I was lucky enough born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. Through Cleveland’s vibrant theater scene I feel in love with acting from an early age. After high school I was determined to study acting further and enrolled to Otterbein University’s BFA program. I received my diploma in 2015. During my third year at Otterbein I studied abroad at the Moscow Art Theatre's American Studio for a summer. This was a transformative experience for me. Inspired by Russian theatre and its acting methods, I decided to learn Russian and apply to a Russian drama school after graduation. In 2019 I finished GITIS with a Masters Degree in Acting Pedagogy, having studied acting and directing under my master L E Heyfetz.
Photo by Dani V Photography
Living and working in Moscow for the past 8 years I have acquired a vast amount of varied experiences. I have acted in theatrical productions in both Russian and English, worked as an English voice over artist for projects ranging from commercials, cartoons, feature films, podcasts and textbooks; translated and interpreted, and taught acting to all ages from toddler through teenagers, to adults.
I just finished my first directing project— La La Land the Musical for the American Theatre in Moscow, Russia. The show made its debut in July 2022.
In March 2022 it became clear that it was in my best interests to leave Russia. It was a terribly hard decision to leave the country that has been my home for 8 years, but I hope that one day in the future I will be able to return in some capacity. In the mean time, I am currently searching for a new city to call my “home base” and am excited about the opportunity to branch out professionally in Berlin, Germany.
This has been a very difficult time for me and so many others, but I am determined to remain positive. As every Russian will tell you, everything happens for a reason. I’m excited to see what my future has in store for me!
(c) Kay Rommel 2022 [email protected] @kayrommel