Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Michele.
Alyssa, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I attended North Spring High School, which was a performing arts school at the time. Naturally, when asked what I wanted my focus to be, I chose music. There, I sang in a choir while expanding my knowledge of music through music theory classes, sight singing, composing (just a little), and learning all the other fancy terms that are written on sheet music.
One evening my choir teacher told me that they were doing a musical called “Little Shop of Horrors” and that they needed some really good singers to be “Doo Wops”. My friends from my class didn’t know what we were doing, but we loved to sing, so we auditioned! We got in the show! That show was filled with so many memories and new learning experiences. It was like finally finishing my homework and being released to go play outside everyday. The stage was my playground. That was my first introduction to musical theatre.
After doing two musicals, I was hooked. I auditioned the next year for a musical called “The Producers”. I knew nothing about the shows I was auditioning for, but I knew so much about music and had such a strong singing voice, that I knew I could be used for something. I was having so much fun. It felt as though no matter what mood I was in, those few hours after school, I didn’t have to think about it. I was standing backstage, in the dark, waiting to go on stage, and I remember crying my eyes out because of something that had happened, (who cares what it was!) and when I stepped out on stage, I was literally laughing and smiling so big with tears in my eyes. I thought I’ve gotta figure out how I can do this forever! That was the day that I made the decision to live my life doing musical theatre… or whatever this new thing was!
I ditched music theory after failing my AP music theory exam horribly. I still loved it and studied it, but I knew that for college, I wanted, without a doubt, to do more musical theatre. I attended the University of Alabama where I double majored in musical theatre, and restaurant management in hopes of opening up a dinner theatre. My dance teacher kicked my butt, my voice teachers kicked my butt, and my acting teacher was someone who was so humble, and only willing to help if you went out there and grabbed it. College made me work hard, and it made the biggest impact on my awareness, my professionalism, and how I perform.
I came out with loads of experience. I had gotten my first professional show on my resume and had performed at all of the major community theatres in Tuscaloosa, AL. I moved back with my mom in Atlanta, Ga. After about ten months, I booked my first gig working at Six Flags Over Georgia for the Christmas season. After that show, I got the hang of how the business worked, and have worked for the Atlanta Lyric Theatre, the Alliance Theatre, the City Springs Theatre, and I’m blessed to stay that it is constantly expanding.
Most recently, I worked on the film I am starring in called Haven, as Haven. I finished “Elf the Musical” for the Christmas season, and about the start rehearsals with Atlanta Lyric Theatre for “The Wedding Singer” musical. Although the date is not yet confirmed, “Haven” will also be released in 2019, which I am amazingly happy about, and some personal projects I plan to work be releasing.
All and all, I am just grateful for all the opportunities, and knowledge I’ve learned from every person along the journey. And all the holes of knowledge that I learned the hard way I hope to spread that knowledge the same way that the people who paved the way for me did. I am forever grateful for the ones who looked at me and believed that I could bring their story to life. I want nothing more than to just continue to progress, and doing what I love, where ever God takes me.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I remember being in school my freshman year and checking out the list of shows they were doing for the year. I didn’t know what the show “Big River” was at the time, but everybody would say things like, “Well, you’re definitely going to get cast!” When I researched it and realized that it was a show that featured slaves, and I was the only black woman in the musical theatre program(at the time), everything made sense. Regardless, I was super excited to have had a little solo, and a role my freshman year of college.
The next year, we did another show that was set in the 1800s. I was cast in the ensemble and was told to research the clothing, styles, and etiquette of the time. I had contemplative time wondering how I was supposed to sculpt a character that would have never existed, and how that made me feel to have to ignore it. I knew exactly what my ancestors were doing at that time, and I had wondered if anyone was thinking the same. I felt out of place, and I can honestly say it was the only show in which I felt like it was hard to really enjoy.
When I learned that next year, they were doing a show called “Showboat”, another show in which they needed slaves- I refused to audition. I was in my third year of college, and I felt like I was trusting this school to give me all of the education I can onstage, and here they were doing yet another slave show within the span of 3 years. Out of all of the shows that are out there in this industry, I just felt it a bit bizarre that these shows kept occurring. The program asked me to audition, however, I just didn’t want to do it. I think this was the time that I felt really in control of my career being able to choose what I wanted to do, and not just hop at the first opportunity.
As I have said, I loved attending my school. Everything that I have learned, including this situation, I take with me throughout my career, and I think my whole experience just showed me a lot about people don’t know and how much I can educate. I will never know all the answers, but I think that working out, at that age, how to navigate it all taught me a lot about what I needed to know in the industry. Including how many roles are really available to me on the stage.
I hold so dear to me the people who took chances. I will never forget Director Tina Turley at the Tuscaloosa Theatre for casting me in a lead, all white family. I will never forget that. I don’t even think she knows how much that meant to me. It takes risks, and I don’t take for granted anyone who has looked at me and decided that I was “the one”.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am a professional actress, and I am musical theatre trained. Most people know me for doing musical theatre, and singing, as I have studied music as well. I am most proud of my progress, and accomplishments throughout my career. I remember when I was asking people what I needed to bring to an audition, and standing in front of the casting directors with shaking knees, and voice, and then walking out feeling defeated. Today, I walk into an audition with the confidence of the extremely talented person that I know that I am, and it took some time to know that about me. This business can have you question so much about yourself, and it is important to know what you have. It’s important to trust your work. I am very proud of my self-awareness and perseverance in this tough business because it is not easy.
I think that my love for crafting characters sets me apart in lots of ways. I really like to dive into different characters lives, and figure out their habits, their favorite food, what book they like to read before bed. Its fun, and it definitely helps on camera. I am also a very empathetic person and being able to consider how people feel all the time does not always feel great, but it’s a God-given tool that I do not take for granted when considering my characters lives.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was very playful. I loved more than anything to spend time with my dad. Going to daddy’s house was like a holiday on some weekends for me. It meant staying up late, baking cookies, and laughing with my dad every hour of everyday. My sister was always annoyed with how much I wanted to play, but when she and I did have our fun imagination games with forts, and fake students, it was so much fun and I never wanted it to end.
I also loved any kind of accomplishment satisfaction. I loved to read, and my goal was to always read more books than my grade and win based off of how many points each book was worth. Although I lost next to one girl who would always beat me reading the Harry Potter series (wasn’t allowed to read those), I still read so much. I even had a group of stuffed animals that I would read to like my teacher did during our class. I was very competitive when it came to knowledge, and I loved being right but kept quiet when I didn’t know anything.
Music was such a huge thing growing up. I listened to Usher more than anyone. I played his CD over and over trying to do everything just like him, and I just thought he was so smooth with the moves. I listened to a lot of gospel, and R&B as well. I couldn’t get enough of music about love. My dad had told me that whoever I wanted to sound like was who I should listen to because I would sing their songs like them and eventually branch out and learn how to do things my way. Some days I would sing for hours.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.alyssamichele.com
- Phone: 404.931.8783
- Email: alyssamgrubbs@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/thealyssamichele
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/alyssa.grubbs
Image Credit:
Ivan Mbakop, Patrick Marcigliano, Earl Smith Strand Theatre, Atlanta Lyric Theatre
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