Martavius
Parrish

Virginia-born & Georgia-raised by two incredible teachers, I was taught the value of continuous growth & education at an early age. A hunger for empathy & perspectives became the driving force behind many of my major life’s decisions. They are the foundations of the boundless joy & shameless curiosity with which I navigate spaces. 

 

My father sang in church throughout my childhood & I followed suit at a young age, developing an unshakeable affinity & communion with music that has sustained throughout adulthood. By middle school, the alto saxophone was introduced into the mix, & I combined technical skills developed at school (from marching & jazz band) with ear training (from playing at church) to develop a well-rounded musicality. Inevitably, fascination with theatre and movement soon followed.

 

Given my academic predispositions, I attended Duke University, where I studied Neuroscience, completed the pre-medicine track, & worked in research labs with the intention of continuing on to medical school. However, I maintained an ever-increasing engagement with the arts in multiple facets - performing, producing, stage managing, playing in the pit, crewing and working Front of House throughout college. In the midst of a particularly powerful production of Ragtime (as Coalhouse Walker Jr.) that coincided with the Trayvon Martin case, I decided to bet on myself, stow the lab coat (at least temporarily), & explore the world of professional theatre.

 

Having completed my academic studies at Duke, I attended NYU Steinhardt, eventually completing my Master of Music in Vocal Performance in Musical Theatre. Immediately following, I landed my first professional show – the regional premiere of Priscilla Queen of the Desert  at Ogunquit & Gateway Playhouse!

 

I would continue on this path of performance for quite some time. Along the way, I’d become a Teaching Artist at The Lincoln Center, which introduced me to a beloved colleague who would become a co-Founder for my company, Artonomist. 

 

Preceding the pandemic, I would set off to add “Director” to my list of hyphenates & immediately: meet my first Directing mentor (Lear deBessonet), complete my first professional production as an Assistant Director (working with stars like Sara Bareilles, Heather Headley, & Neil Patrick Harris), & ultimately make my Broadway Debut in the Into The Woods 2022 Revival (nominated for six Tony Awards, including Best Revival & Best Direction of a Musical). I’d then go on to remount & resident -associate direct the six-month Limited Engagement Tour with Stephanie J. Block, Montego Glover, Sebastian Arcelus, & Gavin Creel.

 

My journey so far has taught me that Creative minds are incredibly multifaceted. I’m a firm believer that it’s a disservice to ourselves & the world around us to siphon off any part of our passions, our gifts, our beings to fit predefined boxes that were never meant to serve us in the first place. This journey has been nourishing and hard-won, with plenty of losses and victories! My hope is that by living in my truth & shining my light with humility & grace, I inspire other Creatives to do the same.

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Shine splendidly friends! 

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-MDP