Sunny Smith Discusses La Jolla Playhouse, Booker High School's Theatre Program, & Not Fearing Judgement!

I think one of the most essential things in our industry is having wonderful teachers and mentors who are motivating and helping the next generation of kids find their passion for the arts. With Sunny Smith, I think theatre kids at Booker High School are in great hands! Sunny is a Florida-based Actress and Teacher. She has performed all over the country for theatres such as La Jolla Playhouse, Florida Studio Theatre, Urbanite Theatre, Starlite Room, North Coast Repertory Theatre, San Diego Lyric Opera, and San Diego Lyceum Theatre among many others. She has an M.F.A. in Acting from The University of Florida as well as a BA in Theatre Performance from San Diego State University.

I can truly say that Sunny is like no other, and the kids in Booker High School's VPA Theatre Department are beyond lucky to have her. I am very happy to have the chance to feature such an amazing and giving artist!

How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a performer? 

I am most definitely aging myself on this one, but when I was almost 4 years old, my older sister took me to see Return of the Jedi in the movie theatre (when it actually came out). I was awestruck, completely captivated by the story, the characters, the action. I couldn’t stop talking about it, and when I got home, I took all my stuffed animals, placed them throughout our wooded property, and rode my tricycle around like Princess Leia on her speeder, rescuing them from imminent danger.

My mom came home and asked what I was doing. I told her all about the movie and how I wanted to be Princess Leia; this was hard for my mom to believe since I was such a tomboy, but my continual babble informed her of the strength and bravery of the character Leia, and she started to get it.

My mom said, “You know Leia isn’t a real person, right?” I didn’t get it. She went on to say that Leia was a character, like in the books I read, and an actress, who is real, was portraying the character. I thought about that, and then I knew. I exclaimed to my mom, “Well then, I want to be an actress!” And it all started from there. 

Are there any teachers or mentors in your life who truly helped you become the wonderful performer you are today? 

I appreciate the instant kudos of “wonderful performer.” I had no formal theatre training until college and not really a ton of support in the pursuit of acting. I was the first person in my family to graduate college, so the expectations were to major in something that would get me somewhere. So, as a biology major, I stayed involved in acting by taking classes and performing at my college.

My 1st mentor was Jim Nuttall. He was the first person to fully support my goal to become a working artist. He pushed me hard and was honest about the industry, never glamorizing things. And he was very clear that it was imperative to continue my training (a life-long endeavor, he’d say) and to be a diverse artist. Jim was the big encouragement for me to move to a larger market like Chicago or New York. So, I moved to Southern California where things really took off for me. 

Booker High School's VPA Theatre Department in Sarasota, Florida is a wonderful program that has produced some very talented performers. What can you say you have enjoyed most about your time at Booker? 

I love Booker! The fact that I get to teach teenagers about Shakespeare and The Greeks and how to play and explore – the fact that I get to do that each and every day – still blows my mind! What has struck me the most since being at Booker is the change and growth I get to witness each student go through. I watch them cocoon, emerge, and fly, and there really is nothing better. 

Are there any roles, shows, or moments in your career that stick out and will always be near and dear to your heart? 

Most definitely. I was fortunate enough to originate multiple roles in a commissioned play for La Jolla Playhouse in 2009. We performed the show at the theatre and also took it on the road for 4 months and performed for kids all over Southern California.

First, it was so rewarding to put my personal mark on the characters and work with the playwright to shape them; second, nothing can prepare you for the joy of getting to perform theatre for children who have never seen theatre. The awe and wonder they experience are brilliant and something you just can’t buy. It made the tour a total delight. Lastly, the camaraderie with my castmates was so rich due to all the travel time we spent together. This experience will be in my memories for a very long time. 

What advice would you give any young aspiring artists who want a career in theatre? 

Don’t be afraid of judgment. Not everyone will love what you do, and they will tell you so. Don’t let that throw you. Keep learning and creating and loving the art of theatre. Also, if you can’t see your life without theatre, then don’t - make it ever-present in your life in any way you can.

If you would like to learn more about Sunny, please visit her official website at - https://sunnydsmith.weebly.com; and to learn more about Booker Highschool's VPA Theatre Department, please visit - www.bookervpa.com/programs/theatre