Tara Park
What can I say about the fantastic Tara Park? She is a performer whose vocal power stops shows. I first saw her in Theatre Arlington’s Sister Act and was not prepared for the incredible sound that comes from such a petite young woman. It was truly a “WOW” moment that I was lucky enough to see again when she performed in the Firehouse Theatre’s Catch Me If You Can. My great friend Shane Morgan, who first brought Tara to my attention, describes her as,” a personified giggle, a body that could fit in your pocket and a talent that is out of this world, a revelation, a pint-sized heavy hitter, charming and genuine.” I agree with Shane and will be with him in the audience cheering whenever Tara Park is on stage.
When was your first time on stage?
I grew up participating in church Christmas performances when I was little, but my first
time on a theatre stage was during my senior year of high school. Theatre fell into my lap
randomly. I was just a choir kid who was passionate about music. I ended up befriending
some people from the theatre department my senior year, and they convinced me to
audition for a community church production of The Little Mermaid. I remember being so
confused in the audition room, I think I even read the stage directions during the cold
read portion. But somehow I was cast, and played Aquata, one of the mersisters! Being a
part of that show was such a gift and I was surrounded with friends who just wanted to
have fun. It opened my eyes to the artform of acting and performance, and nothing has
been the same since!
When did you know you wanted to be an actor?
This is something that I found out recently, actually! Up until a few years ago, I was
focused on school and was preparing to go down a career path of Speech Pathology.
However, 2022 brought many opportunities my way and made me seriously think about
acting and performing. So that’s where I am at now! I am just excited to see where the
future takes me.
Who is your greatest mentor?
I owe a lot to the people I’ve met along the way, so it’s hard to choose just one mentor,
but to name a few: Shelby Hibbs was my college professor who I took my first acting
course with. She introduced me to Shakespeare and taught me how to read a script. I am
thankful for her guidance and being there for my many firsts as an actor. Mark Quach is
also someone very important to me. He has paved the way for the AAPI theatre
community in Dallas and introduced me to so many people. I would not have had the
opportunities placed in front of me without him, so thank you Mark! He leads with love
and is such an inspiration, truly a one-of-a-kind person. My other mentors are my dearest
friends: Natassia Dominique, Sara Williams, Rachel Nicole Poole, Claire Greenberg, and
Will Shafer. They’ve made their way in the Dallas theatre community, and I am lucky to
be surrounded by such talented and supportive friends.
What role have you enjoyed the most in your career so far?
The role I’ve enjoyed the most was playing Sister Mary Robert in Sister Act at Theatre
Arlington. It was my first experience playing a supporting lead role and the entire process
was so so so amazing. The character’s story arc was also something I resonated with as
someone who was trying to find my own voice. What made this role unforgettable
though, was the cast and crew involved. The bond that we developed was so special, and
I would work with every single person in a heartbeat.
Do you have a dream role?
Kim in Miss Saigon has always been a dream role. It has its reasons for being
controversial but, this show is one of the reasons I fell in love with theatre. The story is
heartbreaking and raw and has ALL the drama. I listened to the cast album every day
for 6 months straight and just felt comforted by the representation as an Asian woman.
Another dream role would be Clara in Light in the Piazza. I mean, that music is
unmatched. To be able to sing that score would be a gift. Finally, I’d love to be a
part of a production that shows my Korean culture. I am so proud of my background and
who I am, so the chance to be involved in something like that would be a literal dream
(Let’s collaborate and make this happen!!).
What person(s) would you like to be on stage with?
The talent in Dallas is insane! Honestly, I’d love to just re-share the stage with every cast I’ve
ever been able to work with. Some honorable mentions however, are: Caitlin Martelle and
Stacia Goad-Malone. Their comedic timing is flawless and playing off of them is so much fun!
Now if we are talking celebrities?? It would be the biggest honor to share the stage with Eva
Noblezada, Solea Pfieffer, Ruthie Ann Miles, Micaela Diamond, or Elyse Bell. They are
dominating the industry and are true masters in their craft. Though, on second thought, I’d
probably be too starstruck to get a word out.
What performances have you seen that impressed you?
Again, SO MUCH TALENT in Dallas. However, The 25 th Annual Putnam County
Spelling Bee at Theatre Arlington, Dallas Theatre Center’s Trouble in Mind, A Christmas
Carol, and the National Tour production of Ain’t Too Proud stood out to me the most in
2022. Other notable mentions are Broadway productions of Hadestown and Miss Saigon.
All of these shows completely entranced me in the stories they were telling. Every actor
was locked in and it was inspiring to witness.
What are your career goals?
I would like to see where this takes me outside of Dallas, whether that be in film or other
theatre works. To make this a sustainable career path, would be the ultimate goal! I just
have so much eagerness to get things going, and I am excited for the future ahead.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I think people would be surprised about how passionate I am about food! It’s always been
important to me, and any vacation revolves around which restaurants will be visited.
Food is life!! If someone has never met me in person, they would probably be surprised
by how short I am. If one can get past the inconveniences of never being able to see
during a concert or always getting the middle seat in a car, being 4’11” is great! And yes, the weather is
great down here!
