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| From as soon as she could walk and talk Najarra has been dancing, singing and performing. By age three she was doing runway modeling for designer clothing. By the age of four she was performing with Showstoppers Children’s Theater, and performed with them in more than 25 productions for the public. At the age of seven she was in “Jane Eyre” the musical, with SBCC Theater Group, receiving 5 college credits for her participation. That same year she was in “Taming of the Shrew” with Santa Barbara Real Shakespeare Company, and also played the part of “Fan” in “Scrooge” for Seaside Theater, going on to perform it for 2 seasons. Her love for theater continued and by age ten she had been in 3 Gilbert & Sullivan productions, 4 Shakespeare, and many musical comedy and dramatic productions . . . .Alice in “Alice in Wonderland”; Susan Walker in “Here’s Love (musical version of Miracle on 34th Street), and many others. In her 10th and 11th years she was Rhoda Penmark in “Bad Seed”; Fern in “Charlotte’s Web” and Baby June in “Gypsy” to name a few. A reviewer wrote of her performance in a production of a compilation of Shakespeare’s works, “As for 10 year old Najarra Townsend, an integral part of the entire production, she played her various roles like a veteran, and in truth, I thought she was merely diminutive until I read her age in the program.” “What did show great promise was the standard of acting and the level of professionalism displayed.” (Santa Barbara Independent, July 6, 2000) At age ten she also started in films. Her first was as a lead in a suspense/horror film “Menace” (quite an experience), and she has gone on to do many films, from deep drama to light comedy. All through these years she has kept very busy with several performance companies, with modeling, theater and films. In 2004, at age fourteen, she continued to be busy, studying with LA Talent Academy at the Musicians Institute, doing theater and films, performing with “LA HIP KIDS”, worked on an album with her music group "FLAVOR", and she even squeezed in teaching dance and cheerleading classes. -In March she appeared at the Laguna Playhouse, receiving rave reviews, in "CUT", a riviting emotional drama about some very real and serious psychological pressures and struggles facing today's teenagers. Najarra dyed her hair black for her character of a gothic self-injurer. At the end of each show they opened a question and answer period for the audience, with a psychiatrist and the author of the book "CUT". It was very moving. This was one of the most rewarding plays Najarra has ever done. -She had a lively 3 month run at the world famous Brown Derby in Buddy Bregman's "CAPONE-THE MUSICAL", inspired by the BBC television production of Chicago in the roaring twenties. -In June she spent 2 wonderful weeks in Holland with friends, staying in peoples homes and visiting historic sites. -She rushed back for a movie shoot, “Me and You and Everyone We Know”, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2005 going on to receive critical acclaim and winning top awards at many film festivals including 4 awards at Cannes. -She had a great time doing the play “The Runaways” in Hollywood, and spent her Christmas vacation starring in a drama short, filmed in the desert with a terrific script & a wonderful cast and crew. A great years ending! 2005 (and age 15) kept the same momentum. By the end of January she had completed 2 short films and spent a week at the Sundance Film Festival attending the premiere of award winning “ME and You---". She later also spent a week in France at Cannes where "Me and You" won 4 major awards. Through the year she went on to complete several more films and continued stage performances with LA Hip Kids, LA Talent Academy, and many other venues. 2006 is continuing at the same amazing busy pace. |
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