My official full name is Krystle Edmonds Marie. I graduated from my Master’s program with 4.0 honors, and two really fancy degree-titles after my name. I was recruited out of high school to attend one of the most prestigious performing arts conservatories in the United States on a full-ride Presidential Scholarship, and was then recruited to leave early to perform at a place I’d dreamed of working all my life. I have performed many roles and shows for the Walt Disney Company at Disney World and played some of the most amazing theatrical roles in the industry. I have worked alongside both famous actors, professors, musicians and technicians. In addition to my personal performance career, I direct a minimum of two mainstage shows a year with no less than 150 people involved in each. The theatre I now work at began as a nonexistent black-box, and in five years has grown to involve over 500 people, a large International Thespian Troupe, a 550 seat auditorium, and is now a positive presence within our community. I have taught young people how to sing, dance, act, hang lights, sew costumes, build sets, critique performances, design show concepts, direct their own productions, apply stage makeup, run a sound board, and audition.
But you know what I HAVEN’T done?
Perform on Broadway.
Perhaps the point I’m trying to make is that despite my long-running list of accomplishments from just my theater career alone, I have never had the incredible opportunity to perform at what I believe is the greatest theatrical location in the world—Broadway. But guess who does? My acting company. My students. My performers. My techies. My kids.
They say that when you have seen your children surpass your own accomplishments is when you know you’ve truly been a success. And after this experience, I believe it. I may never have the opportunity to perform on Broadway myself, but to watch these 20 students represent the many others in my acting company both with their own performance piece and in Disney’s Aladdin, is far better than being up there myself. To have lead these young people to love the art of theatre and performance as much as I do, and to watch them dedicate long hours toward this amazing experience, has been a far larger accomplishment than any of my own.
I always tell my kids that they make me proud. But what I most want them to understand is that they don’t just make me proud, they humble me. They teach me new things everyday---perhaps as much as I teach them. And watching them perform their little hearts out on Broadway brings me more joy than I can express. I am utterly grateful to each and every one of them for their love of the theatre, and for bringing their passion to the stage.
And therefore added onto my list of accomplishments will be that I’ve lead an acting company of beautiful, amazing, talented, committed, enthusiastic, vibrant, passionate, and vivacious individuals in performing not just one, but two shows on Broadway. And believe me….this far outranks any of those I have accomplished alone. Thank you ladies and gentlemen-I love you.
Mama Grape
aka Ms. Marie
