I grew up in the tiny map dot of Lena, Illinois. I played a lot of sports as a kid, but when I was 12 years old, I was played a munchkin in the high school's production of THE WIZARD OF OZ. Our costume's were multi-colored tee shirts of the production, gym shorts, and as colorful of baseball caps as possible that we owned at home. Bonus points if our parents owned brightly colored suspenders to supplement our costumes. The cake make-up made us all look like oompa loompas. I also remember there was rule that you had to wipe your shoes off on wet towels laid down near every entrance to the gymnasium stage, which was just a measure to keep the stage clean. It was then that I fell in love with theatre and all its rituals, and I've been a hopeless romantic about it ever since.
Today, I am a Chicago-based actor, singer, and voiceover artist. I hold a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and I am a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf and the improv training program at iO (formerly Improv Olympic).
I have worked extensively in the Chicago theatre scene, most notably at Steppenwolf Theatre, where I recently played in THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME, and where I have previously understudied the role of Mr. Peel in the world premiere production of Tracy Letts's THE MINUTES, directed by Anna D. Shapiro, and the roles of Jake and Drew in the midwest premiere of STRAIGHT WHITE MEN, directed by playwright Young Jean Lee. Other notable credits: RAGTIME (Jeff Award, Best Ensemble) and TITANIC (Griffin Theatre Company), OTHELLO (The Gift Theatre), and the world premiere of BROKEN FENCES by Steve Simoncic (16th Street Theater). I have also played with Northlight Theatre, Lifeline Theatre, Ka-Tet Theatre, Next Theatre, Light Opera Works, and Raven Theatre to name a few. I have appeared on network television in NBC's Chicago Med. I have also worked extensively in front of the camera in the commercial world, most notably for Wisconsin Lottery/Green Bay Packers, McDonalds, the NFL Network, US Army, and White Castle.
As a voiceover artist, I have recorded for Nintendo, Sears/Kenmore, McDonald’s, Dish Network, Autozone, Special K, Kashi, and Avocados from Mexico.
As a theatre producer, I co-founded Rubicon Theatre Project and served as Managing Director for its five-year history (2005-2010), and I served the now defunct Ka-Tet Theatre Company as its Business Manager (2012-2015).
I am a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and an Equity Membership Candidate (EMC) with Actors Equity Association.
Artist Statement
Most people believe acting is a form of lying, as if it's sleight of hand where we actors seek to deceive the audience and trick them into thinking we are someone else. Truth and honesty is actually what we seek. An actor's job is not to obfuscate, but to uncover, discover, and share the truth within themselves and in the story. As a Meisner-trained actor, I believe the most important thing is the “pinch and the ouch” between scene partners. It is what happens in the space between two people that propels the relationship and the story forward. No amount of preparation, memorization, or research can overshadow simply being connected to your scene partner and being emotionally and physically available to whatever they give you and how they make you feel from moment to moment to moment. The beauty of the performing arts is that it exists for a moment in time and then disappears forever. Every day we are different people than we were yesterday, or even ten minutes ago, and every performance is subtly different than the previous one as a result. It is when two human beings are totally connected to one another under the given circumstances of the script where the beautiful, yet fleeting, moments of live theatre are created, witnessed by the audience, and then disappear forever.