ANOTHER YOUNG AMERICAN ACTOR/MUSICIAN ALSO RISING ABOVE HER TORMENTERS TO PROVE SHE CAN WIN!!!

PLEASE WELCOME

MANDI SILER

1        Please tell us a little bit about your background;

                A:       I am thirty six years young and I was raised in South Carolina, USA. I am one of what used to be two children. I had a brother who was a year older than me and he was killed in a car accident when he was sixteen years old. A drunk driver hit him head on only two miles from our house. Since then, I have been the only child of two very loving and supportive parents.

2           You are an actor and musician.  Have you always wanted to be an entertainer or did you aspire to be something else when you were younger?

             A:        I have been singing since I was five years old. It is my biggest passion. That's been in my heart as early as I can remember. The acting bug hit several years ago. I was a very shy person with extreme stage fright and I started acting to help me with that. I found that becoming someone else for a while really brought me out of my shell. I have never really wanted to be anything else except a missionary. I really have a soft spot for children and families who are hungry and living in bad conditions. I want to help them as much as I can and I am looking forward to a time when I am able to do more of that.

3             Is anyone else in your family and/or relations in entertainment?

              A:         My dad's cousin owns a school of performing arts and she was a dancer for many years and a comedian. She has helped a lot of people including myself .

4            Are you professionally trained in both skills?

                 A:        I have had vocal training and some acting and drama classes.

5             As an actor, what have you appeared in?

                 A:          I have done only stage work at this point. I really want to try my hand at screen work now . I have appeared in several off Broadway productions such as:  'Guys and Dolls', 'The Pyjama Game', 'Wanda's World'...and many others. I am currently working on 'Anne Of Green Gables - the Musical'.

6            As a musician, are you solo or do you play with others?

                A:        I am a mezzo-soprano lead singer as well as an alto. I sing in a Christian band with others. I also am the director of a local church youth band where I provide vocal training to youth ages thirteen to eighteen years and act as a mentor to our youth musicians.

7           How many instruments do you play?

                 A:            I am only a singer.

8               Do you sing as well?

                  A:          I think so and have been told that I do.

9          Are you professionally managed or do you represent yourself?

                  A:         I am represented by CD Models & Talent, Charleston, SC, USA.

10       What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

                A:          My spare time is mainly spent doing church activities where I am a youth ministry volunteer and mentor. I also like to karaoke with some friends.

11        Do you have a stage name?

                 A:          No.

12        Have you ever been bullied?

                 A:         Yes.

13          Whether you have been bullied or not, do you feel that the governments and schools around the world are doing enough to try to combat this problem?

                  A:        Not really.

14           What further do you feel the above could do to either decrease this problem hugely – or eliminate it altogether?

             A:           I believe that the true problem lies in the home. I know that's a bold statement to make, but I believe in the saying "hurting people, hurt people." I am not saying that all bullies have bad family lives, but I do believe that quite often bullies are bullies because they are either being bullied themselves or they are striving for attention. I believe that bullies don't really know what they are doing because they don't understand other people. They don't understand that being different isn't always a bad thing. I believe that training classes would help a lot.

15          On a personal level, what would you like to do to help in the fight against bullying?

                 A:       I am not sure yet. I would love to see counseling in schools on bullying issues. One on one sessions and group discussions.

16         What advice would you give to anyone who is currently suffering through this nightmare?

                  A:        My advice would be for them to look within themselves and find the goodness that lies there. What you think of yourself is what matters. Dig deep inside and discover your deepest hopes and dreams and live everyday taking steps closer and closer to those dreams, but realize it is a process and it takes time. Be patient. Don't allow what others are or have done to you keep you from your God-given potential. Learn to forgive because hate  can eat you alive if you let it and it can kill your dreams. Don't let that bully or bullies have your dreams. Also, go to someone and tell them. Someone you trust. No one can help you unless they know you have a problem.

17       Have you done many media interviews?

                 A:          No.

18          What is on your professional agenda for the rest of 2014?

             A:        'Anne of Green Gables - the Musical' where I am playing the role of Marilla Cuthbert. I am also a writer and I have written a comedy sitcom pilot that I am shopping out right now and I am working on several more episode scripts.

19                Do you have any special messages you would like to share with the world?

                 A:       Life is ultimately what you make it. There is a world of potential inside each person, but it's their job to discover it and cultivate it into something special. AND remember that it's NEVER too late to start doing what you know you were created to do.

20                Is there anything further you would like to add?

                     A:        No.