When I was a young girl, I had absolutely no idea what a Voice Over Actor was, let alone could I have dreamed to be one. I loved story-telling, movies, music...anything that gave my little, emotional heart goosebumps. Kansas (my home state) doesn't offer a whole lot in terms of creative mentorship, but I loved, loved, loved the arts and there were small opportunities to experience it.
I recall a creative performance memory from elementary school. A friend asked me if I would like to perform a duet with her for the talent show. With most of my interests being creative, I decided to go for it! We practiced after school on her karaoke machine and we thought we had it in the bag! Talent show day arrives and I. Am. Ready. We patiently waited in the music room until it was time to go on stage. Our turn! We go on, the music starts, and then...palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy (you know the lyrics). All eyes on my friend and I, and I've suddenly developed an intense bout of stage fright. Paralyzing stage fright. I couldn't move, let alone sing.
I remember her looking at me and in her expression, I saw her wondering why I wasn't singing at all. Her look intensified the feelings and I felt like I was ruining our performance, but she was a pro! She had performed many times before and she killed it! I can't tell you why my panic happened, or even what happened afterwards. I completely blanked! I can't remember if anyone talked to me about it afterwards, or if the topic was ignored, but that day I decided my stage fright was far too strong to perform without a large group to hide in.
Now, I have great news! This instance may have held me back from solo or even duet performances during my school years, but I was still able to perform in groups! I even managed to perform a very small solo with my choir group in high school. The fear of that elementary school performance may have caused me to stumble, but I never gave up! After high school, I unfortunately stopped performing. The majority of rural Kansas doesn't see much value in the arts, and it's surely not considered a means to support yourself. I fell in line by becoming a wife and a mother. Please note that these roles do not hold negative connotation for me. I loved my time as a wife and I fully embrace being a mother, but with no creative outlet I struggled. I struggled hard, but I made sure to embrace creativity as much as I could in these roles.
Fast-forward to the year 2018. My girls are older. My marriage is no longer (we remain friends), and I need to find my world. The girls are generally independent. They have dreams and goals of their own, and they no longer need me as a constant source of attention. It was time. I recognized that if I never pursued a creative career that I would never experience one. Research began and I became a sponge for it. Immersed in creative career ideas, I found acting opportunities and even some classes in Kansas! I signed up, dove into the material and continued my classes and research online. In my pursuit of acting I discovered voice acting and BAM! This was it! Voice acting allowed me to flow deep into my imagination without the pressure of "all eyes on me". There couldn't be a more fitting role for me, and I adopted it fully. A Voice Actor! That's me! Since my studies and training, I have had amazing opportunities with brands that I never imagined I could work for! I have been blessed with the most beautiful, professional studio, equipment, and I am so very grateful for it all. My creative outlet is open, flowing, and imagining all the places and experiences in the future. This career is mine and my love for it is the foundation for all of my performances.
Great pride comes from knowing that I love what I do and great value comes from my dedication to giving your brand a voice, a feeling, a dream. When I can help a company stir feeling and trust into clients, customers, or even for general brand recognition, I feel empowered. When you hire me for your voice project, you are hiring all of me. A mother, a child, a fearful youth, a determined woman, a warrior, a problem-solver, a dreamer, an analyzer, a student, a teacher, a survivor, a hero. I can't thank you enough for the opportunity to be ME.
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