Before coming here I didn’t know the difference between “grit” and “agency.” I always knew I was a gritty person, When life proved tough, hardships arose, the realities of being a woman in the theatre, or the even the realities of being a woman at all, began to fog my path I knew I could persevere and keep moving forward.

After walking into many rooms and rehearsals I began to notice a theme in my roles, I was a prop, I was the pretty face and my purpose was to be the sexual conquest or the flirty foil. These rooms often left me feeling helpless, unheard, and plagued with doubt of my own self value. But I was a gritty person so I knew I could and would keep going, but I didn’t believe there was anything I could do to change the established “status quo,” because that just how things were done…or so often I had been told. It wasn’t until I walked in to the rooms of 53% Of and A Beautiful Day in November on the Banks of the Greatest of Great Lakes, that I learned that I could have agency. These experiences, lead by compassionate powerful women, taught me that I had a voice worthy of exploration. From their example I felt brave enough to realize my worth, that my book was worth more than just the cover, to take charge, and how to truly be seen.

The effort needed to fulfill the grit equation was now being used to supplement a new found feeling that I was worthy of being seen, heard, and respected. This worth and self allowance was the fire behind putting my foot down on “status quo” and not accepting a room or a role that would not serve me or meant for me. Thus my pursuit of something more serving began and An Iliad became a reality. These lessons and powerful new skills have made me proud to say that I serve a higher purpose and am no longer just a prop. It is now my mission that I am an adventurous artist dedicated to the fostering of empowering, exploratory and engaging work.