born, a poor, Black, only child in Los Angeles (ok … maybe not poor) with no middle name. My mama was an elementary school teacher and my daddy worked at a restaurant supply company (which is why I had double punch machines – like the ones at J.J. Newberry’s – at my huge birthday parties).
I was a flutist in band and orchestra through Webster Jr High, Dorsey High and my first semester at USC, where I realized, I wasn’t cut out for this. I no longer had the passion, I didn’t like practicing and I couldn’t march and play at the same time. That has carried over to current years … you’ll never see me clap and sing at the same time.
At USC, because I’m really bad at Math & Science, I would take lots of theater and creative writing classes, so the A’s I got in those classes would balance out the D’s I got (sshhhh – don’t tell my mama) in the other classes, and enabled me to keep my GPA at 3.6 – well, by my senior year, I had enough credits to get a B.A. in Journalism and a B.F.A. in Performing Arts as well… wudja look at me – all fancy!!
Long before I graduated from high school, I started doing shows with my aunt, Genie Jackson’s performing group, Co-Real Artists. When I graduated from USC, I went on to work at Pacific Bell (411 operator), but I just couldn’t seem to get to work at 7:30am consistently. I’m not a morning person, so I hated my job. Meanwhile, I was still doing shows on the side (which is why I couldn’t get up in the morning). One day, my boss called me in the office and told me I couldn’t have another occurrence (tardy, day off or anything) for a whole year. I went out on stress leave for 6 months, came back to work for one day and resigned. When asked to explain, I, grandly, wrote, “This job is not conducive to my personality. I was born to be a performer!!” Hmph!!! Boy, did I tell them!
I started to train (acting, vocals and dancing) extensively and even though I have, pretty much, established my talent, I will never stop learning, crafting and perfecting my art. I was a student for many years at the Beverly Hills Playhouse, had the great honor of studying with the late Al Mancini and Gary Imhoff, graduated from the Columbia School of Broadcasting, mentored by the legendary “king of voiceovers” Don Lafontaine and have taken several sessions with Camera Left/Stage Right with the incomparable, Keli Daniels & Cyd Strittmatter. Vocally, I trained briefly with Debra Byrd (American Idol voice coach), Seth Riggs, Ron Hasley & Humphrey Campbell (Netherlands).and am a member of Stephen Semien’s Urban Arts Theater West.
At Christmas time, as an affiliate member of Open Fist Theater Co., we do an annual, lavish production of BOTH (the nativity story told in all Beatles’ music). I have been a member of Lafayette Players West, whose production of A Slice of Life in Black, Brown and Beige was a nominee for the NAACP IMAGE AWARD as well as the Orange County Black Actors Theater, whose production of Ain’t Misbehavin’ was the recipient of the that same award, the same year, in the same category. Simultaneously, I was also involved with the Fullerton Civic Light Opera’s DRAMALOGUE AWARD winning production of that same musical and you may have seen me as the singing, tap dancing, Sister Mary Hubert in one or more of the 12 performances of the hit Broadway production, Nunsense.
One of the highlights of my career was studying dance with Jaime Rogers, who choreographed Sammy Davis, Jr in the iconic “Mr. Bojangles”. Jaime contracted me to sing “What A Wonderful World” at some big awards ceremony with Ben Vereen dancing to my singing. It was magical!
Some of my theater credits include It's Just My Life, Black Nativity, Showboat, Steel Magnolias, A Raisin In The Sun, Colors of Christmas, Barnum, Fat Girls, Jesus Christ, Superstar, Godspell and Mood Indigo. My television credits include: Honey - I Blew Up the Kid, Original Intent, The Women of Brewster Place, MAD Tv, Mothers & Daughters, Arli$$, Dirt and The Riches. I was featured in the Richard Simmons Sweatin’ To The Oldies III & Project Hope videos.
My solo cabaret act has been performed at Old Town Music Hall, the Europa Supper Club, voted “Cabaret Favorite” at Long Beach Playhouse and I am a long time, resident performer at The GARDENIA Supper club, where I also produce and direct cabaret shows for new, up and coming artists. Having recorded my debut demo, “Greatest Hits (for now)” and CD single, A Daughter Remembers featuring the popular, “What A Wonderful World”, a new CD is currently (6 years and counting) in the works, entitled “Lady With A Song” and I am in the process of writing a one woman show highlighting my mama’s sister, Nellie Lutcher’s music. She and Nat King Cole were the top artists at Capitol Records in the early 1950’s.
I have thoroughly enjoyed traveling and performing in Argentina, Spain, Rome (the Vatican & St. Peter's Basilica), China, Holland & Germany with the L.A. Episcopal Chorale.
I still have stuff to do, new things to learn and experience. I’ve been told more than once that I need to slow down and I will, when I have to… God is not finished with me yet … in the meantime, “I have fought a good fight … I have kept the faith … and I still believe I can fly !!! ”