MAHOGHANY IN DIFFERENT STAGES ON DIFFERENT STAGES!!

Mahoghany Ayot Eerised, has worn more than a few hats creatively. She is an actress, playwright, dancer, director, film maker, hair stylist, make up artist, wardrobe stylist, poet and song writer. In fact her creative endeavors started before she could even talk. Long before she ever uttered her first word her grandmother said "Put that girl in something"...referencing performing no doubt.

At the tender age of 4, Mahoghany made her debut television appearance on a kids game show. "I remember the host of that show telling everyone to scream and cheer and I wanted to be the loudest of all so I screamed my heart out and I paid for it too. Throat was sore as ever. An over achiever even then. LOL." It wasn't until Mahoghany reached kindergarten that she took center stage for the first time and the rest as they say is history.

She acted and danced and wrote countless poems and picked up a few instruments too but never took to any of them despite trying for a while but says that she thinks the drums might be a great fit for her now. Only time will tell if that will prove true but one thing was certain, she had that IT factor. It was quite clear very early on that Mahoghany was simply a natural.

Amazingly, she was allowed to participate in most school programs but when she reached high school her parents explained that things would be different. She would have to prove that her grades would not suffer if she was allowed to participate in more school activities. So while in 9th grade she was not allowed to join any extra curricular activities but once in 10th grade it was business as usual, meaning back to the arts.

After graduating from high school Mahoghany chose not to attend college, rather she decided to jump right out there in the work force and started her career as a Licensed Cosmetologist, a license that was earned while she was still in high school. To this day, she maintains that she made the right decision for her life. She loved being a stylist. She enjoyed the money she earned and the lifestyle that this career afforded her.

She was presented with many opportunities as it pertains to hair styling and make up. She traveled to various cities meeting many people on her journey and was totally on cloud 9 for a while but admitted that something was missing. Mahoghany missed the stage. She missed performing in front of live audiences. It was a feeling that just wouldn't go away and she didn't want it to.

Mahoghany started to seek out performance opportunities via auditions in theatre and film. She remembers well her first experience on the set of a major motion picture as an extra...now referred to as "background talent". It was a cool experience and showed Mahoghany one major thing...she wanted so much more. That said, she took like a fish to water to auditions, booking gigs, performing her heart out and putting her soul into each and every performance. She met great people along the way, forged friendships and it was all quite rewarding but still she wanted more.

After the movie Love Jones hit the theatre, I think it's safe to say that lots of people in various cities begin to create poetry outlets and some went a step further creating poetry albums and Mahoghany definitely fit that bill. Mahoghany had time and space to get into the studio and record her very own poetry album titled "Heartfelt". "I love that album. It's me 100%...pure and honest, sensitive and edgy. I really love it...still."

In 2004, she was on yet another film set of a major motion picture and had this uneasy feeling of "Always a bridesmaid, never a Bride" except in this case it was "Always an extra never a Principle". Instead of having an "woe is me" attitude, Mahoghany's attitude was quite the opposite. She, right then and there decided to write, direct and produce her very own stage play and on August 14th of that same year her "baby" "Love, Laugh & Live to Create" took center stage.

"It was unbelievably wonderful. The cast, the crew, the support, the audience...it was like a dream.", Mahoghany recalls. In only 3 months, this stage play went from conception, to auditions held, to being written, to finally being performed. "Still makes me smile to this day! It showed me that as long as you keep going with the attitude that it will be done and it will be great...you can accomplish what others would call the impossible."

Since then, there's been no shortage of twist and turns, challenges and adjustments but Mahoghany is still going strong. After a great many sacrifices and relocating her life and belongings to the West Coast in pursuit of her dreams it was nothing short of a bumpy ride. You name it...home sick, loneliness, money woes and the beat goes on.

Many still don't know that Mahoghany would hold down a job on the East to live on the West. If that sounds confusing to you...you're on the right track. Yes, you heard right! She would fly back to the east coast and earn a substantial amount of money to keep herself afloat in pursuit of her dreams on the west coast. This went on for 2 years.

After feeling like she was doing nothing more than running in circles similar to a hamster wheel...Mahoghany left the West Coast behind and rejoined her existing artistic network and has been accomplishing great things ever since. On and off stages she has continued to make important contributions to her journey while positively impacting others with projects such as Beautiful Eclipse, a documentary on those who are proud of the color of their skin.

 Mahoghany also wrote/directed/produced a powerful stage play "Happiness For Survival", that speaks to the importance of sisterhood and friendship.

I don't know what's next for Mahoghany but I know it's going to be a wonderful surprise.