The life of Tonya Pinkins is inspirational. Her journey filled with triumph and turmoil. Tonya became a star of stage, television and film. Ms. Pinkins is an actress, scribe, song stress and instructor. A woman abused in her first marriage, Tonya is a mother of four boys aged 17, 14, 8 and 5; Tonya represented herself in a custody battle where she successfully removed a chauvinistic judge from the case. She is a Recipient of TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), two short years ago. TANF is new terminology for welfare or public assistance. Regardless of Tonya’s brief circumstances she found strength, hope and faith to deflate what some women become a victim for life. Currently, Tonya is working on several projects and proving beyond a shadow of doubt to begin life in a positive manner.

Tonya believes in positivity and has taken her life back into her hands by overcoming the obstacles set in her path. Ms. Pinkins is working on a book entitled GET OVER YOURSELF due for release in Fall 2005. She is collaborating on an album entitled My Shinning Hour, which celebrates the 99th anniversary of composer Harold Arlen whom scribed brilliant classics such as Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Stormy Weather and Paper Moon. She instructs a workshop Tonya Pinkins: The Actorpreneur Attitude. Recently, Tonya is credited as the star of Tony Kushner’s Angels in America, the critically acclaimed musical Broadway hit Caroline, or Change and nominated as best Actress for another Tony Award in 2004. Tonya landed a contract role on All My Children when reprising the character Livia Frye Cudahy a spitfire attorney in late 2003. In early 2004, Oprah Winfrey named her one of the Ten Women Who Will Take Your Breath Away, in an edition of O Magazine, the first annual Chutzpah Awards.

Tonya Pinkins is a native of Chicago, Illinois born to parents who serve the public. Her mother, a postal worker and currently CTA driver, and her father served in law enforcement as a police officer and insurance salesman. Tonya realized her potential as a star in high school and began to study acting at the Goodman Theatre Young People’s Program. She relocated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to focus on theatre, music and dance as her course of study at the Carnegie Mellon University. Tonya landed a role in Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along and decided to follow her dream of becoming an actress by moving to New York. -Adrienne