Born Irene Sevasti, Ereni [eeee reee knee] became the name to which I most responded. My father was born in Samos, Greece and my mother in Austin, Texas. (This commitment made for confusing plate-breaking line-dance parties!)

I was brought up in Washington, NJ, with 3 older siblings. Our household was filled with music. Although neither of my parents pursued music professionally, both my mother and father sang and played the guitar. My siblings were also musically talented although refused to pursue it as a career. Family gatherings almost always ended in the living room with guitars, microphones and music.

My first musical theater role was in the 8^th grade as the DIVA in Starmites. Hello, belt voice! And thank you!

Through high school, I continued to study music and voice. Although I would sing the belt roles at school, I studied classically with a teacher in Morristown, NJ. More on that later….

I graduated from Mason Gross School of the Arts from Rutgers University with a BM in vocal performance. Upon graduating, I landed the understudy for both Leisl and Louisa in The Sound of Music at the Papermill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ.

Soon thereafter, I was accepted into the Manhattan School of Music Summer Music Theater program with Paul Gemignani.

I stopped auditioning for two years to study with William Esper at the William Esper Studio. As well as studying an acting technique, I learned a great deal about repertoire, the voice and the actor, Shakespeare, TV/Film acting and so much more. I am grateful for the time I spent at the Esper Studio!

Literally the same year I graduated Esper, I landed the role of Lili in Carnival at the Kennedy Center directed by Robert Longbotton. This was an experience I will never forget!

When Carnival ended, I began working on Euripides’ The Bacchae directed by Joanne Akalaitis with original music by Philip Glass. The workshops began in 2007 and we performed it at the Delacorte in 2009 alongside the Esparza, Hathaway, McDonald, and Linklater production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

Currently, I am studying voice with Adrienne Angel and Dianna Heldman. I also teach voice and piano at the Guitar Bar in Hoboken, NJ and at Finger Power Music in Edgewater, NJ.