Person Biography:
Trisha Simmons hails from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where big, loud, and funny is a way of life. Born and raised in this blue-collar town, Trisha's sturdy personality was shaped by the city's resilient residents and the Steelers' fan culture. She is a devoted Steelers fan, hosting "The Steelers Dish With Trish" on YouTube and dedicating her car and a room in her home to the football team.
Trisha's lifelong addiction to the Performing Arts began with weekly trips to the Senior Center, where she and her mom volunteered to do nails and hair for the women who lived there. The stories they shared with her sparked her imagination and spirit. A gifted theatre ticket to see "Charlie's Aunt" at Heinz Hall sealed her lifelong career in performing, teaching, writing, and inspirational speaking.
Mentored by the inspirational Zig Ziglar, Trisha has traveled the globe as a motivational speaker, working with companies such as Blue Cross, Coleman, ORT, Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, and Renault. She has also worked as an actress, dedicating her life to the study, use, and sharing of the skills she acquired at LAMDA, PPC, ACMT, KT, and from her coach, Stella Adler.
Trisha's education has taken her to England, China, Japan, and Thailand, where she lived, learned, and taught at institutions such as UCLA, Pepperdine, CAPA, and The Beijing Center. She has also taught at UCLA, Pepperdine, CAPA, and The Beijing Center.
As a mentor and coach, Trisha has been featured in publications such as The New York Times Sunday Magazine, Elle, and Backstage West. She has also appeared on TV shows like The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, TBN, Pittsburgh Today, CBS, and independent stations across the country.
As a writer, Trisha has written several books on acting and during the pandemic, wrote and voiced over twenty children's books. She has established The Simmons Scholarship Fund at Point Park University to provide assistance to young talents pursuing their artistic passions.
Trisha's work as a sketch writer has been performed on shows for Nickelodeon and Disney, as well as venues like The Improv, The Laugh Factory, and The Comedy Store. She wrote, directed, and produced the series "The Funniest Kids In Town" for her LAKidsAct students, featuring many of today's premiere young talents.
Trisha's books, "One Woman's Treasure" and "Dash Across America," laid the groundwork for her upcoming memoir. She is a dog lover and advocate, with fur babies in her life since childhood. Her youngest, Miss Daisy Mae, often joins her on camera, invited or not.
Scripts include the MOW, "Always a Mother" and "Jenn's Place," a produced pilot that featured the musical talents of a young Aaron Carter.
Throughout her life, Trisha has continued to fuel her passion for performing, coaching, and writing, living in the space of perception and curiosity.
