Nia Otchere-Sarfo…
is a Chicago born, Ghanaian-American triple threat. She began studying musical theatre at The Chicago High School for the Arts at the age of 14. Her desire for the craft lead her to participate and place nationally in the August Wilson monologue competition and YoungArts and can be found starring in the Netflix film “Giving Voice”. Her singing can be found under her name on YouTube. Be on the lookout for this young actress as she continues to develop her credits after having graduated from USC.
She will teach you to sing beautifully, undoubtedly. But she will also teach you how to bring something to music no one else can bring. “You”.
There is an obvious demographic that dominates the space of musical theatre. I was privy to this even as a young child that loved to sing. Voice teacher after voice teacher told me that I had to augment my sound in order to fit into that space. Further pushing the insinuation that I as myself wasn’t made for musical theatre. What makes Karen Parks; Professor Parks as I know her, unique was that she never once asked me to be anything other than myself.
She encouraged me to bring the collective essence of who I was to each and every song. And if in the case I even thought to come with anything but who I was, we would begin again.
Professor Parks taught me a great deal about singing, but it would be remiss of me to say that my confidence and sense of self didn’t improve while working with her as well. She will teach you to sing beautifully, undoubtedly. But she will also teach you how to bring something to music no one else can bring. “You”.
- Nia Otchere-Sarfo