We had the good fortune of connecting with Tiffany Renee Bear and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tiffany Renee, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I was born in Georgia and grew up in Maryland but my parents are from Long Island, NY. Isn’t that an adventurous start! As a working Singer, Actor, Voice Actor, Director and Coach many people assume I must have been a “theatre kid”. Many people who go into performing have a history of starting private voice, dance lessons and acting semi or professionally at a young age. But that is not my story.

I wanted to be an astronaut. But, I was a creator and an entertainer from the moment I entered this world. So, a career in anything where math and science were at the core of the needed skillset was most definitely not in my future. That was very clear to everyone… except me! Actually, I think I knew that is who I was but only dreamed about being a performer someday and didn’t entertain it as a viable career option.

Though my parents were not performers themselves, they come from strong musical heritages and are lovers and appreciators of the arts. My dad’s side of the family are the grassroots, earthy “rock and roll” junkies–my grandfather actually ran away with the circus and played the “Honky Tonk”. While my mom’s father was a clarinet prodigy and also a gifted jazz musician who played in the Marine Band. We went to the theatre whenever possible and watched countless classic movie musicals together!

Although I LOVED music & theatre I was not a “theatre kid”. I did perform whenever I had the chance, but that was mostly through piano competitions and at summer camps, church productions, worship team and our own backyard. I was always playing “dress up” and dragged my brother into all sorts of mischief. I loved stories! Reading them, listening to them, writing them and even getting friends to act them out, I was VERY CLEARLY a “Creative”…a performer AND a director. I spent endless hours using my imagination. All the world truly was a stage. It just took me a while to realize that, “I was born to entertain”!

Fast forward to today and I am always amazed at the path that has led me here. I truly believe that God has guided every step. I graduated with a Master of Music in Vocal Performance, having earned a Bachelor’s in Music Education and Theatre before that. As a hybrid performer and teacher my career has been and continues to be incredibly diverse and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I have performed all across the country and even internationally in multiple mediums…on stage, on camera, as a print model, shoe model, Voice Artist and more…

I have trained under incredible teachers (Dr. Maryann Kyle, Dr. Teri Bickham and Dr. Taylor Ferranti among them) and thanks to their wisdom and knowledge have had the opportunity to coach and teach a myriad of wonderful and talented students in my own voice studio (many of whom are or have become incredible professional performers…they can be found on cruise lines, in regional theaters, on national tours and even on Broadway.).

What is even more amazing is I have been able to enjoy so many of these adventures alongside of my incredible husband and stellar colleague, Conrad Bear. (But really, his smooth baritone voice makes everyone swoon.) He has been my best friend, business partner and fellow mischief maker for over 10 years of marriage and many years of friendship before that.

As a working artist I may wear many hats but I am not a “jack of all trades, master of none”. I work hard to be competitive and wear each hat WELL. I strive to be the best that I can be so that I can also help others discover the best in themselves.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
One of the things that I daresay is a bit of an enigma is that as a working artist I may wear many hats but I am not a “jack of all trades, master of none”. I work hard to be competitive and wear each hat WELL. I strive to be the best that I can be so that I can also help others discover the best in themselves.

What hats do I wear? Well, I would love to tell you a little bit about some of them…(here is the short version but you can find more detailed bios about each of these areas on tiffanyreneebear.com 🙂

I am a Singer, Actor and “Fierce Mover” as we say in the theatre world. I work on stage and on camera and I adore both mediums. I have an advanced degree in Vocal Performance and an undergraduate degree in Vocal Music Education and Theatre. I have been performing professionally for 15 years! (Time flies.) I have been a cast member at Sight and Sound Theatre in Branson, MO for 5 years. I am currently on stage as Mary in Miracle of Christmas.

I am a Voice Actor with a professional remote studio and clients across the globe.

I am a Casting Director! It is amazing having the opportunity and the skills to be able to work on both sides of “the camera” (film) and “the table” (theatre).

I am a Theatrical Director, Film Director, Assistant Director, Designer/Stager and Location Scout. So many hats! I have been blessed to have served as an Award winning Theatrical director. I also currently serve as an AD and Director in Southwest, Mo. As a visionary with an eye for details and a very varied skillset I have also enjoyed serving as the Art Director/Staging a number of commercial sets. Mom too the time I wear multiple hats on each shoot! Sometimes I have been the Casting Director and then been the Assistant Director and Designer for the same shoot…other times I’ve jumped on camera while being the AD! Makes every day SUPER fun when you get “paid to play”!

Teacher.Coach – With two degrees in voice and education I am a proud PEDAGEEK! I have trained under incredible teachers (Dr. Maryann Kyle, Dr. Teri Bickham and Dr. Taylor Ferranti among them) and thanks to their wisdom and knowledge have had the opportunity to coach and teach a myriad of wonderful and talented students in my own voice studio (many of whom are or have become incredible professional performers…they can be found on cruise lines, in regional theaters, on national tours and even on Broadway.). I love coaching singers and actors! It is a joy to help others discover technique and artistry which allows them share their craft and create genuine, honest and compelling performances through both mediums.

