Check Out Raya Bradeen’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Raya Bradeen

Raya, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up moving every 3 years as an Air Force brat. Books were one of the things that could be consistent in every area and I DEVOURED them, to the point where the local librarians knew my family and I by name! I had an excitement for fiction that I never thought of as more than a hobby until high school, where I didn’t get into theatre until sophomore year. I was so used to being the quiet bookish kid that I hadn’t even considered expanding my horizons to the arts, let alone live performance! I can credit to my friend Jenna for single-handedly starting the domino effect that led me to discover my passion for the art. She encouraged me to audition for the spring musical Hello, Dolly! despite my apprehension and was a friendly face in an unfamiliar environment where everyone already knew each other.

The audition space was set up so that you’re on the stage with a spotlight and the three teachers were somewhere in the darkened audience. When it came time for the singing portion and the backing track began, I froze because I had only practiced with a version from the movie that included the actors’ voices! Thankfully the choir teacher sang a few lines to help me get back on track. When all was said and done, I assumed I wouldn’t be offered a part due to my inexperience and chalked the whole audition process up to a fun adventure and nothing more. I didn’t even know where the cast list was! Jenna had to tell me I got an ensemble part on the bus ride home. I finally had something to look forward to after school! I had an absolute blast on Hello, Dolly! and was lucky enough to be a part of every show we put on through my graduation.

Our theatre teacher/director Mr. Steven Skelcey came over to a large group of students at lunch at Thescon and singled me out with a point and a booming “YOU.” He recommended that I skip the level of theatre course I was registered for the next semester and helped me rearrange my schedule to make the new class fit.
The dance instructor Mrs. Leslie Williams fostered a space that let me connect with my body in ways I could have never imagined. I still use the stretches and katas from her classes today!
As someone stumbling into music with almost no groundwork to speak of, the choir director Mr. A.J. Wulf was the best instructor I could have asked for. Precise with his language and direction, reassuring but firm with his feedback, and unyielding with his high standards for us, Mr. Wulf set my bar so high that nobody else I’ve worked with has come close.
A passion like nothing I had ever known was kindled and nurtured at Liberty High and I will be forever grateful.

I likely would have gone back to STEM for college if not for my senior year Thescon. Not only did I receive an Overall Superior for my solo song, but a friend and I were chosen to audition our duet for the closing ceremony in addition to an OS! I was forced to reckon with the fact that I WAS good at this and professionals thought the same. No more writing off my positions as extended kindnesses. Choosing to major in theatre was a big deviation from the STEM-focused career path I gravitated towards for my entire childhood and it was scary stepping into a field unknown to me or my family. From the very first day of college at the University of Northern Colorado as a Theatre Studies major I knew I had made the right choice.

“Theatre Studies” might sound a bit vague but it offers the most opportunity for independent study and pursuit of your specialization! I’ve always been fascinated with the structure of stories and the art of adaptation. In conjunction with my Film Studies minor, I was able to tailor my courses to my interests, focusing on playscript analysis, playwriting, dramaturgy and directing.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The COVID-19 pandemic hit many people and industries hard. It was personally very difficult to stay creative and passionate when courses moved online, especially ones that heavily involved performance. Some of my favorite parts of the art form suddenly weren’t available. The crisp enunciation and projection of dialogue in a theatre was replaced with Zoom meetings and laptop microphones. Blocking and dynamic stage movements were reduced to a camera’s field of view in a bedroom and charts to show movements from scene to scene. By the time we returned to in person classes, I felt as if I had lost a lot of momentum and drive. What helped pick my spirits up was the opportunity to assistant direct No Exit for the amazing Clove Love! It was a delight working with them and reinforced a growing interest in immersive theatrical layouts.

As like many others, the pandemic left me alone with my thoughts and jump-started a lot of mental processing I wasn’t aware I was avoiding. I struggled with isolation, both literally in a single dorm on a socially distanced campus and emotionally self-imposed. When I would get in my head about things, the last thing I wanted was to make others deal with my issues, so I didn’t socialize much despite wanting to. My wonderful partner Dori was and still is an incredible anchor to ground me. She helped me accept that I was allowed to need therapy and kept me company via the platform Discord in rough times. I will never be able to thank her enough for all that she’s done for me and I am always happy to be able to provide support for her in turn!

In additon, after graduating in spring of 2023 I was hit with an abundance of health issues that kept me homebound and unable to pursue any theatrical positions for nearly a year. Thankfully all is well now, but for months it was difficult to let myself accept help and that I wasn’t exaggerating how I felt.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Moving closer to Denver for more opportunities was exciting but I didn’t know where or how to start. This is where the spectacular Clove Love comes in again, throwing my name in the ring when productions they were a part of needed help! They put in a good word for me to the Theatre Company of Lafayette needed a stage manager for last summer’s BroadwayWorld-nominated Vagina Monologues and when Shifted Lens Theatre Company needed stagehands for Cruel Intentions! The connections I made on those shows have already cascaded into more opportunities with the Arts Hub in Lafayette and Two Cent Lion for their Rocky Horror Show last fall and their upcoming The Tragedy of Medusa showing February 8-22! Clove is a marvelous artist and friend whom I am proud to promote and collaborate with in the future!

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love seeing the mountains on the horizon, it’s nice and grounding. I lived in Texas before Colorado so I do NOT take the brisk weather or low humidity for granted! Denver traffic is NOT fun and moves the slowest I’ve ever seen. When commuting to work or an event I often find myself staring at the concrete and asphalt jungle that is the highway system we’ve built towering over our communities and wishing for more robust public transit, a better metro system in particular.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rayasunshine190/
• Other: email: rjbradeen@gmail.com