Here’s more about me:

I was, am, obsessed with Mulan. I mean, she is fierce, and a trailblazer. She was also the only Asian heroine I could look up to as a kid, so when I was 5, watching her infamous hair cutting scene, I...took a pair of kid-friendly scissors and chopped my hair off. Disappointed that my hair didn’t slide off like Mulan’s did, I picked up the hair, tossed it into the trash can, covered it with a single tissue, and threw on a baseball cap, certain that my mom wouldn’t find out. She did.

I spent my early years in Chicago, and the latter half in Taiwan. The suburb where I spent my memorable childhood was predominantly white, but every Sunday I would go to “Chinese School” to learn Mandarin with fellow second-generation Taiwanese Americans. I was super proud to be Taiwanese. I was top of my class, eventually skipped two grades, played drums for the dragon dance team, knew some sweet tricks on the diablo, and even dabbled in Chinese folk dance. When we moved to Taiwan, I was so excited to be surrounded by people who actually looked like me. Much to my dismay, my enthusiasm was met with a plethora of creative names and actions, even from faculty, to show their dislike for people like me. I looked like them but I spoke with an accent, I raised my hand too much, I walked differently, danced and sang differently... bigger. People didn’t like that. It’s sad, Asian Americans always get asked, “But where are you from?”. And when I moved to that “from”, I felt like an outsider.

So, I made it my mission to reach past people’s expectations of who I am because I am Taiwanese, or American, or a woman. I look skinny, but I can carry a keg (and also am not a lightweight, on that note). I am all about work, but am also always down for games. Board games, video games, kick the can, you name it. Or a movie marathon in onesies, with some hot toddies or sangrias that I’ll make for you, let’s go! I can be “too nice”, but I get the job done, and I stand up for the things and people I care about. I have nice things, but also wear things from when I was in middle, even elementary, school. Although it should be noted, we thought I’d grow up to be much taller than I turned out to be, so we bought a lot of things oversized that are presently...still oversized. Half smile emoji. I like wearing heels, I mean I do have to dance in them for a living, but am also ready to climb a ladder and hang stage lights in my heels. Do not try at home. (Really, they were closed toed, very supportive, very grippy, and I was super cautious, I swear)

Taiwanese-American, woman, cute, small, young. They’re all great words, and I’m proud to be them. Though I also like associating myself with words like loyal, strong, intelligent, reliable, goofy, resourceful, curious, fan-of-soft-fluffy-things.

That is all part of why I am in theater. To explore all the possibilities of characters that I can be. I hope that the characters I play might someday be the Mulan to others that she was to me (minus the tragic haircut).

With love,

Carrie Mo

P.S. Aside from performing, I am also a dedicated educator (primarily ESL and musical theater dance) and a skilled translator (CH-EN). If you would like to learn more about my work in those areas, feel free to contact me! 

P.S.S. I really really like candles.