Being an artist who is incredibly versatile and has a career that has been and is so diverse is a pretty unique thing. It does make every day exciting! Though it is not without its challenges.

I have a very wide set of interests and love to learn! I think those two things really play into why my career is so varied. I also enjoy juggling multiple projects and do very well in fast paced environments. I also love people. At the heart of everything are people- their stories and their experiences. I really love connecting with people through all of these mediums and those genuine connections and relationships have lead to further open doors and professional opportunities…which then leads to new relationships and projects…so its a beautiful cyclical process.

How did I get to where I am today? That is a complicated answers. Twists and turns and exploration…rejection and open doors…working with some not so great people and the working with awesome people. Doing a few jobs I didn’t enjoy and realizing what I did!

I have never waited tables or taken temp jobs like is common among performers because I graduated as a licensed teacher and was a vocal coach and acting instructor. I taught on and off in the classroom of public and prestigious private schools while also building a career as a performer. I have taught choir, private voice, speech, intro to acting, competitive acting teams…I have also taught at a number of private conservatory programs and children’s theatre. Through that process I learned that while I am gifted as a teacher I really don’t prefer to be n the classroom full time. Because of that I found certain aspects of being in academia to be very unenjoyable. But, that led me to leave full time academia and live a hybrid Performer.Teacher life! I wouldn’t trade that for anything!

I tend to be the person who loves to learn new things and views each “challenge” as an opportunity to show up, rise to the challenge and overcome. So, when a friend in Orlando suggested I should start working on camera (even though my training was all in theatre) I followed her suggestion. I had no idea how to find an agent or how to submit so I did a bunch of research and figured it out! I was headed back up north from Florida so I submitted my materials in the Philly market before I moved. When I arrived home I signed with an agent and began auditioning! It was TRIAL BY FIRE! Booked gigs right away and did a lot of listening and learning how to take the skills I had as a stage actor and alter them to fit the genre of film. In the same way that I would fluidly move between Opera to Jazz, Musical Theatre and Pop I learned quickly that though acting principles are the same between theatre and film the nuances are quite different. It was challenging and FUN to gain those skills on the job and through lots of great conversations with colleagues!

I think “rejection” is a very huge challenge in the acting/performing world that every performer has to learn to deal with. Having to learn the balance between investing in auditions but not becoming so attached to the gig that it feels so high stakes when you don’t book EVERY gig you audition for. I For quite a while I was booking jobs from many of the auditions I went in for and then as I started working in large and larger markets you become a little fish in a big sea rather than a big fish in a little sea and the more no than yes that most performers face became a “normal” thing. I had to learn how to treat auditions like my full time job meaning you do a TON of them so they become ” no big deal”. I also had to realize that there will be more no than yes but that it was a normal part of this industry. In both theatre and film getting a callback or a screen-test is a huge win! Even doing a solid audition and enjoying the chance to perform for whoever is “ITR” or in the room is a win! Another HUGE thing for me was learning to stop worrying about what I thought the director or casting director was looking for and catering to that in the room and instead bring who I was to the table…Particularly, when I stopped making my goal with audition songs to show off my entire rage trying to cram a high C or a crazy belt note and tons of vocal fireworks into my 32 bars of an audition song my audition experience TOTALLY changed. I learned how important it was to find a solid piece that allowed me to act my pants off by telling. story I was dying to tell through a song that moved me. Then when I walked into the room I was truly bringing my whole self- my skills, my life experiences and then my choices about the character into the room…I was able to marry my artistry and technique and I was able to stop worrying about creating an outcome and instead JUST CREATE. Wow, that has been so freeing both “in the room” and on stage, on camera, in the studio etc. That frees me to be honest, grounded, vulnerable and believable which then moves an audience…and THAT is our goal as performers! To share a compelling story/moment that MOVES our audience in some way.

What would I want the world to know about my brand and my story?
I think don’t be afraid to use the gift you have been given. Invest in them! This field takes HARD work but its GREAT work! You MUST practice and grow in your craft you can not coast or rely on “talent”. I am a better performing, director, teacher and person now than I was when I started 15 years ago…goodness I’m even “better” now than I was a year ago! That is truly because I have an insatiable curiosity I love to learn and I love to be challenged and I am serious about putting in “the work”. I continue to grow as an artist every single day. I think I am also very confident in who/what I am and who/what I am NOT. Like I wrote earlier “As a working artist I may wear many hats but I am not a “jack of all trades, master of none”. I work hard to be competitive and wear each hat WELL. I strive to be the best that I can be so that I can also help others discover the best in themselves.”

