Coachella Valley Performer Sets Her Sights on New York [CORRECTED COPY].

If you attend community theatre productions or music performances in the Coachella Valley, the chances are you've encountered Christine Michele. Christine, who is one of a cohort of terrific, local female performers, is a veteran of community theatre productions and the lead singer for her band, Christine and the Lost Keys, pictured above. She has appeared in two independent films and can also be seen in local commercials. (That's her, flipping through a rack of clothes at Revivals). She has also been fortunate enough to obtain management from a New York-based agency.

Now, the 36-year-old Coachella Valley native, who currently lives in Indio, is ready to try her hand at professional musical theatre, in New York City. She has been accepted into a two-week summer intensive course at the Actor Therapy workshop, ActorTherapyNYC.com, founded by Tony award winner Lindsay Mendez and Ryan Scott Oliver, an award winning composer and lyricist. Although Christine has received a scholarship to the program, which will run from July 17th through 28th, she needs to raise at least an additional $3000, for which she has established a Go Fund Me page. Christine hopes to raise more than that because she plans a simultaneous move to New York to push forward with her long dreamed-of musical theatre career.

The workshop, which she heard about from a friend who had enrolled previously, involves two grueling weeks of acting, dance, theatre, and voice lessons, as well as audition training. To apply, Christine had to submit a resume, headshot, and vocal music audition reel. The program usually responds within two weeks, but she was thrilled to be accepted within a week. At the end of the training, each student will put on their own show for New York agents and casting directors. The students receive new singing reels, along with new headshots, as part of their participation.

Christine knows that the path to Broadway is steep, but she has overcome adversity many times before. She is the mother of a middle school son, Brady, whose father (Christine's ex-husband, to whom she remained close after their divorce), died at a young age a few years ago. Christine was devastated, both because she worried about the effect on Brady and because she herself was bereft. More recently, a relationship that seemed promising fell apart, also leaving Christine distraught.

Christine, who has attempted suicide several times, candidly reveals that she almost succeeded. She has spent many years fighting depression and other mental illnesses. She credits her survival to Brady and to theatre, and says, "I'm here to tell my story." [Beginning of correction] She is concerned about "the many people" who "struggle silently" with mental health, reluctant to seek help. "I understand why people suffer in silence because there's this misconception about mental illness," she says. Christine points out, "It's a struggle to get up every morning," but she keeps going for Brady. [End of correction].

But it is not so easy for her to keep going, despite her love for her son. Recently, she was standing on a winding road through the mountains with terrifying drops on one side, praying for a sign whether to jump or not. She got such a sign - she credits God with telling her to keep living and to make a much more positive jump across the country, into the competitive theatre scene in New York.

Christine said that, when she went to New York a few weeks ago to scout out the upcoming workshop and her future, "I was the happiest I've ever been." She had previously worked over the internet with her singing coaches, and finally got to meet them in person. She also attended several Broadway shows, deliberately choosing to see FUNNY GIRL when Julie Benko, rather than Lea Michele (no relation to Christine) was scheduled to perform. Christine considers Ms. Benko to have a similar comedic style to her own, and she wanted to study Ms. Benko's performance and to take notes for later reference.

She also got to meet Jessica Chastain, after a performance of A DOLL's HOUSE. Christine told Ms. Chastain that she was going to be taking the workshop and moving to New York to seek out Broadway roles. When Ms. Chastain told her that she couldn't wait to work with Christine one day, that became the highlight of Christine's trip.

To donate to Christine's Go Fund Me page, "Christine Takes New York," go to https://gofund.me/3a4e4d43 (under the name of "Christine Avery" rather than "Christine Michele.") Christine's Web site is https://www.christinemicheleavery.com. While we homies wait for her musical theatre success, we can watch Christine on YouTube, singing "She Used To Be Mine," from WAITRESS, at https://youtu.be/Aitk78QA5K4.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741, or go to 988lifeline.org .

Head Shot Photo Credit: sauceboxphoto

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