Today we’d like to introduce you to Kendrick Taj Stephens.
Hi Kendrick Taj, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I can confidently say that God granted me the gift of creativity. Ever since I was a child, I knew that I had an over-imaginative mind which would inevitably be my golden ticket to success. Growing up, my three cornerstones were my dad, Kenneth Stephens, a singer who taught me that my God-given talent could be of service to others. My aunt Linda Stephens, a teacher who taught me you can never be too young or too old to learn something new and my granny Emily Stephens, a homemaker who taught me that humility, hard work and human connection are keys to a fulfilling life. God, being my first cornerstone, taught me love.
I’ve had a passion for music for as long as I can remember! My dad sang in multiple church choirs and I followed in his footsteps as a kid. It wasn’t until I was cast in a fourth-grade production of Alice in Wonderland as the King of Hearts that I fell in love with musical theater. I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the late Sue Brown, my choir teacher at Elm Street Elementary for sparking the love of theatre in me. I have worked as a professional Atlanta actor for over a decade now and she, plus many other educators in my community, gave me the confidence to pursue that career.
While living in Atlanta, to make ends meet, I took on a job with H&M as a stylist. After a year with the company, I was given the opportunity to open several stores around the Southeast and was promoted to a full-time Visual Merchandiser position. I would do window displays during the day and rehearse for shows at night. I truly felt like I was living the dream. I stayed with the company for seven years until my aunt passed in 2018 of ovarian cancer, thus beginning a new chapter in my life.
Linda Stephens adopted me at 11 months old so to say she was a “mother figure” is an understatement; she was my everything. When she passed, she left me with two homes, a legacy and what seemed to be an insurmountable amount of grief. After her funeral, my then fiancé, Joe Arnotti parked the car at a museum so I could collect my thoughts before having to be around a bunch of family for the repast. We held each other for what felt like hours under a large magnolia tree on the front lawn of the museum. September 23rd, 2020 we got married in that exact location.
From 2019 til present day, my husband and I have made it our goal to establish ourselves as theatre producers and ambassadors of the arts as Arnotti Stephens Productions in my hometown of Newnan. He is now the President of the Newnan Cultural Arts Commission and is a member of our local Kiwanis club. Through Kiwanis, we have produced entertainment for the Coweta County Fair for the past two years. I myself am the newly appointed Administrative Assistant for the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society. I run operations/events and create “pop-up” exhibits for the McRitchie-Hollis Museum and am on the program committee for the Georgia Association of Museums (GAM).
My name is Kendrick Taj Stephens and I am an artist!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I believe throughout my career as both an entertainer and creative, my biggest hurdle would have to be self-doubt. I tend to find myself in rooms with people who have trained or studied for years to be in their positions and for me to come in with only experience and no degree. It occasionally gives me imposter syndrome but I also believe that it fuels me to work harder to prove my worth.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Depending on what part of Georgia you are in, someone may give you a completely different answer from the next person about what I would be known for. Primarily my husband and I are known as professional entertainers and theater producers. I began working professionally in 2011, with my first major production being at the Earl Smith Strand Theatre in Marietta, GA under the direction of Earl Reece. Through Earl, I received some of the best training from small-cast music revues to big-ticket musicals such as Footloose and Little Shop of Horrors.
In Newnan, I would say I would be known for producing theater or my work with the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society/ McRitchie-Hollis Museum.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success to me is getting the opportunity to live off of your passions. I almost lied and said I loved every job I had, but some jobs were moments of learning and some were moments of living.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.facebook.com/arnotti-stephens
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/kendricktaj/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/kendricktaj
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DHRzTSVY0c
- Other: newnancowetahistoricalsociety.com
Image Credits
KVCPhotography
