opportunity including school plays, dance
recitals, choir, band, and community theatre. My mother claims I started
begging her for an agent when I was only 7. My mom never discouraged me,
but had no desire to be a “stage mother,” so I had to wait until I graduated from
University of California, San Diego and moved to the Los Angeles area to
pursue a professional acting career.
In LA, twenty years ago, I started by doing extras work in order to get on the TV
and movie sets and learn everything I could. It was a great education working
with actors like James Earl Jones, Lou Diamond Phillips, Carrol O’Connor,
Andy Griffith, C. Thomas Howe, Mark Harmon, and directors like Carl Reiner
and Michael Landon.
During that time, I also got involved in a teaching repertory theatre, “Theatre III,”
which was owned by Jason and Justine Bateman and their father Kent, who
was a producer. That was when Jason was on the show “Valerie’s Family” and
Justine was on “Family Ties.” Their father wanted them to have a place where
they could be involved in dramatic acting as a balance to their sitcom work.
Theatre III on Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood became my acting “home.” After I
got my Screen Actors Guild eligibility by an upgrade in a commercial, I studied
at the Tepper-Gallegos Commercial Workshop, and soon signed with the
Bobby Ball Agency. (It is almost impossible to get a reputable agent in LA
without being SAG eligible.) I was able to book a few small roles, including a
role in a film that Helen Reddy’s daughter directed, but mostly it was a time to
take advantage of some more wonderful training opportunities, including a
summer spent in the conservatory at the Tony Award winning theatre, “South
Coast Repertory.”
When my husband’s job moved us to the San Francisco area, I continued acting
in community theatre and had my first opportunity to teach acting. Then in 1993,
another job-related move brought us to Orlando, FL. It turned out to be a terrific
career-move for me as well. I soon began performing with MurderWatch
Mystery Theatre on Disney property and at The Civic Theatre (now Orlando
Repertory Theatre). When I realized Central Florida had a commercial and film
industry, I brushed up on camera technique at KVG studio, signed with the Hurt
Agency and started booking 1 out of 3 auditions I went out on. I soon became
an instructor at KVG, teaching Commercial Technique and Beginning Acting.
When KVG closed several years later, I taught private acting lessons and
children’s classes at LA Acting. I also stayed busy co-writing and directing a
weekly on-going drama for the children at out church. And I continued to book
acting jobs consistently.
Because I worked so much, I often had other actors ask me to teach a class on
auditioning techniques. In January of 2004, I was thrilled to begin C*A*S*T,
Commercial Actors Success Training. I designed this course based on my
training and experience of what it really takes to successfully audition and work
in commercials and industrials.
During that first year, I had a growing number of students who wanted to
continue studying with me after they completed the C*A*S*T course. They
asked me to teach an on-camera class focused on film acting. That’s how
A*C*T, Actors’ on-Camera Training, came to be. Our first class began in
January of 2005. I really enjoyed teaching both courses. Then, my students who
had children ask me to start classes for their kids. I started teaching the
C*A*S*T KIDS class in August 2007 with a waiting list. I'm so thrilled with the
success the children are experiencing with their new confidence at auditions!
I feel very blessed! Mark, my terrific husband, has been incredibly supportive
throughout my acting journey. We recently celebrated 23 years of marriage! I
love my kids- Kendra 18, James 15, and Christy 7. My parents live nearby and
make my daily unpredictable acting life possible. My family has allowed me to
become what I’d always dreamed of becoming… a successful working actor!
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