Introduce Yourself : It's Never too late to start over but it's far from easy by Tony Parham

Hello everyone, I've been a member here for quite some time yet this is the first time I've participated in "Introduce Yourself" weekend. This is the moment that I vow to be more active AND interactive here at Stage 32. My story is a long one but I'll do my best to keep it short and hopefully interesting. 2015 was one of the worst years I've had in 45 years on this big blue marble. A fourth reconstructive spinal surgery ended a very lucrative, 12 year trucking career. It was the first time I had been unemployed since I was 14 years old. I knew going back to college (third time is the charm) was absolutely necessary so I enrolled at The Art Institute of Las Vegas. From the time I was 13 until I was 21 I was a "working"ish actor. I knew that's what I wanted to do all my life even at a very young age. At the beginning of my senior year in high school, my Mom lost her grueling and gruesome battle with cancer that started in her breasts but spread to her brain. She was my greatest inspiration and my biggest fan. I was 18 that year so I often skipped school to run from San Diego to L.A. for as many auditions as I could. After a few great stage productions and a good run on a cop show called Silk Stockings my auditions dried up, Dad and Stepmom moved away, I was out of options. I enlisted in the US Coast Guard. Just before I left for basic training I was offered a regular speaking role on Silk Stockings but the universe had other plans for me The next 10 years were the greatest and simultaneously the hardest I had ever experienced.( Those stories are for a different time). I was injured pretty badly during a boarding on a Turkish carrier vessel that caused three spinal surgeries over three years. After I got out of the military I worked many positions in a few hotels and naturally became a truck driver because that's the next logical step for every sales person( sorry for the poor attempt at ironic humor) A decade in the military and 12 years of trucking took me all over the US and many places in the world until I landed in Las Vegas the Entertaintment capital of the world. I'm currently working on my degree in Audio Production and Sound Design. My over all goal is to take all of the experiences, good and bad, that I've had over the last 35 years and apply it to any and all aspects of TV, film and theater. I'm hoping that being an actor with an Audio degree will increase my equity and value on any set, or project. After my fourth spinal surgery I lost all of my finances, most of my assets and almost my wife. I'm glad I'm too damned stubborn to give up in life but my whole reason to share this is to reach out to any and all people in this great chaotic world of The Biz. I'll never claim to know it all but I've learned many things. I'm always willing and eager to learn from those who are willing and able to teach. The performing arts have always been my passion. If anyone read alll the way through this, I thank you and I sincerely hope to work with you. The Show must go on