When did you become involved in the industry and how? I started out doing community theatre in my hometown of Fall River, Massachusetts when I was in grade 9, and after that, became heavily involved in school musicals and plays.  After I graduated from high school, I became a Theatre and Film major at The University of Massachusetts, in Amherst, MA. I earned my B.A. in June 1986 on a Saturday and moved to New York City three days later on the following Tuesday. In New York I started working as a receptionist at an interior design company and then as a waitress for about a year. Around that same time, I also started booking background work on various NYC soap operas.  I also did some commercial print work and landed a few roles in Off- Broadway plays.  Eventually, I was cast in a U.S. National commercial for “Tinactin Athletes Foot Powder”, which ran during the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Stanley Cup etc.; that commercial paid more than I could have ever imagined for one day’s work, so I was able to quit waitressing fairly early on, and dedicate all of my time to working as an actor. I did my research and hired the best headshot photographer in NYC at that time and got three great shots.  I then made up postcards of my headshots (a common industry tool in the days before the internet existed) and mailed one out every other day for about six months to ensure that the casting directors in New York knew who I was. I was so excited when I booked my first small speaking role on “All My Children” that I invited my friends over to watch the episode when it aired on television.  I recall recoiling in horror at…

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