Debuting Artist: Ghandia Johnson

I was born and raised in San Francisco, California. I got bit by the acting bug around four or five years old. My father has home movies of me putting on shows, starring ME playing all the characters! Ha! My mother put me in ballet classes to correct my severe pigeon toes. I can remember my first time speaking in front of a crowd of 200 people when I was in the 5th grade and the excitement of the applause blew me away. I am a Shadow Theatre Baby, meaning I received much of my discipline training from the incomparable Mr. Jeffrey Nickelson. I use many of the disciplines I learned from Shadow Theatre to this day.

I love cooking new and exotic recipes. I am a foodie. I also enjoy writing jokes, poetry, and parody raps and my newest hobby is salsa dancing!! I love it!

Although I knew of OpenStage, I was honored to receive a call from the beautiful Ms. Sydney Parks Smith, herself, to audition for “Sweat”: when I got the call from Sydney, I then did a deep dive into OpenStage, its beginnings and its rich history in the Fort Collins theatre community and their incredible artistic impact on theatre in Colorado. After that, I was honored to be asked to audition and get the opportunity to read with Sydney. That was the spark that ignited the flame.

Discovering moments is the most fun part of the rehearsal process for me. It’s like noticing a new leaf on a plant sprouting.

The most challenging part of playing Cynthia is showing her vulnerability while also showing that she’s one tough mother. Cynthia is torn between advancing her own goals while also trying to help her friends and that’s been a challenge to portray both sides of Cynthia’s struggle in this piece. Knowing when to hold back tears, to really cry, or get that tremble in Cynthia’s voice when she’s angry or scared. I do love playing her, for real. Cynthia is a part of me.

The fight! Ha ha ha. I love the fight scene! It’s really the best: the choreography and the passion the cast brings to it makes it a delight for me watch every time and it’s like watching it for the first time every time. I love the fight scene!

A play like “Sweat” is important because it shows how the breakdown of one’s purpose can cause them to make life altering decisions. It also shows how blame can easily be misplaced when people are faced with tragedy.  I hope audiences get the human message in this piece and that they come away with a better understanding of how every person needs to be seen and heard to make this world a better place and that empathy is paramount in understanding your fellow man.

My favorite roles I’ve played (besides THIS ONE) have been: Miss Hannigan from Annie and Sebastian the Crab from The Little Mermaid. I do love my musicals. Ha!

Timbuktu, starring Eartha Kitt! My parents took me to see this show when I was little and from that moment I knew I wanted to be Eartha Kitt!

I’m looking at doing Nana’s Naughty Knickers with the Longmont Theatre Company. At the moment, I would LOVE to do Matt and Ben by Mindy Kaling. I would also LOVE to play Miss Hannigan in Annie; I just love that show!