Today we’d like to introduce you to Adrienne Visnic.
Adrienne, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I grew up in Philadelphia, trained in NYC, attended the University of Southern California and now, I’m based here in Los Angeles.
My love for acting all started when I was signed up for art camp, but happened upon the theatre building I just instinctively knew that’s where I belonged – I was 7, but you had to be 8 to do the shows. Just through my sheer enthusiasm, Mr. Campbell agreed to let me attend that summer – and I’ve been hooked ever since. This teacher was an inspiration and I still think fondly of him every time I perform. May each and every kid have their very own “Mr. Campbell” who sets a fire in them to create and learn.
So, from first grade till senior year, I spent every summer at theatre camps around the world – Stagedoor Manor, CAP21, Steinhardt, Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, & Boston Conservatory.
At 15, JJ Abrams hired me for my first professional acting job in New York City for a job on a very short lived TV show called “6 Degrees” (which I find beautifully serendipitous because it seems that my life has been filled to the brim with 6 degrees or even 2 degrees of separation and wild coincidences ever since) During high school, I would go back and forth from the suburbs of Philly to New York City to audition, take class, and perform (and see every Broadway show of the season, because if it wasn’t made clear before, imma theatre geek.)
Then came out to sunny California for school and then decided to stay – I’ve since been hired to play young Lea Thompson on Switched at Birth and young Kyra Sedgwick on ABC’s 10 Days in the Valley. (Shout out to mom and dad for my genes!) Hoping to work as Laura Dern or Lesly Mann’s younger self one day too? If you run into them, let them know I’m available for hire!
I’ve dueted with Kristin Chenoweth, played the lead of a Tribeca Film Festival Short Film, Cruella De Vill-ed it up in a Disney music video with over 5 million views, worked with Garry Marshall’s theatre on a new musical, worked in commercials, and like so many of us actors and creatives, I have been close to many a thing, my invisible resume is filled with many beautiful and creative moments in final callbacks in rooms filled with incredible professionals – whose careers inspire me.
When I’m not auditioning, I’m constantly looking for outlets to create with peers – I just recently produced and acted in a re-envisioned production of Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park that made my creative heart so happy. We put it up on a shoestring budget in the round with a perfectly cast ensemble to a sold-out run – we’re hoping to remount on a larger stage soon! I also self-produced my own solo cabaret, Sunny Side Up (nominated for a Broadway World Best Cabaret Female Artist). My new solo cabaret entitled, Who. What. Wear, just made its debut at the Rockwell Table & Stage on June 3rd – I’m hoping to do this show with the same team again very soon! Check out my cover of ‘You Oughta Know’ below!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There are moments where you sit in your car eating In-n-Out to celebrate your failures and then there are moments where you sit in your car eating In-n-Out to celebrate your successes – one must celebrate both successes and failures because we can’t have one without the other. I just choose to look at it like it’s just one in n out burger at a time.
If there’s anything I’ve learned in the last few years, you must acknowledge both ends of the spectrums in order to grow, shift and change! (…it also just amounts to more trips to In-n-Out.)
My dad always says luck is a when preparedness meets opportunity – and I’m a firm believer that if you work hard, put yourself out there, and do all the things that you can control – then everything else will fall into place the way that it’s supposed to. I have goals that I want to accomplish, but have always ended up very proud of the unexpected left and right turns along the way that are building my path to what I want.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I am a trained actor and a singer. I started classical voice lessons when I was 11 years old, trained vocally in NYC, was the vocalist for jazz band, sung in choir for years – my love of singing was my first introduction to storytelling. To this day, I tend to connect to my acting work with some aspect of musicality.
In the midst of a lot of things over which I have no control over in this industry, I am most proud of the company I keep. I love people and I love community. I believe firmly that you are who you surround yourself with. So, I choose to surround myself with positive, hardworking dreamers with goals and a hunger to succeed and by proxy, I am constantly inspired to rise to the occasion. This ever-growing community, from east to west and around the globe, is something that I’ve worked hard to foster genuine relationships. I’ve kept from friends from so many different stages in my life. And it keeps growing, making new friends is a joy of mine.
I also have a small side business called “Sweet Tee Designs” – I’ve been doodling my entire life and decided recently to share my doodles with the world. As of right now, there are two designs of tees – but I’m hoping to expand the designs and grow the business. Go check out the website below!
What were you like growing up?
According to my mom and dad I was singing before I was talking, dancing every time Harry Connick Jr played, and hamming it wherever we were – so you could say I was born with some theatrics.
At 5, I had a full closet of dress up clothes and was always inviting friends over to play… truly not much has changed. Playing pretend has always been my favorite, and look what I do now for a living. At 26 (almost 27!) – people still tell me that I have 5-year-old sensibilities – and honestly I take that as a compliment – I’m proud to have a childlike curiosity.
I was named ‘Most Renaissance’ in my high school yearbook – from doing the musicals, to being the field hockey goalie, to winning a pizza eating contest in the 7th grade, to being obsessed with art history – I guess I’ve always been the type of person who was interested in everything. Since I was little, I’ve chosen to lead with having genuine curiosity and compassion for others. I think these qualities lend to what I do today.
Contact Info:
- Website: sweetteedesigns.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adriennevisnic/
- Other: http://tickets.rockwell-la.com/event/3d0932abb84e231f23b6426b648f9894
Image Credit:
Betsy Newman, Lauren Desberg
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