Secondly, I think collaboration over competition is incredibly important. The performing world is hugely competitive. I am not a competitive person in general but I can be crazy competitive when I decide to be and it usually only in relationship to my craft that I get that way. But, it’s so important to remember that we are in this together and we need each other. Community and collaboration is ESSENTIAL. The credits at the end of a film are incredibly long because each one of those people played an important role in creating that project as a team. Someone told me once “At the end of your life none of the shows you were a part of will be around you at your bedside…your community will.” PEOPLE first. Product second.

Lastly, Soli Deo Gloria!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Colorado is an INCREDIBLE state! There is SO MUCH to do and so much variety! Let’s hit the East AND West sides of the state real fast:

If you want to do the East side let’s talk about Denver and starting in that area! I would head south to CO Springs and spend a day doing Garden of the God’s and Pike’s Peak. Make sure to eat at Dat’s Italian in Old Colorado City. (Their eggplant parmigiana is incredible!!!) Then head over to Manitou Springs (sherpa cafe…..oooooh sooo good!) , but don’t forget to hit Cheyenne Canyon on the way! Hike the trails and also do the drive around the mountain – its amaaaaaazing! Also has a beautiful view overlooking CO Springs on your way down.

Then I would head out and take a drive out to Breckenridge stopping around Idaho Springs to eat and also to visit and do the Argo Mine and Refinery tour. WOAH. Thats all I have to say. he History is CRAZY! The town is GORGEOUS no matter what time of year you are visiting! Incredible food, cute shops, awesome trails and scenery! It’s idyllic! Reminds me so much of little towns I have visited in Europe. You MUST check out La Française French Bakery! WOW- to die for! I’m salivating right now. If gorgeous scenery is the name of the game for you I would head up through Grand Lake into Estes Park and enjoy the scenic drive or even do a backpacking/camping trail. SO many trails but the drive is also incredibly breathtaking for those that aren’t big into backpacking/camping. From there you could head back down to Denver and you will have had an incredible tour of the Eastern side of CO!

However, I LOOOOOOVE the Western side of the state! I would take the trip out toward Ouray, Silverton, Durango etc. Stop at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and take the day to soak up the awe inspiring scenery! It’s beyond description- Like a mini Grand Canyon but dark rock…Mordor from LOTR meets the Grand Canyon. So Awesome!

Then get out to Ouray! We LOVE staying in Ouray! The hiking and the hot springs are a MUST! Stay in one of the BnBs in town and bask in the scenery, incredible history, amazing food. Truly the “old west/pioneer” and mining history right in front of you! Renting a UTV and driving the Alpine Loop for the day is on elf the most amazing things I’ve ever done (right up there with hiking the Great Wall of China). MIND BLOWING. Adrenaline, overwhelming beauty…just mind blowing.

Crested Butte also has tons of great hiking and beautiful scenery.

Really, thats just a sample of what CO has to offer! You can’t go wrong ANYWHERE!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
When loo back at the journey that has led me to where I am and I look forward to the adventures ahead and think about who has been a part of my story and how to thank them the first four words that come to mind are: “Where to I begin”? There are so many people who have and continue to pour into me as a person and an artist.

I would first start with my Lord and Savior. I am always amazed at the path that has led me to where I am and I truly believe that YHWH has guided every step. Through every twist and turn I can see His hand in every moment.

Additionally, I have to thank my parents. My father grew up as the oldest of 5 raised by a single mother and he worked his tail off to become a Doctor and gave my brother and I a beautiful childhood. My mom worked from home as his bookkeeper raised and later schooled us at home. She challenged us to explore many eclectic interests and to apply ourselves with excellence to everything we did. My parents combined love for the arts and encouragement to follow the passions/giftings God gave me no matter where that led meant that I never felt belittled for following a non-traditional career. Aside from my husband they are my biggest fans and I am incredibly thankful for their continued support.

I have trained under incredible teachers (Dr. Maryann Kyle, Dr. Teri Bickham and Dr. Taylor Ferranti among them) and thanks to their wisdom and knowledge have had the opportunity to coach and teach a myriad of wonderful and talented students in my own voice studio (many of whom are or have become incredible professional performers…they can be found on cruise lines, in regional theaters, on national tours and even on Broadway.).

I would be remiss if I didn’t also give a shout out to many wonderful agents, directors, coaches and friends who have believed in my work and trusted me (and still are trusting me) with huge opportunities and responsibilities (Some really exciting stuff happening in the New Year on that front!)

What is even more amazing is I have been able to enjoy so many of these amazing adventures I have been involved in alongside of my incredible husband and stellar colleague, Conrad Bear. (But really, his smooth baritone voice makes everyone swoon.) He has been my best friend, business partner and fellow mischief maker for over 10 years of marriage and many years of friendship before that.

Website: www.tiffanyreneebear.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiffanyreneebear/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tiffanyreneebearactorcasting

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TiffanyReneeBear

Image Credits
The Snappy Redhead Double Jump Media

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.