Ali Grams (she/her) is an actor, playwright, and fundraiser in Calgary, AB (Mohkinstsis), among many other things. She attended FFCA from K-12 and was a very typical drama kid: participating in drama classes, choir, and the musical theatre and one-act programs. Ali’s professional path began on the stage, but quickly grew to include a passion for the systems and structures that make performance possible. Three words to describe Ali are plucky, mischievous, and whimsical.

“So you want to be an actor… what else?”

This is the question every young artist is met with. This question comes from a well-meaning place, but carries an undertone. 

As with any other career, being an artist means you must discover your own path. It was Glinda the Good Witch, after all, who said, “She had to learn it for herself.”

My younger self loved to play pretend. My Barbies didn’t just go shopping, they also held dramatic trials for murder, twisted love affairs, and all had tragic endings. As I grew, I had a flair for the dramatic and I liked to be a “ham” and make people laugh. In all my stories, I always wanted to be both the princess and the monster. 

I also always had a love for language, and fell in love with stories like Anne of Green Gables and The Wizard of Oz. My friends and I loved to write short stories and poems, reading them to each other at recess. I began journaling and my entries became the place where I practiced my writing, developed my voice, and documented my dreams. I dreamed of being a professional writer and novelist when I grew up. I also wanted to be the person to name new colour swatches for paint brands—which I would still do if someone out there wants to pay me for it!

I had two older siblings who participated in the drama programs at FFCA high school, and I saw how many friends and how much fun they had every day. When it was my turn, I participated in drama classes, choir, musical theatre, and the one-act programs, all four years of high school. I was the textbook definition of a theatre kid. Though I initially began this journey seeking friends and fun, I discovered quickly that performing was a very natural outlet for me and my creative energies.

In high school, I played Cinderella’s step-sister in Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, a role where I began to learn the life-long lesson of letting go of what people think of me. I also played Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, which was a dream role come true, as well as the Referee in Daniel MacIvor’s Never Swim Alone. Dorothy and the Referee taught me that acting is about specificity and clarity. Never Swim Alone also began my passion for Canadian plays.

At this time, I discovered that I enjoyed the endless possibilities that arose when creating art. I loved creating things with my friends and forgetting, for a while, about the other noise of life. I liked that every character I played allowed me to be me a little more; though, concurrently, I also liked being able to step away from being me for some time.

Upon graduating high school, I did one year at the University of Calgary studying drama. However, I felt inspired to pursue musical theatre and I wanted to study singing and dancing as well as acting. I also felt the call to leave my hometown and explore. The next fall, I began studying at the Canadian College of Performing Arts in Victoria, BC. I spent three wonderful years there immersing myself in acting, singing, and dancing. Along the way, I fell in love with puppetry, graphic design, and devised theatre, while also learning I had strong skills in organization, project management, and communications.

Mere weeks after graduating from CCPA, the pandemic began. I moved back to Calgary, which turned out to be the biggest blessing life could have brought me, for numerous reasons. Online, I began a specialized program at Capilano University where I wrapped up a Bachelor of Performing Arts in one year. 

While studying at CCPA and Capilano University, I was inspired by the dedicated educators and arts leaders who made space for artists to thrive, and whose work created opportunities for others. This inspiration led me to pursue a Certificate in Business Administration from Bow Valley College, enabling me to bridge my artistic practice with impactful administrative work. This program was delivered online, and was asynchronous. This meant I could complete my courses independently and at my own pace, while I pursued the beginning of my career as an actor.

My academic career evolved greatly over time and took me six years in total. Since then, I have also completed the Rozsa Foundation’s Administrative Fundamentals Training (RAFT) program and the Rozsa Arts Management Program (RAMP), both of which deepened my understanding of arts management, community engagement, and sector sustainability. I am always seeking further education and I enjoy learning new skills that will enhance my multi-faceted career.

Amidst rehearsing for plays, performing at gigs, and creating original work with my friends, in 2023 I began at Vertigo Theatre as the Fund Development Coordinator. What did that mean? I had no clue, but I was excited to learn more about arts administration at a company whose shows I dreamed of being in. Fundraising wasn’t a path I saw myself taking. I thought I would end up in the marketing, education, or outreach departments at a theatre company, but I see now that fundraising for the arts can be a healthy dose of all three.

