Following my Bliss has led me on many Journeys. I grew up studying dance, music and language (among other subjects) at Punahou School and earned my college degree from the University of Hawaii in Biology, under full scholarship through the UH Symphony playing the violin. After graduating, I taught High School Algebra at McKinley High School, and then worked as a Genetics Researcher at the Kapiolani Medical Center Genetics Lab. I then became a Bilingual Flight Attendant for United Airlines (I speak conversational Mandarin and Cantonese, and have studied Japanese, French, and German) and travelled internationally based in San Francisco and Hong Kong. In San Francisco I took a second job as a singing waiter at Max's Opera Cafe on Van Ness and studied voice at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
I later returned to Honolulu to pursue a second degree in Vocal Performance at the UH Music Department after having won a scholarship in competition for the Mae Z. Orvis Foundation. The emphasis there was on classical Western music training, and I dropped out three classes away from actually earning the degree when I began getting enough work as a singer as to interfere with my school work.
I began my career in the entertainment industry singing at wedding chapels in Honolulu, and doing chorus work at local community theatres. After my first chorus role I understudied the two leads in "Carousel," and then went on to leading roles in "Sayonara," "Song of Singapore," "BatBoy: The Musical," "Romance, Romance," "My Way," "The King and I," "Dirty Laundry," and "The Unlikely Lawman."
Eventually I was working "full-time" as a performer in Honolulu. I was employed as an Opera Singer for the Hawaii Opera Theatre, singing opera for school children as part of the Outreach Education Program designed to expose kids to the art of Opera. I did the roles of Gretel in "Hansel and Gretel," Papagena in "The Magic Flute," and Mabel in "Pirates of Penzance." I was an actress for the Kalihi-Palama Health Center, which produced anti-smoking and sex-ed educational plays in schools; acted in the Dave and Buster's Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre plays; taught private voice lessons at Chaminade University; sang Hawaiian melodies for the Royal Hawaiian Band, the last Municipal Band in the nation; acted in various tv commercials; sang weekly Jazz gigs with my own band at the O Lounge and the Jazz Minds and Arts Cafe; and taught private Pilates classes. I have also bellydanced at Pyramids Restaurant, done the Can-Can at the Honolulu Academy of Arts, sang in an Andrews Sisters trio at Pearl Harbor, played the Hawaii 5-0 Theme on the piano at the Hawaii Theatre, sang in a rock band at the Wave Waikiki, done stage sword combat for a Shakespeare Festival, and modeled for the Honolulu Advertiser, the Honolulu Star Bulletin and Midweek magazine.
I design and make most of my own costumes and also many of the outfits I wear to shows and special events, and am a member of the Honolulu Advertiser Fashion Forum, an advisory board on fashion to the newspaper. My hobbies are swimming, hiking, and travelling, and I don't smoke, drink, do drugs.
CURRENTLY, I am working in L.A. as an actor, singer, voice over artist, and dancer! I came here in April 2007 and have had great opportunities to work with awesome people. Work I've done here includes voiceovers, commercials, infomercials, industrials, shorts, webisodes, features, and recording, as well as classes.
I enjoy working with serious actors who want to work on improv and acting exercises, visionary storytelling filmmakers, innovative photographers, songwriters, and serious musicians.
So... I had the greatest idea EVER - Next time we play in LA you should do a song with us :D How awesome would that be!??! And thanks again SOOOO much for coming to the show rolling deep with the Shaolintourage.
I wish you were here - we're about an hour drive north from Vancouver with the most epic mountain forests I've ever been in....and the sushi was super ono and cheap! Miss ya much and see you in a few weeks -Z
This profile was made at Whateverlife.com! :) 
