Theater Teacher debut

Wow....I know I haven't written in my blog in a while. In fact, a very long time. So much has happened and is happening. God...where do I start. Well o.k. I finally graduated from Brandeis University with my Masters of Fine Arts! So excited about that. I then moved to Jackson, MS to be closer to my family and landed a job at Power Academic and Performing Arts Complex. So I teach 4th grade through 12th grade theater. Cool...huh? And I finally got me a new apartment. It's so nice. And my episode I filmed in "Body of Proof" on ABC aired last Tuesday. It has been so crazy since then. News interviews and the newspaper. Everyone wants to know how a young promising actress ended up in Jackson, MS teaching public school. I wonder that sometimes myself. I wonder if I made the right decision. Should I be in New York or L.A. toughing it out until I make it 'big'. And I'm not sure of that answer just yet. But last week I had my students do a writing prompt. They had to write about the person or people that inspires them the most. And although, most people would assume that their students would write about them. I did not. I am a first year teacher and haven't had it easy. This job has proved to be extremely demanding and stressful. However, a young lady full of glitter and spark stood up and stated that I was the person that inspires her, because of my style, sense of humor, confidence, and talent. Now I stood there listening trying not to show any more attention to her story verses any of my other students. But it touched me...in a weird way. I was kinda uncomfortable because the truth is I question my style, feel awkward when I'm funny, have major insecurities, and struggles with not using my talent at the moment. But this young adolescence looks at me as if I got it together. And that makes me feel charged to be responsible and be what she think she sees. I may not know for certain if my decision to move back was the right one...but I know God is still using me. Thank you for the support, the warm wishes, texts, tweets, facebook messages, and phone calls to give me love and support. More to come soon...I promise. #The Acting Teacher Thats Still Learning.

P.S if you have seen the episode it is on ABC.com look for the episode called "missing"

YouTube TV

Check out my YouTube Channel at Jp110750 or
http://www.youtube.com/user/jp110750?feature=mhum#p/a/u/1/RXxjmBCtTxw

You find me performing spoken words pieces and monologues!

Acting Reel

Check out my Acting Reel on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhU9nWH-Vp4
Special Thanks to Greg Johnson and his staff for helping me with this project.

Neighbors!!!!!!!

I am asking everyone....if you are in Boston or New York or Providence...come and see the play Neighbors!!!! It is amazing! It is crazy and funny and provoking! I am very excited to even be in this play. Come and support Company One!!! They are amazing! Summer Williams is Great! (the director) And overall the entire cast has been supportive and fun to work with. I'm so so so so EXCITED!!!!!!

Check out the youtube video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hMegcNsMCU


Check out the website and buy your tickets!!!!

http://www.companyone.org/Season12/Neighbors/synopsis.shtml

New year....working toward success!!!

I am so tired but I just had to write to you guys. I have actually been up since 4:30 in the morning. I missed my flight home. I was delayed until 4:00 p.m. so I have had a very long day. But on a bright side of things, I had a few more hours with my fiancé and I was able to talk to friends and a mentor at my Alma Mater, Tougaloo College. Today has been full of tears and dreams and prayers. I cried tears because I hate leaving my family, friends, and fiancé and I prayed prayers because I really want my dreams to come true. And some of you may be think I'm talking about 'making it big'. But my dreams are so much more humble than that. I dream to be with the love of my life in the same city (long distance), creating new art, and being challenged in my craft. I can never be a star and be fine with my life. Be happy with myself. People could never see my name in lights, but as long as I am helping young people (girls) discover their self-identity or challenging black women in the South to become happier and healthier or teaching acting my way in my venue or acting in plays that I support and believe in or working for God in my gift..I WOULD BE SATISFIED. That is success to me. It’s funny but there are a lot more successful people out there than the media are willing to give credit to. My pastor, Pastor Barney, is successful. My fiancé, Kafond, is successful. Ms. Bolden and Mrs. Thrift are all successful. Dr. Candice Love-Jackson is successful. And TMZ may never run a story on any of these people and they may never go on the Oprah network but they are immensely successful. And they are my role models. And I want to be like them and greater. At the end of the day, whether I let people down by not going to New York or Hollywood...I want to be happy. And no one can give that to me...I have to give that to myself. So I may just teach at a private Black college or I may go make million dollar films. Either way, it will be because I truly wanted it to be and I will be happy. Have a great and amazing year you guys. I promise I'm going to try hard to have one myself. And check me out on IMDB! My picture made it. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4205063/ And if you are in the Boston area come and see me in 'Neighbors' with Company One at the Boston Center for the Arts. http://www.companyone.org/Season12/Neighbors/synopsis.shtml

Thanks for reading...and pray my favor for a job after graduation!!!! Yes!!!!

