I create art that challenges the preconceived notions of my audience and helps them tap into the imagination they don’t use on a daily basis. I’m attracted to art that broadens my sense of empathy and the empathetic potential of my audience. My commitment to continue learning helps develop and diversify my interests while cultivating the skills and abilities I possess. There is beauty in the imagination that minimalism and simplicity require. I believe in the power of story to expand hearts and minds. I experience excitement, frustration, and fulfillment through the creativity required to craft a compelling performance.
Height: 5"8
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Brown
Location: Chicago, IL
2010 - present
In partnership with the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation and Generations United, the artists of Limelight, LLC. crafted a new performance aimed at raising awareness about the unique experience of being a Solo Ager. This performance highlights individual experiences from 18 culturally, economically and racially distinct solo agers interviewed across Southeast, MI and Western, NY that speak to the collective experience of this growing population. According to the Pew Research Center, more than 25% of adults 60 years of age and older are considered Solo Agers and that number is only expected to rise. As it does, we hope the Solo Acts will help illuminate unique individual and collective experiences and in doing so assist caregivers, faith leaders, non-profit directors, policy makers, philanthropy and solo agers. To learn more, click here.
2010 - present
In 2020 in received my M.A. in Interpretation and Performance Studies from Eastern Michigan University. During my graduate studies I served as a director in the 2019 Student Written Student Directed One Act Festival, and I assistant directed a devised piece entitled [Something Between] which performed early March 2020. I also designed and facilitated an applied theatre program for addressing verbal violence between Asian youth and their parents. In addition to these activities, I served as a graduate instructor for two sections of Foundations of Speech Communication, a graduate supervisor in the scene shop and the social media coordinator for the College of Arts & Sciences. My research has led me to explore Queer identity through applied theatre, autoethnography, the performance of oral histories, arts based research and physical performance.
"The F Word"
An Intersectional Performance Celebrating Femininity (Graduate Thesis Project)
Three diverse artists will creatively articulate their perspectives on and experiences with femininity as they relate to race, gender, sex, sexual orientation, identity, family, relationships and so many other topics. The intention is to engage with femininity dialogically using applied theatre to create a performance exploring how these diverse perspectives reflect, intersect, and contradict one another. Involving integral participation from the audience this performance invites spect(Actors) to reconsider and maybe reconfigure their own relationship with femininity.
Email tylerlcalhoun@gmail.com for bookings!