About

My name is Jaylen Wilbourn and I am an Actress/Singer/writer. Born and raised between Georgia and Texas.  As a child I was drawn to books, literature and the magic of writing life into the many  worlds and fantasies in my head. It wasn’t until entering McCallum High School of Fine Arts, that I found a home in theatre. Allowing me to live in those worlds, while breathing life and voice into characters with personal narratives of their own.
My Artistic journey led me to Point Park University where I not only pursued a BFA in Acting, but also the answers to the questions of who and what I am creating for.
The short answer: Myself and others like me.  My personal artistic endeavors are rooted in striving to become an actor that conveys the story and characters beyond the script.  I bring a level of empathy into my work that, in turn, gives a familiar sense of humaneness to my characters. The art of directing is something that deeply informs my approach to my craft. The same way a director visually conveys the subtext within the world of a story, I work to be an actor that communicates what’s between the lines of the text: What’s written but not spoken.
However, I’ve learned that what sustains me on my journey, is the reminder that artists and creators should be a reflection of the world they live in. I strive to be a mirror for other people of color to actively relate and see themselves in me. I aim to be a voice that can reach others by telling stories that deserve to be told; especially ones deemed irrelevant.
  So far, some of my favorite projects I’ve participated in include my roles as “Rainbow” in an all black re-telling of Irene Fornes’ one-act play Springtime; Queen “Gertrude” from Shakespeare’s Hamlet and “Andrew Hall” in Jaclyn Backhaus’ Men on Boats. I have written and performed spoken word poetry as an activist towards America’s school shooting epidemic, as well as pieces that give voice to the black experience. I was given the opportunity to perform the original pieces titled, “Burial Ground” and “A Free Bird Leaps” for a protest on gun control at Texas State Capitol and AISD’s Annual Black History Ceremony. I was also very privileged to participate in a 15 week acting/directing workshop led by Kim Wields, the head of directing, at the esteemed Carnegie Mellon University
As an artist, I am personally inspired by art that forces you to acknowledge the love/passion of the creator behind it. When looking at a piece of art—in any media—sometimes the amount of time, effort, patience and nurturing that went into it is almost palpable. I get the impulse to work whenever I come across a film/show/performance/book ect… that not only compels, but also conveys the love that the creators themselves hold for the stories they’re telling. My idea of success is creating art that honors what I do, and inspiring others to do the same.