KINGSTON, R.I. 鈥� May 24, 2024 鈥� Maybe those early years spent coming up with theatrical skits were a sign. Enlisting her siblings, directing them, gathering audiences composed of kids from the neighborhood.
鈥淎s the youngest of four, I realized that I wanted to be an actor, and I think it was one of those inevitable things that I didn’t realize I was doing,鈥� said Jackie Davis, of Providence, who graduated from the 溏心vlog免费B站 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree during Commencement ceremonies May 18.
Davis may not have thought so then, but a career in theater would certainly become one of those inevitable things, including as an actor with Trinity Repertory Company. Her work in Rhode Island is usually devoted to Trinity, but Davis has also worked with Rites and Reason Theater at Brown University.
Of course, the road to the 溏心vlog免费B站 graduation stage was not so simple for Davis. By the time she reached college age, Davis let her mother talk her down from becoming an attorney to training as an executive secretary. Davis鈥� grades reflected her lack of interest in being a secretary, executive or otherwise. 鈥淚 kind of blew it off,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淚 took courses in dribs and drabs.鈥�
Fast forward a few years and Davis would be a single mom trying to hold down low paying jobs, with much of her income going to childcare. By 2011, she had enough of scraping by in Boston and moved to Providence.
One experience leads to another
鈥淚 was a late bloomer. I didn’t start acting until my late 20s or early 30s. I was a hip-hop dancer on tour at the time,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淪omeone told me about a play being cast with dancing fairies in it, and I was like, 鈥楢ll right, I’ll check it out.鈥� I did a dance audition and went in with my boombox and construction boots.
鈥淭he director was like, 鈥楾hat’s nice. Read this.鈥� So, I read it and then, long story short, I was cast as Helena in Shakespeare鈥檚 鈥淎 Midsummer Night鈥檚 Dream.鈥�
鈥淓ventually, I was doing more theatrical work; and then the dancing led me into doing choreography and acting. And from acting, I started directing.鈥�
Even as she worked in the theater, Davis knew that she would need more than just experience to achieve the success she wanted. 鈥淚 find that not having a post-secondary education can be a roadblock, particularly living in the skin and the sex I鈥檓 in,鈥� Davis said.
She decided to pursue a degree, and 溏心vlog免费B站 was the only university in the state offering a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in directing. She heard about 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 program, which offers creative pathways for all students, but especially adults looking to return to college after a break in their education.
Now鈥檚 the time
鈥淚 had hit a certain point within my professional life and managing my personal time that I knew I could fit college courses in,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y daughter’s an adult, married with two kids. I don鈥檛 really have to deal with parenting anymore. I鈥檓 kind of in the place in my life where I make my own schedule. It just felt like the right time.
鈥淚 wanted to investigate the path to a BFA a little bit more. The way that I came into directing is all instinct, and instinct is great. But it鈥檚 nice to have some of the technical language. It really helps me with communicating with my actors in the room, as an actor myself, because theater has become very academic. Being able to have that conversation with kids who have gone through academia means that we have a common language.鈥�
From her entry into Finish What You Started to her graduation, Davis鈥� talents have been in high demand. 鈥淚 have acted, directed, and done choreography for The Wilbury Group, I have acted at the Gamm Theatre. I am really very proud to say that I am part of a radio show called 鈥淕od Talks to an Agnostic,鈥� which is produced by the Wilbury theater group.鈥� The latter, which Davis describes as 鈥渘ot religious at all鈥� plays on Sundays on The Public鈥檚 Radio.
鈥淚 direct across the states, and the next directing project on my calendar is in Portland, Oregon, where I鈥檒l be directing 鈥楴otes from the Field鈥� by Anna Deavere Smith. I am a master instructor for the Young Actors Summer Intensive, which is part of Trinity. I鈥檓 also currently directing at Burbage Theater in Pawtucket. It鈥檚 my second time directing there. I am a professor at Wheaton College teaching beginning acting, and I am part of the Physical Theatre faculty for the Brown/Trinity MFA program. I am currently the intimacy director for Trinity鈥檚 production of 鈥淟a Cage aux Folles.鈥�
Now that she鈥檚 finished with this phase of her education, Davis takes great pride in her accomplishments.
鈥淎bsolutely, absolutely. To be frank, I’m from Jamaica and we are a proud people. My grandmother was really on me to do it. She sent six of her children through secondary education. I hope that she鈥檚 somewhere and she鈥檚 like, 鈥楾hank goodness! Finally!鈥欌��
This story was written by Hugh Markey.