Brennie Tellu is a native of Trenton, NJ born in Brooklyn New York to parents of West African heritage, who grew up avidly loving movies/television and always had a special talent for being able to quickly learn accents, memorize dialogue, songs, and choreography. The multi-talented actor and writer received her BA in Radio/TV/Film at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ and studied the Meisner Acting Technique with Lee Edward Colston II at PMTI in Philadelphia, PA in addition to training with Tony Award winning producer/actor/writer, April Yvette Thompson in NYC. Brennie's nearly two dozen performance credits include the award-winning Asylum(Leah) at the HERE Theatre in NYC, Don't Sing No Blues for Me(DeAnn), indie film short, Procession(Tanya), Steel Magnolias(Clairee) and Long Time Since Yesterday(Thelma).
She is currently trying on a new hat, launching her own multimedia production company, Yancy Girl Productions, set to debut it's first production of Katori Hall's Hoodoo Love in August of 2013.
1). How long have you been acting?
I started acting in college, doing black box theatre and I have been doing theatre and some film for the last 5-7 years. My BA is actually in Radio/TV/Film but I am definitely partial to life on stage and in front of the camera.
2). Tell the readers what you want them to know about the play?
Hoodoo Love centers on Toulou, a young girl who runs away from Mississippi and a life of picking cotton to chase her dream of singing the blues on Memphis’ legendary Beales Street. She finds friendship and love, but just as in real life, there is no Utopia and running from your past is a surefire way to give it the gas it needs to find you. It is such a complex story and beautifully written by Katori Hall, who also wrote Mountaintop, which was on Broadway. It really deals with people trying to find themselves and navigate their way through the struggles of life. Malika Oyetimein is amazing and has directed this so wonderfully…it will definitely make an impression upon those who get to experience the work she and these brilliant actors have done.
3). Have you participated in any prior productions you would like to mention?
Some of my favorite roles as an actor have been Leah in Cheril Clarke’s Asylum, Clairee in Steel Magnolias, Thelma in Long Time Since Yesterday and DeeAnn in Don’t Sing No Blues for me because they have challenged me as an actor and required me to completely abandon my comfort zone and those are generally the most interesting roles to delve into and tackle as an actor.
4) If you had a choice between stage, screen and television, which would you choose?
Theatre is my first love. The feeling I get…the adrenaline of stepping on that stage and leaving my heart bare is like nothing else in the world. It is instant gratification as an actor because you are right there experiencing everything in real time, no editing, no delay…just listening and responding to the moment.
5) What is your favorite restaurant?
My favorite restaurant is definitely The Cheesecake Factory…I order the exact same thing every time…Jamaican Black Pepper Shrimp and Red Velvet Cheesecake…although it’s a guilty pleasure these days.
6) The coolest city you would pick if you could hang out anywhere?
I am a city girl all day long. I love bright lights and I love the Arts…so honestly…stick me in Philly, NYC, LA and I will find something amazing to do…I just love big cities.
7) You sent several inspiring quotes in your reply. Pick one for the readers and tell why?
“When someone tells me "no," it doesn't mean I can't do it, it simply means I can't do it with them.” ~ Karen E. Quinones Mill
This quote truly speaks to my life because what I have learned is that the most important thing in this world is belief in one’s self. You will always have people who fear the unknown and inject doubt into your vision if it isn’t in the realm of what they believe to be possible. The key is to recognize that you may need to strike out on your own to bring your dreams to fruition. Basically “NO” means find another way to make it happen.
8) Your ultimate career goal is to __________________?
My ultimate career goal is a build a legacy of acting in, producing and writing provocative and ground-breaking stories for theatre, film and television.
9) You are the star of a film with a big time budget. Who would you have as your leading man?
My leading man would most definitely be Idris Elba... he is high on the list of actors I'd like to work with in the future.
10) What is the role of the artistic director?
As the Artistic Director of Yancy Girl productions, I am responsible for conceiving, developing, and implementing the artistic vision and focus of the organization, and for major decisions about the ongoing development of our aesthetic values. I also serve as the spokesperson for our artistic purpose work to foster the development of good relations with other art-based and community organizations with like-minded goals.
After this interview, I attended the preview of Hoodoo Love. The play is a blend of music, history and culture. The cast includes Candace Thomas, Keith Wallace, Cathy Simpson and Lee Edward Colston II. I was impressed with the costume design and the dialect of the performers. The play contains strong content so parental discretion is advised.
Go see and support this production.
Like her at facebook.com/YancyGirlProductions
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