I like to think theatre is in my blood; it’s how my grandparents met after all! But it wasn’t until I was about to enter High School when I discovered that Theatre was something I could be a part of. By tagging along to my older brother’s class assignment of seeing a production of Once Upon A Mattress, and seeing that other students were working and running the show, I was hooked! I needed to be part of this! With registering for my freshman year, I learned of a class called “Drama Staff” that let me experience more of the theatre for credit! And once the shows started, I practically lived at the school.

I started with paint crew, moved onto construction crew, and by the time I was graduating, I even had a little lighting experience under my belt. With college looming closer, I realized the only consistent things I kept throughout my school years were theatre and German; so why not try to apply for a theatre college? I was excited that I had been accepted into Northern Illinois University and had a dream of being a Technical Director. Not surprising, however, I did change my mind as I discovered the world of props. I found that focusing on the minor details is what I truly enjoyed. The little details that you only notice if they’re missing and even then, sometimes you don’t give it much of a second thought. My last show at NIU was The Arabian Nights and it sealed my fate as I entered the real world, hoping I could make a living off of this.

It was a struggle to get started, but after doing this for 7 years I have had the pleasure of working with theatres all around Chicago and have met such incredible people! I’m always working on a show, so please check out my work!