We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Brady Frome a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Brady, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

Hi All! My name is Brady Frome and I am the Founder and Executive Director of TippityTop Theatre Company, a unique youth theatre program in Los Angeles, CA. I’m honored to be able to share my story, my love and passion for the Arts, and I thank CanvasRebel for the opportunity.

I think I always wanted to pursue a creative, artistic path. I just didn’t know how to do it and what that would look like. My parents always had music playing in the car and at home. They took me and my brother to the theatre from the moment we could sit in a seat for more than an hour. I loved every minute but never saw myself in that world other than as an observer. Things changed in grammar school when I was in the school choir. I was chosen for some solos. That lead to musical theatre roles in school and then professionally. I ended up with a successful career in theatre (as well as TV and films) during my teens. But as fun and exciting as it was, I knew I was meant to be something else.
As a performer, I loved the way theatre made me feel. I loved the way that theatre gave me a voice when sometimes I didn’t feel as though I had one. Theatre was life-changing for me and I wanted to be able to share that with others. I decided to become a theatre teacher.
To pursue that goal, I attended Emerson College in Boston where I received my BA in Theatre Education. Each day I went into a class, I knew more and more that this is what I was meant to do. After four years, I graduated and moved back to LA to pursue my Masters in Education.
After that, I was fortunate enough to join a spectacular Performing Arts team at Millikan Middle School in Sherman Oaks, working as its Musical Theatre Director. Millikan was recognized as the top performing arts Middle School in LAUSD and one of the best in the country. After seven years of being the Musical Theatre Director, Stage Technology teacher, and Performing Arts Department Chair, I moved onto a new stage at Polytechnic School in Pasadena, where I am honored and delighted to serve as the K-12 Performing Arts Department Chair and 3rd-8th Grade Drama teacher.
I love what I do. I love coming to school each day and seeing my students challenge themselves to step outside of their comfort zones – to be vulnerable on stage and give themselves to the audience and their peers the way I used to when I was performing.
I have had the opportunity to work with thousands of students, from those who had never been on a stage to those who had already been on Broadway. For me, as long as my students are happy and feel successful, I am happy and feel successful. There will always be bumps along the road but my goal is to teach and inspire my students to overcome any challenge that comes their way.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

In addition to my love and joy of teaching in the classroom, I also have great love and pride for our theatre company, TippityTop, which I founded in 2011.
TippityTop Theatre Company offers performers between the ages of 6 and 17 the opportunity to develop their acting and musical performance skills in a safe, comfortable and supportive environment. All performers will learn basic stage directions, scene study, character development, vocal training, choreography, and much, much more. At TippityTop Theatre Company, we cultivate the performer’s abilities to develop well-rounded artists who are confident on and offstage and are able to apply their skills to future performance opportunities.
We offer so many unique and varied classes, taught by working professionals, that are not typically available at traditional Arts programs and acting schools. We have photography classes, Costume Design, Yoga, Stage Combat, Theatrical Makeup and of course, vocal, dance, and acting. Additionally, if there is something that our students are passionate about within the Arts that we do not currently offer, we will happily find an educator who can continue to nurture that passion.
TippityTop Theatre Company is a family (even my wife is on the staff!) that shares a common goal, passion for the Arts, and a solid foundation. It’s built around a group of students who love to learn and grow and teach one another. As they learn, so do we. It is a safe space for all of us to call home — students, staff, parents, guardians and the community at large.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I love building a community where my students feel as though they can be their true selves with no judgment from staff or peers. I love growing and learning together. We are there for one another through challenging times and we are cheerleaders who celebrate successes — no matter how small. More than anything, I love seeing my students grow beyond the stage. Theatre plays into every aspect of their lives, from building relationships, acing job interviews, making school presentations, and having pride and confidence in their work.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal and mission is to create and nurture lifelong learners who have chosen to follow a path in the Arts. Even if they never make an entrance on stage after they leave school or TippityTop, they have learned valuable life lessons that will empower them to go above and beyond in whatever they choose to do. They can reach for the highest level of success that they can imagine, and do it with courage and confidence. And once they reach that level of success, then they can go even higher. The top is only the beginning.