A full-time actor and improviser, Earnest, named the Fitton Stage Academy program manager in 2025, works with the drama departments at both Milford and Moeller high schools in Cincinnati. She has previously worked with Madcap Puppets, Cincinnati Young People’s Theatre and the School of Creative and Performing Arts, among others. Earnest is also a member of the improv troupe Two Sketchy Dames with Alison Rampa.
She received a musical theater degree from Ohio Northern University.
Earnest hails from Enon and has toured as a theatrical performer and enjoys improv.
“I got interested in theater, because I had a really wonderful choir teacher, and an amazing theater arts teacher in school,” Earnest said. “I realized that I enjoyed collaborative work and making people laugh, so I decided to make that my career.”
Shows at the Covedale Center for the Performing Arts with Cincinnati Landmark Productions first brought her to the area.
“They were doing a couple of shows that I was really interested in, so I auditioned, got into the shows. For a while, I was commuting, and then, I decided Cincinnati was a good location for me. I met my eventual husband, so that worked out well,” Earnest said.
“I gained more experience and started networking in Cincinnati. I noticed there was a need for theater educators, coaches and facilitators. My passion is improv for building communication skills, and I do a lot of work in that area all over the city.”
Earnest has worked with theater educators from across the city and they have collaborated on directing shows, and creating workshops on clowning, physical comedy and other theater arts skills.
“I have done all types of theater. I have created one-woman shows. I have developed pieces that went to the editor of the Fringe Festival. I have worked on improv, and created improv formats that we have performed all over,” Earnest said.
At Fitton Stage Academy, she enjoys being able to help create an academy “from the ground up.”
“We have the experience of so many professionals in different venues and areas, coming together, saying, what are the strengths each of us have? And what have we learned from our experiences?
“How can we best teach these fundamentals to kids? The whole team at the Fitton Center is excited about Fitton Stage Academy and what we bring to the community,” she said.
“The focus for us is more of an all-around focus on the craft of theater. So, kids will learn about being on stage, the production side of things and what goes into a show. We really invite kids and their parents to find out more about Fitton Stage Academy and explore if theater is something they want to do,” Earnest said.
MORE DETAILS
Fitton Stage Academy will present two performances of its inaugural production “Finding Nemo Kids” at 7 p.m. Feb. 6 and 2 p.m. Feb. 7. Rehearsals for the show began on Jan. 10. For more info and to purchase tickets, visit fittoncenter.org.
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