By the time I was 12, I had performed in over fifty musicals. To say that I was a theater nerd is an understatement. It was my LIFE. I knew from an early age that I wanted to go to NYU, major in Musical Theater, and perform on Broadway. So that’s exactly what I did! My first year at NYU was amazing. I was cast right away as Maggie in our production of “A Chorus Line” and continued to get roles throughout the rest of my years there. I was on cloud nine!
A few months before graduation, I was cast in my first professional equity show and life was great. This continued on for a year or so after graduation and I knew this was the life I had always dreamed of! The more it continued, however, the less and less glamorous it became. I would get feedback from my agent after an audition with super helpful criticism like, “They said you looked fat.” I was 120 pounds. “They said you were pitchy.” “They didn’t like your song selection.” And on and on and on.
For 18 months, I toured the country with “Fiddler on the Roof.” It was one of the best experiences of my life. We traveled US and Canada to sold old houses, sometimes up to 3,000 seat venues. During this time, I started playing around with my camera. I decided one day to do a fun shoot with my best friend on tour, Jess. And this is the exact moment I knew I wanted to be a photographer. I got dressed that morning not thinking about what I looked like or who I was trying to impress. I put on my glasses because the focus was not on me! I didn’t have anyone sitting behind a table judging my every move. And you know what? I felt skinny. It was the first time I felt good about my size in years. It was so freeing and I felt instantly lighter. After tour finished, my husband and I packed our bags, moved across the country to SF, and I started my business. This is never the career I had anticipated having, but I am so glad my path led me here.
A photo of me and Jess after the shoot :)
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