A Celebration 20 Years Coming

About 20 years ago to date, I began a journey…

Well, one of the possible dates of dates this journey began was June 20th, so imma say it was June 20th from here on out.

Jabari’s Theatric Debut @ Governors State University (June 2003)

Whatever day it was, this little 5-year-old Jabari was taking pictures with his old man after hitting a stage for the first time and I knew even then that there would be many more moments and nights like that one to come. I was practically a baby but I knew what I was sent here to do.

I would go on to find a way to act every year in my life after that. Theatre camps, school plays, community events, and ESPECIALLY my bedroom. The idea of this entire world being my platform was birthed at this stage of my childhood. Little did I know then, that an artist was born.

Jabari with two fans after playing Young Simba from The Lion King @ OW Huth Middle School (May 2010)

I’ll be the first to tell you that my journey was not smooth. It was hard for me to find an artistic home where I was both comfortable and finding roles that challenged me. I was a very hard worker from middle school on, but it was hard for me to find consistent stage experience through high school and college. But that, while frustrating, has been the beauty of my journey: I learned early on the pain of “no”, and it only grew my desire to perform.

Tom Patrick/Fireman from Working @ Homewood-Flossmoor High School (April 2014)

Leaving high school, I felt like my experience in both Theatre and competitive Speech (I was the President of the team my senior year, no biggie) made me a well-rounded artist, I felt insecure about my lack of stage experience and sought training. I joined the BFA Program at UIC and graduated in 2019. And if I need to be more candid, I felt more starved, more experience deprived than I was when I got to school.

That’s where Genesis comes in and I just can’t wait to see what I’m going to make next. I think there is so much power in making my own film in the year where no one could be cast. I promised myself at 23 years of age that I would always maintain that element of myself on my journey: if they don’t want to make it, I’ll make it myself.

Since then, at long last I’ve started my Chicago theatre journey. From high school to theatre training to a global pandemic to boot, I’m finally on my way to becoming equity, booking tv gigs, auditioning for Broadway—all the things I dreamed of after saying “cheese” in my Dad’s arms way back in 2003. From returning with Congo Square to the turning around and working at Goodman Theatre, I feel like slowly but surely, the 5-year old’s hunger is finally being fed.

Understudy performance/Closing night of What To Send Up When It Goes Down @ Lookingglass + Congo Square (October 2022)

Today I wanna take the time to celebrate 20 years of dreaming, creating, and working towards a vision this adorable little human was brave enough to muster up. I’m blessed to do what I love and looking back, so many different evolutions of myself have been grinding for this point in my life right now. I’m blessed and I’m grateful for what this journey has given me so far. Here’s to 20 more years 🫶🏾🎭🙏🏾

All Love,

Jabari