My Past

On March 9, 1978 at about 4:15 in the afternoon I was born in the little beach town of Wilmington, North Carolina. (Michael Jordan's hometown!)
For the first 16 years of my life I studied various instruments including violin and voice, and performed and toured with the Wilmington Boys Choir, various theatre groups, and the Umoja Dance Ensemble (jazz, African, theatre dance).

Here's my family all dressed up in our 1981 "Sunday Best." Mom, Dad, John, Johndrea("Drea"), and Me(the short cute one in the bow tie). ;-)

My creativity was blossoming even then - making up original shows, banging on the piano late into the night, singing and dancing around the living room...I drove my poor family crazy! And I still do! ;-)

When I was 16 my family moved to New York - Grand Island, New York (about 20 miles north of Buffalo) I finished out my high school years at Grand Island High School where I did lots of performing and served as Student Council President!

I adjusted quickly and learned a lot about being myself.

It was in Buffalo where I began to see my potential for professional performance - first, when I auditioned and was offered a season-long Resident Chorus Member Contract with the regional Greater Buffalo Opera Company, and secondly, when I was cast as Jim in a stock production of "Big River" at Studio Arena Theatre.

Someone once said "It's not where you've been, it's where you're going that counts."
I learned a whole lot during this time about myself and other people...It made me stronger, more secure and better equipped for what would lie ahead.