About Me
Laurel Harris
Actor • Writer • Producer
IN THE BEGINNING
I’m often asked the question, “When did you start acting?” My mother would say from age two, and I wouldn’t doubt it!
Early on, I can recall leaping from the pink loveseat in our living room with utter abandon, fake microphone in hand, and singing at the top of my lungs every Saturday morning when “American Bandstand ” hit the airwaves. Oh, how I longed to be dancing and singing my heart out along with the other greats on that stage!
Until then, my poor younger brother and his friends had to serve as my dance partners while I choreographed elaborate performances, dressed them in homespun outfits, and charged a pittance at neighborhood ‘theaters in the round.’ (I.e., any friend’s basement or living room that would have us.)
DANCE
By today’s standards, I might be considered a late bloomer, starting dance classes at age six. But I was resolute that I had found my life’s passion to perform at that moment!
As a teen, I became the youngest company member of the Rocky Mountain Ballet, and later a founding member of Ormao Dance Company, a modern ensemble and dance school that thrives to this day.
One of my childhood dreams came true when I danced semi-professionaly around the country for over 27 years. Eventually, I combined my love for choreography and children to launch “Imagination in Motion,” a mobile dance and theatrical training opportunity for day care centers and elementary schools. That vibrant, young energy was inherently infectious and soul-filling.
THEATER
While I ventured into the world of theater in high school, it was in college that I became completely hooked on acting at The United States International University, San Diego. There, as a dance and theater major, I jumped into the fast moving river of artistic training: eating, breathing and sleeping all things dance, acting and art, 24/7. If you ever saw “Fame,” we were definitely living our best interpretation of it!
From this intense and immersive experience, I realized that whether it was live theater, television, or voice-over, no job was ever too small to savor and appreciate. This philosophy remains the foundation and driving force in my career.
TELEVISION
My first steady television job was hosting and producing the morning show, “Vail Today” for The Vacation Channel. There’s nothing like Live TV to learn the dos and don’ts of Television! While the days were long and the learning curve steep, I embraced it and knew this was feeding my ultimate vision.
I later became the spokesperson for numerous national corporations, honing my broadcast talents in on-camera and voice-over work along the way. Then, booking my first live, national game show as the lead host for the “BingoTV ” felt like “I’d arrived,” as my mother would say.
Alongside a terrific team, I got to co-create artistically and play every week for a living. Although, one of the best parts was calling my mom after every show to recap the highlights, laugh at my blunders, and keep my dreams expanding. Priceless.
PRODUCTION
I’ve always had an infinite respect for all aspects of production. Therefore, getting to work in every area of story-telling at DC TV8 was fantastic. There I expanded my producing skills, plunged into writing with a new intensity, and was fortunate enough to produce many award-winning programs that garnered numerous NATOA’s, Telly’s and an Emmy from the Heartland Association for “Best PSA series,” on Teen Homelessness. As part of the DC8 crew, we even won the coveted Emmy for “Station of the Year.”
From there, I traveled internationally with the PeaceJam organization to assist in their feature-length documentary series on numerous Nobel Peace Laureates around the globe. We worked alongside PBS and the BBC to film such notables as Archbishop Desmond Tutu, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta, the former Prime Minister and President of Timor-Leste, to name a few.
To say these experiences were life-changing is a tremendous understatement. I’m forever changed from this powerful, life-enhancing work.
VOICE-OVER
One of the greatest experiences I’ve had in the world of Voice-over has been developing lasting friendships with clients over the years. Hundreds of projects, commercials, and poignant private coaching sessions later, this work still intrigues me.
I delight in learning new things with every script, and that was certainly the case with one project I’ll note… “The Dalai Lama – Scientist,” a feature documentary that accumulated major global recognition and critical acclaim after premiering at the Venice International Film Festival in Italy.
To my delight, after completing this film I was asked to narrate the next documentary in this “Nobel Legacy Film Series” on Shirin Ebadi, of Iran. To play a small part in the story-telling of these luminaries is so deeply humbling and gratifying to say the least.
FILM
Once upon a time, on my first trip venturing into Los Angeles, my eyes expanded to the magical world of filmmaking and I never looked back. With featured background work in major Hollywood films alongside the likes of Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin, I was mesmerized.
Meeting and working with these pros I admired so greatly did more than just ignite my vision. I vowed then that I would someday do what those stars did… play and have fun for a living! I mean, it couldn’t get any better than that, right?!
Of course I’ve learned that this business is just as much ‘biz’ as it is ‘show,’ but years later, with countless rejections accumulated and appreciated, I can still say that I get to play and tell stories for a living, and that is what makes this journey grand.
IN THIS MOMENT
I’ll admit it. I’m an unabashed tree-hugger and quiet trail seeker. I’m always listening for direction to the next steps in my travels and ready to head out on the open road.
From acting to producing, and everything in between, I feel incredibly grateful to do what I love, possibly inspiring the next generations of artists, and bringing forward more great stories that deserve to be told. In short, I look forward to seeing what surprises this wild and ah-mazing adventure called *Life* will bring next.
Wishing you the best on your journey,
