Meet Brentney Stephens Brian Boyd | Brentney J. & Brian L. Boyd | Founders/Artistic Directors/Performers

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brentney J. and Brian L. Boyd of M.A.D. Music Acting Dance Inc. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi M.A.D., what do you attribute your success to?
One reoccurring message that we hold dear to our hearts and our business is that all you have is all you need. Starting a business can be a scary and lonely journey at times. Even your closest friends and family may not initially see your vision. There are times where one person may show up to an event, and times where 100+ people may show up. Some posts may get no likes or comments, and some may go viral. There have been times when we only had $50 to make magic happen. There have been times when we were granted thousands of dollars to make an event successful. No matter what situation we find ourselves in, we work with what we have at the moment. We work the heck out of whatever that “thing” is with grace, passion, and professionalism. That one person that showed up at your event may be the one to take your company to the next level. Stretch that $50 budget to look like a high-budget project. No matter what people see, we are strong believers that God sees all. Whatever He blesses us with at the moment, we are grateful for and give our all. With this mindset, we have been able to grow, and outgrow our circumstances, and have been blessed with so much more.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

Brentney J. – I am a trained dancer. I started out at Eagles Landing Dance Center, under the direction of Vanessa Gibson. She really took me under her wing and introduced me to the dance scene in Atlanta. When I graduated college, I started working at Gotta Dance Atlanta, which was once one of the few premier professional Dance Studios in Atlanta. I was mentored by so many great instructors there, and eventually, I found my niche in Musical Theatre. I began to put a lot of focus into getting stronger as a singer and actress as well. This would help me to become a triple threat, and book more jobs. I found along my journey that being a dancer is not enough. I had to make sure that I let go of insecurities with singing and acting so that I can continue to walk in my purpose. Ever since I made the decision to fully commit to being a musical theatre performer, I have been able to thrive.

Brian L. Boyd – I became enlightened with the art of theatre my freshman year of college at FAMU. My friends knew that I could sing and wanted me to audition for a musical called “Smokey Joe’s Café” that the FAMU Essential Theatre was producing that season. I had no idea what I was doing but, I went in and auditioned for a role. I got a callback and had no clue there was a dance portion and at that point of my life, I did not dance well or move well for that matter. I didn’t get cast in the musical but I went and saw the production every night they were running the show! I was “bit by the bug” as most actors say and became truly inspired to know that being an artist could be my life’s work. In my junior year, I changed my major to Theatre Performance and never looked back. Initially, it was challenging learning new skills and trying to explain to my Jamaican mother what “theatre” is and have it become a “respectable career”. As time progressed, I found my footing in this field of artistry and my mother now loves to boast about her “big actor son”. It’s a wonderful journey! One major lesson I’ve learned is adaptability. The atmosphere may change around you all the time, but it is my job as an artist and a human being to navigate through this enigmatic artistic experience!

Our Brand – The M.A.D. mission is to educate, create, and inspire underserved communities and emerging artists through music, acting, and dance. What we have learned on our journey is that as a performer, we must keep growing, learning, and training in order to have longevity in this industry. This is why we pride our business on having active instructors who are closely connected to the industry. We want to constantly pour into our students, so when they are ready to become a part of this musical theatre world, they will have the tools necessary to excel in any audition room or role they find themselves in.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is an interesting question for us. When we are home, we like to hang out with friends and family and create experiences. We don’t go out much. However, if a friend was visiting for the week, we would definitely bring the good times to them. We create parties for any event, so that would be one of the first things to do. Invite friends and family over to celebrate the arrival of our best friend and create memories with food, stories, games, and good conversation. There are a lot of great parks in the Atlanta area, so we would definitely take our friend to have some one-on-one heartfelt conversation on a stroll at the park. We also love live music, so one evening we would have to find a spot to support some local talent and listen to some bands play.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe (Sarasota, FL): We met on a contract here in 2016, and have ever since grown to love each other, teach and learn from each other, and grow our business. They always help support all of our events with publicity, donations, and connections with other organizations.

We Entertain, LLC (Atlanta, GA): The founders Johnny and Chyna Lofton have taught us so much about the industry, how to write contracts, and conduct business professionally. No matter what M.A.D. is working on, they are always willing and available to donate their services to help our students, staff, and productions.

Eagles Landing Dance Center (Stockbridge, GA): The owner, Vanessa Gibson trained me (Brentney J.), and introduced me to the endless possibilities of the performing arts world. Through her M.A.D. gained so many healthy working relationships with dance studios, private schools, and organizations in the Metro-Atlanta area.

Our Parents: Frank & Nikki Stephens, and Daphne Moncrieffe. We have been blessed with parents who will help see our vision through even when they do not fully understand what the goal is. Not everyone has this, but our parents have provided so much for us, even in our grown age to make sure that we do not give up on our purpose.

Website: www.muscactingdance.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musicactingdance

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MusicActingDance

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaqNK7c3J8prt1SDndfbPWg