For the longest time, I have had trouble deciding for myself what type of artist I am, and what type of artist I want to be. Am I an Actor? Storytelling and being on stage was where I got my start and had my introduction to the theater, where I gained years of experience on stage, varying in all stories from plays, musicals, dances, and more. Am I a Playwright? I have had multiple works produced in New York and my home state of Vermont. I take inspiration from my life stories, and those closest to me. Exploring the themes of my own queer, and my mixed identity life in hopes of connecting with those who have had similar experiences. Am I a Director? Though directing is newer to me, something about leading a room, guiding the artists around me, and building a world from the ground up has been some of the most profound experiences I have had in theater and life. Finally being able to feel in control after not having a lot of control in my developmental years.

After grappling with these ideas for years trying to figure out why I want to create art, I still don’t know. What I do know, is that all of my experiences in theater have given me this feeling of nostalgia that I cannot describe, like an answer at the tip of my tongue. One of my professors in college said that “Theater is the way to the human soul. It is the way we can discover who we are, why we feel, and why we are here.” I have never heard anything that resonated with me more. It’s the words that describe the way theater makes me feel and the words I have been searching for for my whole life.

I want to tell stories, in hopes of learning and discovering why we are human, and why I am human. What makes us tick, and why we make our decisions. Why we love, why we hate, why we experience joy, and why we want to discover more. Theater is my way of getting those answers, even if the answers aren’t what I expect, they will still be good enough answers for me. I am now looking into careers and job opportunities to help me with the next steps of my as an actor, playwright, and director. However, I’m also looking for opportunities that can help me figure out the art I want to create for this world, and help me figure out and become the artist I know I can be. All while pursuing the question of, why we are human. That is why I create art.