The Boy Virginia Made Takes Over Europe

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I was born in Norfolk, Virginia without a father. Yes, I had one; he just wasn’t present at my birth. It should’ve been evident from that moment that I was going to be making the journey from Boy to Man alone. But that’s not actually correct, because I didn’t make the journey alone. I had the help of my mother, my family, teachers and people I’ve befriended along the way. Now I’m in London, England living my life as an actor and pursuing my dreams. Who would’ve thought that a young country bumpkin boy from VA would make it to the UK?

As a kid, I longed for the world. I wanted to learn about everything, so I did. I read books like they were five cent Lemonheads I couldn’t stop eating. I always knew that education would be a key, but I had no clue as to how many doors that key would open. After middle school, I was awarded a full scholarship to attend the prestigious Milton Academy in Massachusetts. There, I fell in love with Theatre and activism and leadership and the idea of self-discovery. It was also here that I came up with my personal mission statement. My goal: to redefine the image of what it means to be a Black man in this world. I have carried that statement with me ever since.

That mission led me to Temple University and heavily influenced my leadership and theatrical decisions. It also was the reason I created my blog “The Boy Virginia Made” to chronicle my personal evolution. I graduated from Temple in 2008 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theater. My life reached a new and unexpected level of excitement when I auditioned for graduate school at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 2008 and was accepted. I graduated a year later with a Masters Degree in Musical Theatre. Not long after, I secured an agent and now live and work in London. You can follow my adventure by visiting my blog at www.tbvm.wordpress.com or you can follow me on Twitter @BoyVirginiaMade

Tags: acting, Europe, ex-pat, graduate school, London, Scotland, theater, thespian, Virginia