Today we’d like to introduce you to Towonda Kilpatrick.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Towonda. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was born and raised in rural Marvell, Arkansas. I am going to start my journey from after leaving college in Arkansas in 1986 to train as a full-figure runway model in Omaha, NE then off to Italy.
I felt like my dreams as a twelve-year-old child was coming true. Cutting paper dolls from the JC Penny’s catalog and pasting them on construction paper indicating how my life was going to go.
There, I was walking the runway at Nancy Bounds Studios, modeling for local department stores while getting ready to model for the couture house in European. Arriving in Italy, at 21 years old, was scary, but the experience was terrific. I didn’t realize at the time what an honor it was to model for the late Patrick Kelly until I returned to the States.
My modeling career was short-lived after a three-year stay, I was returning to the States to marry and birth my first and only child, Brooke Tiera. I planted my feet in Lubbock, Texas. Kicking off my next journey, a different area in the world of entertainment. I was hired for a year as the Ticket and Tour Director for Reese Air Force Base in conjunction with this career, I was hired by Barbizon School of models from Dallas, Texas to train young models from all over the Panhandle region of Texas, producing musical shows for Tops & Blues Fashion Shows to celebrate Black History month, this path leads me to promote the first MC Hammer (Can’t Touch This) concert in Lubbock, Texas.
I have the fever to do whatever my heart desired. I own and operated the first African American modeling studio “LeMode Models” trained, managed, and produced shows for local malls and developed commercial advertisements. After this success, I wanted more from a more substantial city then Lubbock, Texas. I packed my bags and relocated to Atlanta, Georgia not knowing what to expect. I started small with training for Barbizon School in the Georgia market until I opened my training model camp “SheKil” in 1996 with my girlfriend, Romona Giles, and Shondra Anderson. I continue to work in the modeling field in Atlanta until after 911 hit, that is when the change was forced for me to do something different.
The time had come to build my Corporate America resume working in sales for First Data, Ikon Solution, then I moved into marketing at the corporate law firm Sutherland. My plans were to leave and tour my first stage play in March 2003, “Can A Hoochie Become First lady starring R & B artist Keith Sweat, Q. Parker from 112, Actress Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, the next tour was Mama I’m Your Child: Stageplay that toured on a 5 city- starring Howard Hewitt, Bernadette Stanis.
Why stop there? Creating the Off-Boardway musical CheezeCake Boiz & The Diva Musical was the first for me, the show has played in three locations in the Atlanta market. Currently the musical is in development for a movie script.
Currently, now, I am 100 percent working in the carer as a Content Creator, Director, Producer, Author, & Entrepreneur, you can watch my tv pilot on Amazon Prime while the project is in shop mode for a greenlit.
In conjunction with that, my journey at presents includes development for a feature film to start production fall 2019. I am the author and creator of a new coffee table book “Unselfish Women” 100 Women from across the United States who are making a difference with unselfish acts. The book is currently in development/production with an unveiling for November 2019. I am the executive producer and director of “Fancy Closet RAID” and I manage two artist Fancy Lewis abs Brooke Tiera.
I reside in Atlanta, Georgia.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, the road has not been smooth. After creating one of my first original stage productions, I didn’t understand about the writer guild or library of congress to protect your work. My work was stolen and produced on the silver stream. It was painful to go to the movie and be able to recite almost the entire movie with only a few changes for the person to make it their own.
The lesson learned and the entertainment started and continue.
Please tell us about 12:53 Entertainment – what should we know?
12:53 Entertainment is a boutique house that creates, produce and sell original content for TV, Film or Stage.
I am the founder. I specialize in mounting new plays, playwriter, content creator, and producing. What I am most proud of as a company is partnering with other boutique houses to create and produce content. I feel likes what sets me apart from others is my ability to create content that speaks to a global audience.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Loyalty is a very important characteristic to me!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.1253entertainment.com
- Phone: 404-454-8341
- Email: towonda@1253entertianment.com
- Instagram: Towondak
- Facebook: Towonda Kilpatrick
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