Brooke is a Baton Rouge, Louisiana native and her first claim to stage was portraying “Lazy Mary” in Kindergarten. But as a Leo with a Gemini moon and Gemini rising, Brooke has been anything but a lazy Mary. Rigorous trampoline rehearsals lead to dance performances to the tunes of Paula Abdul which only her Pomeranian and Peek-a-Poo attended. That soon landed Brooke and some neighborhood friends greater audiences who watched the girls re-enact the final scene from “Dirty Dancing”. Enough with the childhood stuff. You get the point: Brooke was a wacky kid, like most kids are, with a lot of energy and a dream.
Brooke received her B.F.A. in Acting and a French minor from Long Island University at C.W. Post. In college, Brooke had the opportunity to study Suzuki training and Viewpoints for over three years. She also had the opportunity to study in Avignon, France and perform an original piece with other young actors in the celebrated Festival d’Avignon. Her Honor’s Thesis, Samuel Beckett’s “Oh! Les Beaux Jours” (“Happy Days”) got her an Irene Ryan Nomination at Kennedy Center’s American College Theatre Festival where she became a semi-finalist (she thanks the infamous lettuce scene from Durang’s “Titanic”).
Upon graduating, Brooke began pursuing theatre. One of her favorite and notable credits includes the role of Janeane in “Yoga Kills” which first performed at The Gallery Players Black Box Festival and then went on to the Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Play Festival. She began performing with various sketch and improvisation troupes throughout Manhattan. Brooke then landed a principal role in a Comcast commercial as the role of Tammy, the drunken bridesmaid which got her the coveted SAG card. Shortly after that, Brooke was an under-five J-dater on Saturday Night Live. She has since appeared as The Pig Nose Woman (opposite Jason Bateman) in “The Switch”, a core featured 1920s prostitute in “Boardwalk Empire” (Fall 2010) and principal roles in independent shorts including “Bunny” which is in the Tribeca Film Festival 2011. Her autobiographical one woman show, “Wayward Souls” was accepted into United Solo Artists Theatre Festival in Fall 2010 and performed in mid-November 2010 at Theatre Row under the direction of Brian Lady and advice of playwright Nick Robideau. Soon after, Brooke also had a principal role on Law and Order SVU (Season 12, “Pop”) playing the role of Darla Murphy, the mom of potential suspect Blake Murphy.
Oh, yes! And stand-up comedy. One of her most memorable nights is being thrown up on stage (and having a successful set!) after Sarah Silverman at the Eastville Comedy Club. When Brooke is asked “So you’re an actor, what do you do?” She responds, “I do it all.” Comedy and experimental theatre are her favorites (if she had to choose) but she believes that as an actor she should be involved in all of the various media the industry has to offer. She is, after all, a Gemini rising.