Currently, two years into my role at Vertigo, I have a greater understanding of fundraising, fund development, and what an important role the arts play in our culture, and just how underfunded this vital sector is. I oversee and execute fundraising programs such as raffles, year-end campaigns, and online auctions. I plan fundraising events where I have the opportunity to connect with other artists as well as arts supporters in the city. I’m the gal who sends out every tax receipt and thank you email. I’m proud that my work in the office helps artists and technicians in their craft, and that they can pay their bills at the same time.

Whether I’m on stage or behind the scenes, I’m passionate about building vibrant, inclusive spaces for artists and audiences alike. I see the future of my career dancing between being a performer and an administrator. I am continuing to pursue my artistic career alongside my day job. I audition for professional companies, and act and create with indie and community companies. I fell away from writing for a few years, though I’ve always continued with my journaling. Recently, I’ve come back to creative writing through a mentorship with the Alberta Playwright’s Network. With the help of a mentor, I’ve challenged my own internal fears about creating written work, and I can proudly call myself a playwright again and am currently writing several new works.

I also create and produce original work with my friends for our own little indie theatre company called Third Draft Theatre, where we write and produce the stories we want to tell and grow the skills we want to master. With Third Draft Theatre, I’ve found a community of friends who remind me of my high school days, where I learned the joy of creating art.

Some of my favourite roles I’ve been grateful to play these past few years have been Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (The Shakespeare Company), Mary in Mary’s Wedding (Third Draft Theatre), and Shelby in Steel Magnolias (Morpheus Theatre). Coming up, I’m excited to be playing Clarissa in Agatha Christie’s Spider’s Web (Workshop Theatre, performing at the Pumphouse Theatre October 17-25, 2025.

These days, I don’t pursue musical theatre as much as I thought I would when I began my post-secondary training. However, singing and dancing have proved to be useful skills, and have taken my dreams to new places. My dreams for the future are constantly evolving, but name a few: I dream of being a jazz singer with a live band, hosting my own CKUA radio show, and being a wedding officiant, in addition to being a professional actor and playwright who works across Canada.

So, I’m an actor… and what else? Currently: a singer, dancer, fundraiser, playwright, producer, puppeteer, human statue, stilt walker, graphic designer, social media manager, and (if needed) a costumer, prop maker, and a lover of the hot glue gun. 

I’ve also been a birthday party princess, bartender, drama teacher, barista, front-of-house manager, fairy, model, sculpture instructor, set painter, and even a care aid.

So, you want to be an actor… what else?

This statement is a gift. It means that, as an artist, you cannot be described as one thing. You will not have a prescribed life or pathway. You will have limitless opportunities and multiple careers. 

No, acting likely won’t pay your bills every month for the rest of your life. But if you enjoy it, it will fill your cup until it overflows. And now and then you can pay your bills with art. 

It’s easy to hold your dream in a clutched fist: “I’ll succeed as an artist even if it breaks me!”

Inspired by books such as Big Magic and The Artist’s Way, I strive to live a creative life. If acting doesn’t work out for me and I come to a point where I have to pivot, I won’t be heartbroken and abandon creativity. To me, being an artist is to live every day with a creative mindset, present-ness, and to be always seeking the heart of yourself: your inner child and the part of you that knows how to create without bounds or limits. You don’t have to be paid for your art to live a creative life.

There is no prescription or clear path to be an artist. This is not a speech to say “never give up”; it is to say “always be curious”. If curiosity leads you deeper into your art form, then yes, keep going! If curiosity takes you somewhere else, maybe a place that you didn’t expect, also keep going! In curiosity, you will find determined courage and joy. Art should bring you joy, not turmoil. Simply to be an artist, all you have to do is assert yourself as one.

The last thing I’ll ask you is, in the words of Mary Oliver: “What will you do with this one wild and precious life?”

My practical advice is:

I highly recommend online, asynchronous learning to anyone who wants to take one or two years to learn highly employable skills. My Business Administration Certificate is a perfect complement to my Diplomas and Bachelors in Performing Arts, and together they opened up more doors than either path could have done on their own.

And if you are a lover of the performing arts, but feel a calling towards a different (and arguably more “stable”) industry, I say go. The arts will always be here for you, whether you join the cast of community theatre production of your favourite musical, spend the weekends karaoke-ing with your friends, or even if you continue to participate as an audience member.

If you are a young artist looking to learn more about this wild and beautiful journey, I’d recommend:

• The Actor’s Life: A Survival Guide by Jenna Fischer
• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
• The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron