Mikenzi Barrow is a multifaceted artist and performer who has lived all over the country (including New Jersey, Virginia, Miami, and Seattle) and her family has now settled in Charlotte, NC. Mikenzi’s UNCSA credits include but are not limited to Kate in “Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous” by Pearl Cleage directed by Krisha Marcano and Ma in “If Pretty Hurts Then Ugly Must…..” by Tori Sampson directed by Claire Fort.
This fall she is in “Enron” by Lucy Prebble directed by classmate Vivian Farahani, and she will be Lili Anne in “Barbecue” by Robert O'Hara directed by Cliff Odele this upcoming spring. Mikenzi enjoys writing, dancing and photography in addition to her acting work. She is currently taking cinematography and directing classes at the UNCSA School of Filmaking to expand her skillset so she can begin creating her own written work. In addition to that, Mikenzi loves Jesus, people, eating yummy food and sweets, writing poetry and making flower arrangements. Overall, Mikenzi treasures spending time enjoying the beautiful life she’s been gifted with the people she loves the most!
Being the first born and only girl in her family of six she grew up in a house full of love, laughter, sports and immense creativity with her and her brothers always putting on performances for their parents to enjoy. From a young age, Mikenzi has always loved expressing herself, she could always be found wearing an “eclectic” outfit, participating in a school or church performance, or at her dance studio where she spent ten years training in competitive dance.
As she got older her love for the arts shifted to a love for activism, she used her creativity to find ways to promote equity and equality for marginalized communities, especially black men and women, homeless people, and young girls. In high school, she created several clubs to encourage black excellence and amplify black voices and was a student representative for the rewriting of her school's equity policy while living in Seattle. She was so sure she would either go into politics or broadcast journalism, but God had other plans.
When Mikenzi and her family moved across the country from Seattle to Charlotte, NC her junior year of high school her creative passions were rebirthed, and with her parents' support she decided to take theater seriously during her last two years of high school. That decision eventually led her to UNCSA, and the rest is history! Mikenzi is grateful for her time here at UNCSA and her artistic journey thus far. She knows that all that she has experienced has made her the artist that she is today,and she can’t wait to see the future God has in store! The best is yet to come!