Broadway, a dream come true!!

Have you ever whispered something to yourself and then started to dream about it…..and then it happens? That is how I felt last week when my whisper became reality!!

Two years ago, I was afforded the opportunity to work on the taping of The Rickey Smiley Show in Atlanta. While taping I became friends with Ms. Roz Ryan (known for her role as Amelia, one of the sisters on the 80s TV show Amen!). Ms. Ryan was and is a wealth of industry knowledge and shared stories of Broadway performances and almost instantly I said, ” I want to work there”!

Shortly, after my move to NYC, I reconnected with Ms. Ryan who set up a meeting with the Head of Hair Styling for the Broadway musical Chicago (which happens to be the longest running show on Broadway and Ms. Ryan received an award this past October for the longest running actress to play the role of Mama Morton!). After meeting the Head, I was offered a swing position in the department and my dream became reality.

My first show was Friday, December 19, 2013 for the evening show. I was nervous and anxious at the same time. It was my job to style for the some of the leading roles including Mama Morton and Mary Sunshine, so I was to make very sure that their lace fronts were just as fabulous as their performances.

I arrive backstage and begin laying all of the tools needed to style and secure the wigs, pieces and lace fronts. I check the listing sheet and strategically plan for the evening. From dressing rooms upstairs to actual applications in my styling area, I had a plan that was going to make my evening run smoothly and impressively.

The curtains rise and as I watch the TV monitors in back, I am so proud of my work on stage and even more proud to be the first Black Hair Stylist* to hold this position!

What an amazing experience with many more to take place. So I say to all that have a dream, vision or aspiration…keep moving forward with that in mind. You can achieve it, you can make it happen. Believe in yourself, know your craft, keep a good character and know that your turn will come.

*Disclaimer: other actresses have brought in their own stylist but not another has been employed by the show to style all wigs)

So this is a Virtual Briefing?

Just as I am preparing to schedule myself on a nice little vacation, I get an email from Anuradha, PR with Golin Harris, the firm that represents Creme of Nature. YAY!!!!!

As many of you may know, I have had the pleasure to work with the Marketing team of Creme of Nature, the Argan Oil product line in particular, on a few projects. I was humbled at this opportunity and said yes immediately!

Preparation begins with a few emails back and forth concerning the outline of the project and obtaining a few styling tips from myself. After a few tweaks here and there, we seem to be on the same page and talking the same language. Then a phone conference is scheduled for us to do a little run through, mainly to get the nervousness out of my voice.

After a few weeks of emailing and calls, the day is finally here and I catch an afternoon flight to Jacksonville, FL; corporate headquarters for Creme of Nature. My driver picks me up and transports me to the briefing site.

I walk in and am greeted by the most amazingly warm staff ever. Shaun, Teneya, Sadie and Anuradha! We catch up and then get down to pre-briefing, which means that we run through our thoughts for the virtual briefing that will take place the following day.

For those of you that aren’t sure what a virtual briefing is: a virtual briefing means that the participants of the briefing are connected using a computer only. Some are visual and others are audio. All of which are ran by a host, and only that individual can see the participants and hear them.

We spend the next 5hrs really adding to and subtracting from our presentations. Mine being the meat of the meeting, I was nervous to say the lest but was immediately encouraged to be my authentic self. For those that know me, I always strive to present myself and the “product” that I am presenting in a very professional manner. In this case however, I was too stuffy at first and needed to relax and shine!! I finally got it!!!

Here is it: time to present myself and this amazing product PERFECT EDGES by Creme of Nature of Argan Oil to 31 beauty editors and bloggers from around the world. Lets get started!! Teneya presents me and its now my opportunity to shine as a Pro Stylist for Creme of Nature with 18yrs of styling experience! I begin with my tips and answer a few questions about styling trends for the season and about the product.

(Wipes Forehead) I DID IT!! Mission Accomplished!!

What an amazing privilege I have just been given and I pray that I represented myself and the Marketing team well!

Special thank you to Marketing Manager for Creme of Nature, Teneya Gholston. PR Executives Michelle Humphress, Stephanie Foster and Anuradha Koli of Golin Harris.

Creative Flow in Times Square

After finishing a client from the Bronx for her GAP casting call, I decide to head to Times Square for a little bit of people watching! Of course, my main focus is on hair. Ohhhh the cuts, the color, the movement, the creativity. I see spikes. Red hues, brown and even shades of green. This inspires me and awakens my creative flow. Pics to come soon…..