Brace Yourself, I sure can Talk!

Hey there! My name is Abbey Rice (like the food), and I am so jazzed that we are here together right now! I am originally from a town in the Blue Ridge Mountains called Forest, Virginia— clever name… don’t you think? I am the only girl with three brothers— so you could only assume that I have mastered the delicate balance of detailed leadership skills & owning the singular brain among the four of us, matched with an unbridled attack that instills a deep fear in all of my brothers, even to this day. When the four of us were growing up, we had a creek in our backyard that was surrounded by woods that were surely smaller than I always imagined them to be. Those woods protected and encouraged the sanctity of great adventures for me. Appropriate for outdoor play or not, I always had a love for fashion (whether the fashion was tasteful and understated has been lost to history). Whatever I wanted to wear became that day’s uniform for the vast worlds that came to life all around me in the creek. And I was known to dig around in the creek, always barefoot, in my Sunday’s best. I think that is the greatest testament to who I am as a person today and the type of artist I have become. I am still known for getting my hands, and feet, dirty in an extremely physical and grounded way, clinging to my ability to create vivid worlds out of nothing but my crafty mind and mud— All while looking glamorous, of course! It’s tough balancing grit with chicness!

Let’s Gab!

The natural progression for good ole’ “dig a tunnel” herself— from dirt to stage—was through studying physical acting forms. I took especially to Laban, Viewpoints, and Suzuki because they were the most expressive outlets to merge the careful consideration and precision of intellectual crafting in the mind with the specificity and conscious engagement in the body (as well as giving me back the ability to play like a child). Anytime I perform, every single part of my body is accounted for, and I have become known for my clever, yet truthful intentionality. I value presence that can shift the energy in a room without saying a word, and presence that allows the story to live through the body even if the text is removed. These are qualities that I believe hold weight regardless of the style, medium, or genre of performance.

Off the stage, I find I am still the girl I always was. My brothers still fear me. I still like to be outside, barefoot. I’m a known lover of a bold lip, jazz music, thunderstorms, a good quip, rollerskating, park benches, ice cream, Little Women, and talking to myself. If all the gabbing I do isn’t enough, music is a part of every molecule in my body, and I am always singing, humming, or harmonizing to my microwave, and I fall victim to vicious ear bugs. Ear bugs check into my brain like it is an extended-stay bed and breakfast! I was raised by two parents who were both singers, and they filled my life with endless music. There is nothing that feels more truthful to what I am supposed to be doing forever, than when I sing (that was the ear bug talking). I guess the summation of all of this is that whether it be with words or music, I always have something to say, and I am always looking for the right medium for expression. Every day is a new commitment to creating art & life that aligns with this truth!