Extreme shyness is something that Jurupa Valley actress Camryn Hamm has struggled with her entire life, especially when she was a child. In those early years, she was terrified of doing presentations in class.
“My mom knew that my biggest fear with regard to public speaking, as is true for a lot of kids, was being laughed at,” said Hamm, who is now 21. “So we worked together to turn my fear into something enjoyable.”
Hamm’s mother helped her write intentionally humorous presentations, knowing that having people laugh with her and not at her would build confidence.
“We came up with all sorts of fun and quirky characters,” Hamm said. “I started looking forward to every chance I had to get up in front of an audience and transform into someone else. When I was taking on a role, I got the opportunity to separate myself from my nerves and become a different person. Ever since then, I’ve been addicted.”
It didn’t hurt that both of Hamm’s parents were performers.
“My sisters and I wanted to emulate them even from the time we were little,” she said. “Growing up, my sisters and I were constantly writing little plays, using a variety of accents in our conversations and singing together during car rides.”
Hamm performed in every musical she could while attending Rancho Cucamonga High School. She was named one of the valedictorians for her recent graduation from Cal Poly Pomona, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies.
In February, Hamm played Ariel in Off Broadway Corona Theater’s production of “Disney’s The Little Mermaid.” It is a part she counts among her favorite theatrical experiences.
“I have always loved the music from the show and Ariel was my favorite princess growing up,” she said. “Getting to play that character on stage while working alongside such kind and talented performers was an absolute dream come true.”
For nine months in 2018, Hamm played Shauna Nelson on the CBS daytime series “The Young and the Restless.” In the show, her character experienced the loss of a mentor who had become a mother-figure.
“Getting to illustrate that grief, as well as the little moments of joy the character found along the journey of that grieving process was a challenging and transformative experience,” Hamm said.
Hamm also works as a princess for a local character company and loves bringing magic to a child’s special day.
“It is so rewarding to contribute to a child’s sense of importance and assist their loved ones in creating a lasting memory,” she said.
Although the specific performance dates are yet to be determined due to the coronavirus pandemic, Hamm was recently cast as Mabel in Off Broadway Corona Theater’s production of “The Pirates of Penzance.”
In the future, Hamm would like to perform full time on stage or screen. She would also like to earn a master’s degree in social sciences and comparative education and work to develop educational programs that increase equity among various cultural and socioeconomic groups. Over the past two years of her undergraduate degree, Hamm participated in a fellowship project in which she conducted research on food insecurity in Pomona and worked to increase food access for low-income residents.
“I learned so much from this experience,” she said. “It has really dictated the course of my higher education pursuits and outlined how I might really effectively be able to help people in the future.”
Patrick Brien is executive director of the Riverside Arts Council
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July 31, 2020 at 03:00AM
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Jurupa Valley actress, 21, overcame shyness and now loves the stage - Press-Enterprise
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