However, it was not until she was reared in the fire of the tutelage of P.J. Paparelli as an Youth Ensemble member at The American Theatre Company that Chan truly fell in love with the craft. Chan became versed in the process of making documentary theater through rigorous training. The Youth Ensemble traveled the country interviewing people whose stories they were blessed to be able to portray and share with a larger Chicago audience (The People’s Temple/Goldstar, OH). 

 

Chandler was awarded the Posse Scholarship to attend Oberlin College where Chan graduated with a major in Theatre with a concentration in Acting and a minor in Africana Studies. Chandler stared in many mainstages during her time at Oberlin but Chan primarily dedicated the last two years to learning about the history of Tap Dance and how it originates as a uniquely American, and specifically Black American, form of liberation during the Trans Atlantic slave trade and how that has effected the community through the years. Chandler once again traveled the country using grants to create a work of documentary theater interviewing 17 of the leading professional tap dancers of our time about their history in the dance. Chandler then directed, choreographed, and played those 17 dancers in a run of the show, entitled The Tap Project, for Chan’s senior capstone as one of the first productions in Oberlin’s new Kander Theatre. Chan was then bestowed the honor to perform an excerpt of The Tap Project for the great John Kander during Commencement Week.

 

Immediately upon graduation Chandler flew out Los Angeles to work at Universal Studios with Marc Platt Productions as their Inaugural Johnathan Demme Memorial Fund Intern. Chandler worked directly with Marc Platt, Adam Seigel, Jared LeBoff, and the entire team on extensive script development and research for future projects.

 

Upon completing the internship, Chandler then returned to Chicago to start her career as a professional actor. In 2019 she hit the ground running and was off to a great start doing theatrical and on-camera work until the world shut down due to Covid. Chandler has since taken a bit of a hiatus from the theater and has been building work as a model and band leader creating tap music. Brother Sister Cyborg Space at the Raven Theatre marks Chandler's return to the theater and she is simply elated. Chan has patiently awaited the right moment to return to the theater and is thoroughly equipped, grateful, and hungry for the theatrical journey Brother Sister Cyborg Space has set her on.

 

You can keep up with Chandler’s performances and musical explorations on Instagram @chanchantaps.