So Excited

I just wanted to write something about how I am feeling right now. I am so blessed and thankful for all the little things that are happening in my life. I have been taught to 'despise not small beginnings'. So I won't. I just found out that I am on Imdb, which is the Internet Movie Database, for my role on 'Body of Proof'. So if you got to www.idmb.com and type in my name, you will see my picture and the role I played. So Excited!!! And I had the most wonderful professor of all time write about me in her blog. I feel so honored and proud. And I really want to continue with my big dreams and hopes for people like her and my family. I want to succceed so much and go so high. I'm so just excited you guys...and can't wait to see what the Lord is about to do.

Body of Proof

You guys I have truly had the time of my life these last few days. It has been filled with nervous energy and big smiles and blushes and prayers and deep breathes. I filmed (for the very first time) my episode on the ABC series 'Body of Proof'. And for a while...well a really long time I was looking at this as just a small thing. But the bible says "despise not small beginnings". So I won't. Maybe deep down inside I thought that I didn't deserve to be happy or excited for my opportunity. So I was dumbing it down as nothing. But the truth is this it was something. It was something amazing. And if I never do anything else bigger than I what I did again...it was still something amazing. I had my own trailer on set. That was so cool. I had professionals doing my hair and makeup. Asking me if I needed anything. I was use to being the person that did all the asking. But now I had an opportunity to sit back and watch God work. I am so grateful. Some beautiful things were said to me on facebook. Man...those words touched my heart. I never knew I meant that much to that many people. All the people I have met throughout the years...that I never speak to...were now saying: "do your thing" "And we are proud of you". And that gave me an extra push I needed. The first day of shooting, we did the outside scene where were in the park after my friend was murdered. So it was all silent acting. And the Dana Delany, John Lynch, and Nick Bishop did all the talking. SN: Nick Bishop is super cute in person! But he smokes Marlboro’s. :( Anyway, the director came up and shook my hand and introduce himself to me. I thought that was great. It was super cold out but they gave us hand warmers. And had hired stand-ins to take our place while we got warm and had coffee. I loved it. They fed us super good for lunch. I mean steak and pasta and everything! I was expecting some cold cuts or something. lol Overall the day was great! I thought I gave a lot in the silent pieces when the camera was on me. And I had a inner life that was active to the emotion of the scene. Day two was even better. So my trailer was way bigger!!! And again hair and makeup was the bomb! (do people still say 'the bomb' anymore?) Anyway Garnette Burk was great on my hair and gave me the scoop on Vivica Fox. And Liz Bernstrom was super cool and made my face look amazing. She knows a lot about brown skin and how to make it glow. So Richard (the ass. director) took me to set and broke down how it was gonna go. Eric Laneuville smiled at me and told me what he wanted me to do. I sat down across from John Carroll Lynch and Nicholas Bishop and performed our scene. Man it was great! They were cracking jokes and stuff. They really made me loosen up. I felt more comfortable and more at home. I was like...I could do this. I could really do this for the rest of my life and like it. I like performing for TV. Anyway we ran this freaking scene in all about 24 times with all the different camera angles and different takes. But I loved it. Each time I put more in it. I felt more. I lived more in my character. And I might say my Jamaican accent got better and better each time I ran the scene. By the end of the day after our amazing lunch and running more scenes...I had a great time. SN: Lunch was the bomb again! You know, even when I got nervous and I started to question myself...God was sending me little messages. I saw an extra reading his bible on lunch break. And when I got done running my scene after the first couple takes...people were shaking my hand and telling how good I look on camera. Those things just gave me confidence that I can do this. And I am worthy enough to do this. I can be more than some little black girl from Alabama. I can be a successful actress. Thank you so much for all the love I received. And I will keep ya'll updated on the new play I'm in called 'Neighbors'. Love you bunches...and Love God more. jp