Alana J Smith is a transfeminine singer, costume designer, textiles artist, and electronic musician from Charlotte, North Carolina.
Alana completed her undergraduate studies at Furman University in Theatre Arts and Music in 2020. There, she studied vocal performance with Dr. Bruce Schoonmaker and Dr. Alison Trainer, and studied acting with Maegan Azar. At Furman, she received theatrical design and production training with Margaret Caterisano and Rhett Bryson. Alana’s undergraduate training offered countless opportunities for both performance and technical experience, quickly teaching students to produce quality work with great efficiency.
“They are a dedicated theatre student, an intentional performer, and a stellar costume designer. They are a scholar who enjoys investigating and studying many avenues of learning. Alana is in constant search for ways to add to their collection of knowledge.”
Maegan Azar, Furman Theatre Arts Chair & President of SETC
Alana in November 2021, photographed by Lyra Bradley
Reflections of Self, a devised performance
In 2018, Alana travelled to Arezzo, Italy to study at the Accademia dell’ Arte. There, Alana studied devising with Dory Sibley and Leigh Fondakowski, renowned playwright and head writer of The Laramie Project. This training was pivotal for Alana’s artistic aspirations in its profound effect on her approach to storytelling.
In Italy, Alana received voice lessons from soprano and early music specialist Jill Feldman, as well as coaching in Italian with pianist Marta Cencini. This focused, historically informed education in style and culture deepened Alana’s passion for exacting accuracy in performance.
„Ich leb’ allein in meinem Himmel, in meinem Lieben, in meinem Lied.“
Friedrich Rückert
My Artistic Philosophy
I look for inspiration in equal part to artists like Robert Wilson, Julie Taymor, SOPHIE, and Anne Bogart whose craft is centered on process and constantly evolving approaches to creation. Physical theatre, music, and dance have greatly expressive capacities, and I seek to use each of my skills to synthesize my work - even live sewing is a skill I want to perform. I strive to be a multi-faceted artist, constantly acquiring new skills to create new work and give renewed life to a familiar stories. Indeed, I strive to be not just a singer but a storyteller. From Homer to Shakespeare, bards and minstrels have enriched society with history, lessons, entertainment, and love. Consequently, I desire communal artistic experiences, where a multitude of voices sing with one voice to seek the transcendent.
2021, Alana performs as Rodisbe in Antonio Sartorio’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto under director Dennis Whitehead Darling and conductor Gary Thor Wedow
Where is Alana now…
In 2020, Alana continued her studies with Daniel Teadt at Carnegie Mellon University. Under his guidance, and with coaching from Dr. Jocelyn Dueck, Alana has continued to refine her musical and vocal abilities. In May 2021, Alana presented CMU’s first recital by a transfeminine singer, Love each Day and Night, comprised of Robert Schumann’s Frauenliebe und -leben and Dichterliebe as well as Francis Poulenc’s Tel jour, telle nuit. She completed her graduate studies in May 2022 with the recital, Fremde in Geheimnis: Artists in Exile. Alana now works as a full-time seamstress and has begun accepting sewing commissions from local drag performers, including soft boy and Pissy. She has also taken up djing under the moniker “maenad,” giving her debut performance at Spirit on Oct. 28, 2022.
