Kirsten Childs is an American playwright, librettist, and former actress. She began her theatrical career in the late 1970s as a Broadway performer in Chicago. She went on to appear in productions of Dancin', Jerry's Girls, and Sweet Charity. She later turned to writing her own theatrical productions, beginning with the semi-autobiographical work The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, an off-Broadway musical which received an Obie Award. Her other musicals include Miracle Brothers, Funked Up Fairy Tales, and Bella: An American Tall Tale, a winner of the Weston Playhouse New Musical Award.
When you listen to this episode you’ll hear how she went from zero to sixty in about 3.8 seconds with her playwriting career, all because of her determination, lack of fear, and that positive attitude of hers. We also talked about:
- How she transitioned from a career as an actress to that of a writer.
- Getting nervous while watching her own work in front of an audience.
- How are we doing with diversity in the theater . . . and what can we do to improve it, on the stage and off?
- The most common misstep she sees young writers make.
- Where she gets her ideas, and why (a lesson for all of us).
Keep up with me: @KenDavenportBway