Hi-

I’m Austin! (they/them)

I am an actor, educator, and designer based in Chicago. Welcome to my website!

Community and authenticity are at the heart of my work as an artist. To make art, or reveal a personal truth, I believe is an incredible gift to the world. Yet the gift of an artistic experiences matters little when not everyone is able to participate. Art that is purposefully accessible goes beyond entertianment to make an impact. Both artists and viewers have the ablity to illuminate a truth within themselves or about the world that they might not have seen on their own. These stories that are held inside us all demand to be heard.

I am a graduate of Carthage College. where I earned my BA in Music Theater and MM in Music Theater Pedagogy. I am always looking for opportunites to both create and learn. Outside of acting I often work as an costume designer, educator, and studio artist. A unifying focus to all of my processes is radical inclusivity. In practice this means approaching the work from a relational focused viewpoint rather than a product based viewpoint.

I’ve worked globally as a teaching artist. Some of my teaching credits include First Stage Academy, Kenosha Boy’s and Girls Club, Carthage College, the Voice Lab, and Uptown Theater Company in Chonqing China. As a costume designer, I have worked with theaters across the midwest such as Hope Summer Repertory Theater, First Stage Theater, Shattered Globe theater, and Milwaukee Chamber Theater. My proudest moment as a designer has been as festival designer for the inaugural summer of Milwaukee’s Black Theater Festival. 

Some of my favorite performances as an actor include Little Women, Christmas Carol. (Milwaukee Rep) Romeo and Juliet, and A Midnight Cry (First Stage); The Wiz, Godspell (Hope Summer Repertory Theater); Chicago (Broadway Theater Project); and Seussical (China Tour). I have originated roles in A Seat at the Table (by Regina Taylor), The Breath of Stars (by Caridad Svich), and Wherever You’ve Been (by Caitlin DiGiacomo).

Because I am a queer black artist, I adore collaborating with other BIPOC and queer creatives. Effective collaboration supports the spirit of the project through a blance of subjectivity and objectivity that operates outside of traditional hierarchical practices. Depersonalizing the exchange of ideas by placing trust and community first is essential in my collaboration with others.

I am so happy that you're here. If you’d like to know more about me or see some of my work, check out my designs tab or my media reels!