Today we’d like to introduce you to Evadne Bryan Perkins

Hi Evadne, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

I was born in Massachusetts. My Mom was an activist, casual artist and professional gift wrapper. My Dad was a lieutenant and Helicopter mechanic in the Army. He changed posts every 2 years, so we moved around the U.S. & overseas most of my younger years. I think that’s what solidified my love of travel. We settled in Maine when my father retired. I fell in love with music & theater during High School and was heavily involved in Musical theater & variety shows. I got a job singing at a cafe on Sundays at the age of 14. After High School I traveled a bit and then returned to Maine & attended a Performance Studies School. During and after college I started getting work in commercials and also joined an 8 piece band that toured through Maine & other parts of New England. I met my husband through this band and we later broke off from the band to do our own work. This also freed up time for me to go back to acting , working in productions of classic plays like “Hair” and “The Wiz”. Film beckoned so I resumed work in commercials, student films and extras work in major the motion pictures’ “The Langoliers, “Man Without a Face”. “The Preachers Wife and others. I also went back to College to learn ASL.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

I don’t think there is a smooth road if you are Black, Brown or Indigenous or Fat or a woman. If you are 2 or more of those things, it’s inevitable. Trying to get creative work as a Black/Indigenous person in a predominately white state is difficult because it requires the people hiring to think outside of what they know. So, the struggle to get work was ongoing. “You’re not what we envisioned”, A little too ethnic”. “Can you straighten your hair”. “A distraction from the cohesiveness of our vision” or if they decide to give you an audition : “Can you sound more…street”, “Can you do an urban accent”. The struggle was continuous.
Being the daughter of an activist, I inherited that activism. Speaking up can interrupt a smooth road. While in theater I was struck by how few Black & Brown people I saw, so I wrote an article for Trade paper on Acting. The article was called “Actors of Color” Then a Blog post called “Acting while Black” What little work I got dried up and I lost my agent. I was Black-Balled for almost 4 years. Getting work back, took perseverance and the help of fellow actors & friends. COVID & age are the struggle now. Roles are fewer as you get older and you’re still Black. Music is a little more forgiving…

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?

My friends call me a polymath. If there is something I’m curious about or seem interesting, I want to learn more about it. If I were to describe myself, I would say I’m a Actor/Musician. It’s been the one constant in my life. It’s how I express myself. As an Introvert, music & Film are how I connect to myself & others and it’s how I make a living. I think I’m known more for my singing, although I also write songs, play the drums and ukulele. Film & theater are such, that you put them out into the ether and they kind of disappear. Music gives me a chance to reinvent myself everyday. It’s less dependent on whether someone thinks I’m right for a particular thing or if it’s worth promoting. I can sing and write about whatever I am feeling, push through the fear & put it out there.
I’m most proud of the chances I’ve taken in my life, the times I have pushed through the fear. I’m still a work in progress. I’m proud of carrying on my families legacy of Activism and have passed that onto our daughter. I want a better world for her.
I don’t think about what sets me apart from others. I don’t compare journeys.

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?

I come from a large family, I’m the second to youngest of 12. My favorite childhood memory is the last time the entire family was together. It was overflowing with joy, reminiscing, singing, dancing, card playing & love. A snapshot in time that due to the loss of so many family members, can never be repeated.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://eiayay.blogspot.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reeleiayay/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/evadne.bryanperkins
• Twitter: https://x.com/eiayay
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReelEiayay

Image Credits

Evadne Bryan-Perkins
Kate Kaminski
Reggie Burrows Hodges