Finding the Music in the Unknown: Cheyanne Taylor on Letting Go, Growing Up, and Staying in Motion

Cheyanne, looking back on your journey so far, what films, Broadway shows, or artistic influences most shaped you as an artist, and why did they resonate so deeply with you?
The first movie I remember watching, and I couldn’t help but sing and dance along to, was The Wizard of Oz. I loved watching the screen transform from black and white into a world of pure magic and color. At the time, my local community theatre was putting on the stage show of the same name. I told my mom I wanted to be a munchkin when I was 6 years old. That was my first time being on the stage, and I never wanted to come off. Some other favorite movies include: Gone with the Wind, La La Land, and 10 Things I Hate About You. Gone with the Wind was one of the first epic books I had ever read, so naturally, I wanted to watch the movie after. I love the drama, the romance, and the costumes (Scarlett’s red dress). La La Land is one of those movies every actor can relate to. The industry makes us fragile and depleted, but the movie also reminds us that we have a calling to hear the music and react by singing, acting, dancing, and so on. The side-by-side ending makes me cry every time. Lastly, 10 Things I Hate About You is a romantic comedy classic. My theatre teacher showed us this film after reading Twelfth Night. The monologue that Julia Stiles reads in the last scene became my favorite monologue. I always loved the sister relationship in that movie too. It reminded me of getting ready with my sister in middle school and high school, and stealing each other’s clothes.

The first national tour I remember seeing was Wicked at the Pantages with Eden Espinosa. I cried after “Defying Gravity,” and at intermission, I told my mom that when I get older, I want to do THAT! I bought a Wicked shirt, CD, and memorized my first Broadway soundtrack. To this day, some of the best shows I’ve seen include: Phantom of the Opera, Waitress (OBC), and Six. These shows inspired me by showing a female range not just vocally, but also in the women’s experiences. Some of my dream roles would be Katherine Howard (Six), Dawn (Waitress), Penny (Hairspray), and Julia (Bandstand). All of these roles show women overcoming fears, adversity, and societal views of who they “should be”. Art imitates life. So every time I get to see, watch, or perform art, I remember to find the takeaways that I can apply to my real life.

How did you come to the realization that you needed to let go of certain career expectations you once had, and what did that process look like emotionally?
I started college and, halfway through, got slammed with a worldwide pandemic. I went to a theatrical school and thought about solely pursuing singing and being on stage. Our classes shifted, and we were taught how to use a backdrop, ringlight, film a dance tape in our living room, etc. My eyes were opened to TV/Film opportunities. When I graduated from college, I ended up booking lots of Vertical projects. They were new, got me set experience, and I was excited to get paid for acting. I rode that joy and fit in theatrical projects when I could. I also got my dog, Cowboy, on sets. I applied to a Wagwell shoot that led to a Public Storage shoot, and more.

I thought I was “just” a singer and stage performer. I didn’t think I was “trained enough” for TV, Film, commercials, music videos, etc. I am thankful to my school, AMDA, my acting friends who taught me to apply anyway, and to myself for trusting in the unknown. I have been paid for two theatrical shows post-graduation. It will always be a bucket list item to book a national tour or

Broadway, but in the meantime, I’m having a great time staying booked/ working on my craft. I think 6-year-old Cheyanne would be so proud.

What was your experience navigating life and career immediately after college, and what surprised you most about “figuring it out” in the real world?
I’m glad I knew where the world was when I graduated. I was the first class that got an in-person showcase, but had to wear masks on stage. I had learned to self-tape, go on casting sites, and find a manager, but it took a couple of months to get on my feet. I graduated from college and lost part of my vocal range. I got scoped at Cedars-Sinai and realized I had a small polyp on my vocal chords near the top of my range. It was from pushing and singing with masks on. So I went through three months of vocal therapy and got myself back to performing.

It was scary. I only got three semesters in person, then a pandemic, and one more semester in person. I felt behind, lost, and unprepared. Losing my voice and working on vocal rest was really hard. If I couldn’t sing or talk, who would I be? What was I going to do with my life? I fell into a 4-month slump and got into EFT tapping, therapy, and worked out a bunch. I’m really glad I have strong support system, too. I still saw my friends, I just had to download an app to talk to them, not ideal, but we got through it.

Within a year, I found my first manager, worked at Legoland, Winterfest OC, got a costume character gig with the Dr. Seuss Museum, and booked numerous Verticals. I was back on my feet.

Now I value my body. My body is my career. My body is my livelihood. I do vocal warmups, straw phonation, and use Throat Coat tea, nebulizers, and Grether’s pastilles when needed. I work out, but I slow down when I need to. I give myself joy and experiences in between jobs. I live life to the fullest to expand my acting plate. I still don’t have it all figured out, but I am grateful for all the opportunities so far, being 4 years out of college.

Can you talk about the role survival jobs have played while you’ve been performing full-time, and how you’ve balanced practicality with creative ambition?
I am the modern day renaissance woman. I mostly work with kids and pets as a survival job. I worked at a pre-school, I teach art classes, acting classes, and I am a nanny. I am also a pet sitter, dog walker, or trying to find my dog work, haha. I have also found survival jobs relevant to my career, such as Princess Parties or helping with local Middle School shows/ productions. So I am always busy, always curious to try new things, and I am grateful I have a network of people who reach out to me! They have also been flexible where I can leave for auditions, or I can go to rehearsals after work. If I’m pet sitting, I bring myself tape materials to their house. I’d rather help out children and pets than work in corporate America anyday!

For artists who feel pressure to have everything mapped out early on, what perspective have your experiences given you about timing, growth, and trusting your own path?
I am grateful for the pandemic. Which may be an unpopular opinion, but it taught me that you can plan out your whole life, and the universe will always have another plan. I am very type A and have a schedule mapped out every hour of the day and alarms all throughout the day, but sometimes I have to alter my schedule when things arise. I have been viewing the auditions, callbacks, and jobs that I don’t get not as “rejection” but as “redirection”. It wasn’t “mine” to begin with. All the jobs I have booked have come at a time when it felt right. I booked an original musical in 2024, Lady in the Moon. At that callback, I sang a song called “Perfect Girl”. I felt like I was singing about myself, my family life, etc.They asked me why I felt I related to the character, and I replied, “This is me on paper”. It was the most on-the-nose role I had ever read.

Then I booked a feature film, Deformelody, that made it to my first two film festivals (Hollywood Reels and Raindance). They wanted someone comedic, who could improvise, and talk for about 10 minutes nonstop. So I sent in this long self-tape where I went on a rant about my day, and I booked it! I also helped my friend with a project last year when I wasn’t booked. She needed help choreographing a dance for her sketch show, and then asked me to be the dance captain and, eventually, an actor as well. We took that show to Hollywood Fringe Fest last year (Mario Madness)! I am also grateful I have acting friends who celebrate what I call “Small Wins” with me. My friend and I got brunch earlier this year to celebrate her new headshots and my first booking of the year! You always need friends who support you, not the ones who compete with you.

Image Credit:
Little me singing at “Simi Valley Days”, Cowboy on Wagwell Set, Mario Madness (Hollywood Fringe Fest show) *featuring me dancing as a toad, Nurse in Vertical “Fleeing Husband” on Sereal+, Friend in Vertical “Queen of Revenge” on Vigloo