An Unlikely Home 

Las Vegas: my eccentric birthplace. I was a lifelong resident of Sin City before moving to Palo Alto for college, though my only sin was occasionally taking the neon cacophony for granted. It’s a land of luxury, showmanship, glorious risk, gargantuan feathers, and—from the perspective of an actual resident—suburbia. Growing up with the Las Vegas Strip in my backyard has provided me with many priceless gifts; among them, the ability to convince people from other states that I lived in Caesars Palace, and the material for stories I could never contrive.

I attended a public magnet high school called the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, where I double majored in theatre and film. The school was nestled in the center of downtown Vegas, and I would often wade through the sea of lights and life surrounding our campus. I would watch the people—people from everywhere, converging to be their raw selves in a place where everything is famously forgotten—and I knew there was art inherent in the environment. I had the rare opportunity to grow up in a caricature—to know a legend from within, by it’s fine details, when the sun comes up and the neon goes out. Now, when I’m searching for new stories or projects, I always keep my eyes open for the more intricate perspective which might be hiding behind the postcard. 

For a full description of my theatrical experience, click here.