It all started with Curious Beautiful.

Actually, it all started back in 1995 in Boston when I worked on Shadow Mosaic with Rachel Claff – who had been recommended to me by a mutual friend as a fabulous writer/performer.

We worked together, had a great time, then she moved to Chicago. Then I moved to Chicago. Then she was a Neo-Futurist. I saw the show and thought, “This is what I want to be doing. This is amazing.” But… I was still trying to be a “traditional” actor.

Then I performed off-Broadway and realized doing the same show 8 times a week for several months on end was actually my idea of artistic hell.

In 2000, Rachel and Connor Kalista asked me to collaborate on Curious Beautiful and it was fantastic. The Neos were having auditions. I auditioned… and that sort of changed my relationship with theatre, writing, performance, and movement forever.

My first performance in Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind as an official ensemble member was January 5, 2001.

I worked with The Neo-Futurists from January 2001 to October 2005. Along with TMLMTBGB, I worked on: 43 Plays For 43 Presidents (choreographer, co-writer/director, performer); Game/Place/Show (co-writer/director, performer); City Girl! (performer, Minneapolis Fringe); It Came from the Neo-Futurarium II & III (performer); A 60-Minute History of Humankind (movement director, choreographer); CHICAGO! A Special Report from The News Show (co-writer, performer); Inside My Mouth (curator, co-writer, performer); and Daredevils! (choreographer).

Meanwhile, in 2004, I married fellow ensemble member Andy Bayiates, got a Boston Terrier, went to Italy, and stepped into the AD position at the theatre.

In 2005, I left. Andy and I moved downstate (long story – ask me and I’ll happily fill you in on the whole thing) and had a baby: Ariana Celia Bayiates. She is amazing and so many things I am not… which is a good thing.

I finished grad school and we moved back to the area in 2009. I officially re-entered the ensemble on March 7, 2010.

This makes me very happy.

Other things I do include: teaching around town, blogging, contributing to Insects & Robots, choreographing things, and looking for work as a counselor.