Today we’d like to introduce you to Gena Sims.
Gena, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
When I was nine years old, I fell in love with the idea that art could heal the world. I believed in the power of storytelling, and I wanted to make a book about world peace. I figured if everyone read my story, they would finally just start empathizing with each other, and wars would end. Eventually, I learned it’s a lot more complicated than that.
But I still believe in the power of empathy.
And when I was thirteen years old, I realized my destiny is to bring the world together as a stage performer. I was acting in a play called Mother Hicks, starring as a misunderstood outcast (named Mother Hicks). And there was a moment where I felt the whole audience feel empathy for this outcast– all at the same time. I could feel the audience’s compassion moving through my body, and it was electrifying. So I decided to create that moment of togetherness over and over again, for audiences around the world, for the rest of my life.
I went to New World School of the Arts for high school, where I studied acting, singing, and dancing. My junior year, I became a National YoungArts Finalist in Theater, and my prize was to attend an artists’ retreat here in Miami, with celebrities and other passionate young artists. There I met a young actress named Rachel Haas, who taught acting to autistic children, and inspired me to start my company, the Autism Theatre Project.
As the big sister of an autistic child, understanding and helping autistic children is one of my greatest passions. The other passion is performing. I figured if I could combine both of these passions into a career, I could create a meaningful life for myself and others.
So I started the Autism Theatre Project the summer before my senior year of high school, with classmates in my theatre program. And we had this really cool experience creating a drama workshop curriculum for children with special needs. We found ways to use drama to help kids express themselves, identify their emotions, and empathize with others. Since those first workshops in 2014, I have gone on to teach workshops at Kia Kidz Martial Arts Center, Great Heights Academy, and We Rock the Spectrum Miami. And it has been so fulfilling to see the students progress.
After graduating from New World School of the Arts, I studied performance at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama. There, I expanded on the Autism Theatre Project by creating our first original theatrical production, In the Life of a Child. I met an acting professor at Carnegie Mellon who really believed in the Autism Theatre Project, and mentored me as I wrote and directed In the Life of a Child. We had a deep connection, because both of us have siblings on the autism spectrum. Sadly, my professor’s autistic brother, over 60 years ago, was forced to grow up in a mental institution, because of the lack of understanding people had of his condition at the time. My professor was very passionate about the Autism Theatre Project’s mission to show the world everyone has a voice, because for so many years, no one believed my professor’s brother had an inner voice to express.
After producing In the Life of a Child at Carnegie Mellon, I brought the show to South Florida the summer of 2018. The Autism Theatre Project produced the show at Actor’s Playhouse and at Miami Children’s Theatre with actors from New World School of the Arts. That same summer, I also performed a scene from In the Life of a Child at the Meeting of European Theatre Academies in Florence, Italy, where my fellow college students and I put on a show about struggles people face in America.
Then about a year ago, I graduated from Carnegie Mellon with honors and started making my way into the real world. Last summer, I won a large monetary prize as first place winner of the National Society of Arts and Letters’ Drama Competition, which helped me get started with my career. Then last fall, I made my Off-Broadway debut starring in a new musical called An Enchanted April in New York City. And here in South Florida, I started my music career, working professionally as a recording artist, and singing live with various musicians at clubs and restaurants around Miami. I also started off 2020 working as a featured singer at Oprah’s 2020 Vision Tour with Daybreaker. And before the pandemic hit, I was planning to star in a play called The Niceties at Gablestage this May.
My plans have changed because of the quarantine, but I look forward to using the internet to put out music to comfort and entertain people during these challenging times.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I have been blessed with many opportunities, but of course the road to success always has its obstacles. Producing In the Life of a Child in Miami was a huge challenge for me. But with persistence, patience, and belief in my vision, my team and I overcame obstacles and made the show happen.
The world of show business is new to me, but if I stay hungry and curious, I will eventually figure it out.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am an actress, singer, songwriter, dancer, director, choreographer, playwright, and autism advocate.
As a professional singer, I perform soulful interpretations of a variety of jazz, rock, hip-hop, R&B, blues and pop songs at various venues and private events here in South Florida. And I am releasing my original music this year as well. As a songwriter, I love combining the styles of jazz, soul, and hip-hop in my music.
And as an autism advocate, I serve as the founder and director of the Autism Theatre Project. My non-profit organization aims to express the voice of the autism community through theatrical experiences, and to empower children to express themselves through our drama workshops. Our first original production, “In the Life of a Child”, is an autism awareness play, inspired by my autistic sister, and by interviews with members of the autism community. Bringing “In the Life of a Child” to an audience of kids in South Florida was my proudest accomplishment, for myself and for the Autism Theatre Project.
Here is some information about the play:
“In the Life of a Child” is about a little girl named Olivia who believes she cannot speak. She dreams that the other children on the Playground could hear the story of her life be told by the voice inside her head, so they could understand and befriend her. In “Wizard of Oz”-fashion, Olivia goes “Over the Rainbow”, to a magical world of music and dance where Olivia’s dream comes to life. She then discovers her powers to express herself, connect with others, and teach the world that, at the heart, we are one and the same.
The response to our show has been very heartwarming. During a talkback after the show at Actors’ Playhouse, one child in the audience said “now I see that everyone is human”. Mothers and siblings of autistic children have thanked us in tears. And a man told me the show opened up his mind to learning from people with disabilities, who he initially just felt sorry for.
What sets me apart as an entertainer is my unique perspective, and my passion to use that perspective to get people to feel that, at the heart, we are all one and the same. Each artist has a unique perspective, a unique brand of the collective human soul that can only be expressed by that individual. I am dedicated to giving my heart and soul to every audience member through my work.
And what makes the Autism Theatre Project uniquely valuable is our belief that everyone has a voice, whether they currently have the ability to express it or not. And with patience, curiosity, empathy, and a lot of hard work, we believe that somehow their inner voice can be expressed.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I would tell my younger, college-age self to stay present, and not get too caught up worrying about the future. Trust yourself, trust your plan, and be willing to adjust on the fly when life throws its curveballs. Just take life one step at a time, do your best with each step you take, enjoy the moment, and trust that the universe has your back.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.genasims.com
- Phone: 786-294-7238
- Email: actorgena19@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/genasims19
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/genasings
- Other: www.youtube.com/genasims
Image Credit:
Christine Olivera
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