Major: Theater
Acting is the only thing that Nicole Bloomsmith ever wanted to do.
“The first thing that interested me in performing was ‘Annie.’ Yes, the movie ‘Annie,’” she said. “More accurately, that's what first interested me in singing -- in front of anyone at any time. There was never any stage fright in my bones. I also loved to imitate Shirley Temple. That's going waaaaay back. Thank goodness I have the most lovely, supportive parents on earth.”
In addition to acting and singing, Bloomsmith also studied violin. She decided to pursue music education at College of DuPage, but after one semester she realized her heart was in acting. So she took an acting class with Amelia Barrett and never looked back.
Along the way, Bloomsmith made an important – and surprising – discovery.
“I actually looked forward to class, and I never saw that coming,” she said. “I learned to appreciate the social sciences. And I finally became academically disciplined. I grew up in my three years at COD.”
Bloomsmith also got her professional start with Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, the professional resident ensemble at College of DuPage. She since has worked with some of Chicago's best theater companies and continues pursuing her own projects.
Chicago highlights include Steppenwolf, Northlight, The Hypocrites, Oracle and Strawdog, where credits include Miss Leighton in “Once in a Lifetime,” Betty in the U.S. premiere of “Pillars of the Community,” “Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins” and a new musical “Take Me” by Mark Guarino and Jon Langford.
I was incredibly fortunate to attend a school that is so rich in the arts and has amazing teachers and mentors.
Nicole Bloomsmith
Bloomsmith wrote, produced and recorded an album, “Find Me,” and continues as the eponymous host of the late-night cabaret “Nikki and The City,” headlining her quirky originals and fun covers with some the hottest musicians in the city.
“I’m surrounded by Chicago talent and I’m learning what inspires me and am constantly seeking it out,” she said. “My personal goal is to continue challenging myself and getting out of my comfort zone on stage whenever I can. My career goal keeps changing. There are no guarantees, there's no security, and you have to make a lot of compromises. It’s hard work! Because of the generosity and openness and encouragement I received at COD, I have the tools and the confidence to pursue this dream no matter how ‘impractical’ and uncertain.”
In 2019, she and her partner opened Chicago Immersive, an immersive theater company that launched its first show, “Grace and the Hanukkah Miracle,” that December. She currently is working for Fever Originals as a songwriter and performer, and she played the Little Mermaid in “The Little Mermaid Cocktail Experience” with Fever.
As for COD’s Theater program, Bloomsmith is proud of her education.
“I was incredibly fortunate to attend a school that is so rich in the arts and has amazing teachers and mentors in Connie (Canaday Howard) and Amelia. The classes I took, and the relationships I made, the experiences and opportunities that came along with being a student in the Theater program have shaped the artist I am today,” she said. “And once I began to understand the kind of artist I am and the kind of artist I can be, I learned who I was. I will forever cherish my years spent there.”