My story.

Ever since I was big enough to hit the snare on my brother’s miniature drum kit, I understood that music, theatre, and film would play the most influential roles in my life. As a singer, composer, actor, filmmaker and songwriter, I enjoy reaching people’s hearts through stories. But what I never expected was how each of these creative disciplines would help me open up my heart as well.

Musical theatre began as a summer program when I was just 9 years old.  Struggling with Dyslexia, Dysgraphia and ADHD I was yearning to find a place where I could be myself and not feel confined to structure and academic norms.  Theatre became that place where I could excel using my music abilities, vocal skills and acting talents.  In high school, I played a lead role in three productions, each pushing me to understand and experience the complex emotions of my character while challenging me to present that truth to the audience. I’ve learned to focus on vocal notes, lines and blocking while still connecting with everyone around me including the cast and crew. Finding the spark and authentic connection in each performance has been my biggest goal but theatre has also taught me structure, discipline and collaboration.

Outside of theatre, I formed a few rock bands (starting at the age of 6) and began writing and recording original songs in middle school. I started with just a guitar and a notebook and over time I taught myself to produce, mix and master full length tracks using Pro Tools and Logic.  I’ve been performing my original music at local venues, house parties and events playing over 80 self booked and promoted shows just in the past three years.  I really enjoy collaborating with other musicians to develop songs while hours quickly pass in the studio. Songwriting is how I process my own experiences, frustrations, doubts, and ambition. It’s immediate and unlike theatre where I have to follow a script, music allows me an outlet to tell my own story. Theatre has taught me how to perform; music has taught me how to use my voice and speak my truth.

Another aspect of my music experience is Choir.  I’ve been singing in choirs since elementary school and currently sing in both a tenor/bass choir called Home Bass and a competition choir called Singers.  This summer Singers toured Italy performing in Florence, Assisi and Rome.  The experience of singing in front of 600+ people each night was one of the most surprising and exciting experiences of my life.  With standing room only in every venue, each show had an intoxicating energy all its own. This year I look forward to performing in Hawaii and learning new skills as a student conductor, so that I can help my peers succeed in their performances.

Film has become my most recent creative outlet.  The excitement of filming an English project in eighth grade led me to the Cinema Arts program at Providence High School starting my Freshman year. Since I began the program, I’ve written, directed, shot, scored, edited and acted in short films, several of which were accepted into highly selective high school film festivals. I enjoy creating new worlds and characters, composing shots, setting tone through sound/music and writing dialogue. My music videos often explore emotional themes that I struggle with myself and there’s nothing quite like watching one of my songs come to life visually through actors, lighting, and set design.

While much of my time is spent in the arts, there is one additional passion that has followed me through middle school and into high school.  It’s a program that I started during Covid called Bake For Better.  My passion for this program lies in an authentic desire to simply spread kindness.  Bake For Better encourages Elementary School, Middle School and High School students (and their families) to make homemade baked goods for the food insecure with distribution at their local food pantry.  I believe a great way to reach the heart of others is through food made in our home kitchens.  Attaching hand-written notes to each package and distributing during off holidays like Veteran’s Day (when the food insecure are often forgotten) has provided my program with a unique path to success.  Over the past 6 years we have had two new student ambassadors and hundreds of participating families. It may be a small offering in comparison to what is needed, but as the director of the food pantry always says “a new smile or contribution today, is one more than we had yesterday.”

As a multidisciplinary artist, I’d like to be at a school where I can act, sing, write songs, film, and collaborate across departments while making a difference in my community. I hope to be surrounded by students and professors who, like me, have an urgency to create, make social change and who use storytelling to build those connections. College is not just about academics, for me it’s also about discovering new and important stories to tell and creating new ways of telling them.