TVISUAL

TRAILBLAZER : CHANEL GLASGOW

Chanel Glasgow Shot by Terrance, Wearing Afrodisiac Boutique, Make-Up by Lynda DLM shot at the Kerby Young Studio

Written by Anastasia Tomkin

Chanel Glasgow’s dedication seeps through her pores.

It’s in the way she gives herself body and soul to her craft. It’s the quiet confidence of one who merges passion with career. It’s how her eyes light up as she envisions the bright future she sees for film and theatre in Trinidad and Tobago, and the wider Caribbean.

But there was a time she lingered at a crossroad, unsure of which path to choose. You see, Chanel grew up tall and beautiful, with striking slant eyes, razor-sharp cheekbones and smooth skin the color of Belgian chocolate...naturally, she made a foray into modeling, soon finding herself busy with photoshoots and fashion shows. Yet, backstage at many of these shows, her mind drifted to that theatre rehearsal she was missing. Seeing her actor friends snagging roles and making waves, she began craving the fulfillment she found on stage. Eventually, the creative lure of the performing arts overshadowed the glamour of strutting catwalks.

Chanel fondly recalls teaming up with her cousins to put on shows for the family, earning her the title of “Drama Queen”, a self-fulfilling prophecy. During secondary school at BAHSE, she was guided by Ms. Belinda Barnes and Mr. Shawn Smart, propelling her to success in the Secondary Schools’ Drama Festival. A friendly rivalry between her and fellow budding actor Renaldo Frederick had them constantly perfecting their craft, and walking away with the top acting awards year after year.

“Acting is f**king hard,” she admits. “What true acting takes, the craft of it, you feel like you’re walking around with a million personalities... a true actor can be anyone, it’s like a superpower. Hard work, concentration, discipline. Is not just playing the fool on stage.”

While pursuing a Major in Geography and Minor in Theatre Arts at the University of the West Indies, she was chosen for the Competitive Directing Course, an honor normally reserved for those majoring in Theatre. She was able to direct a One Act play for the Annual Festival of Plays at UWI, and has had the opportunity to work with top industry practitioners Raymond Choo Kong, Louis McWilliams, Dr. Efebo Wilkinskon, Rawle Gibbons and Belinda Barnes.

Currently, Chanel juggles several roles. She’s a full-time contracted player of the National Theatre Arts Company of Trinidad and Tobago, a coach with the Trinidad and Tobago Cheer Federation, and Co-Founder of an urban-inspired clothing line, featuring slogans like “Theatre Bae”, “Drama Dem” and “Trust the Process”. In about a year’s time, she will be off to pursue her Master’s in Musical Theater abroad.

Chanel Glasgow Shot by Terrance, Wearing Afrodisiac Boutique, Make-Up by Lynda DLM shot at the Kerby Young Studio

When asked what message she would like to convey to aspiring performers, Chanel stresses the importance of self-awareness.

“Be authentic to yourself. That’s something that we take for granted, living in a world where everybody’s opinions matter and are readily available, it can sometimes seem as though other people’s voices are louder than yours. So you have to be true to what you want, and how you can achieve the things that you want.”
For the “Incredible” show, Chanel knew exactly what she wanted...the biggest, rowdiest laugh from the audience, possibly even from her fellow actors. It would mean winning a secret little contest the cast had conjured up just for kicks. Her character had major anxiety and a tendency to overreact for no reason, coupled with a weird British accent, so she came up with the perfect stunt, mid-scene. “He has a following, and it’s growing!” she cried, and snatched her own wig right off her head.

“The audience cracked up” she recalls fondly. “Everybody (on stage) just trying to stifle laughs, it was amazing. Like I live for moments like that, when I just think of the funniest shit and can just make people laugh, in the moment.”

“Mind you, when I took off my wig, if you know me, I’m rel insecure about my natural hair, I had just done a big chop that night...I did it for myself first, so I had straightened ends, it was rel patchy and tacky and ting, so I told myself, I need to go get it fixed by a proper person who cuts hair, so that night I was thinking to myself, do I do it for the love and embarrass myself? I had to fight the against my own insecurities to do it, so that just goes to show how much I was in the moment, in the role, I didn’t even give a shit about that.”

The incomparable intensity of an artist, guys.

Chanel’s Law of Power

If you feel like you’re gonna crash and burn, don’t slow down,

choose death.