When you think of talented actors, writers, musicians and filmmakers, do you think of Eric Bolton? He may not be the first person to come to mind, but he is one of the most active people working creatively in Los Angeles. Born in the Los Angeles area, Eric Bolton is one of those rare southern California natives. As a high school student he was a member of the Young Americans, a world renowned company of singers and dancers. He worked with other young talented performers like Nia Peeples (Fame) and Marc Cherry (Desperate Housewives). He graduated from Arroyo High School in El Monte (class of 1980) and went on to graduate from Pasadena City College with an A.A. degree in Humanities and from Cal State Los Angeles with a B.A. degree (cum laude) in Theatre Arts (acting and directing). After a stint at Disneyland playing several of the world famous Disney characters (Pluto being his favorite), he went on to write and perform for the Captain K.I.D. child safety program for several years, educating and entertaining children in over 700 schools across the United States.
 
In the late 1980's, Eric met teacher, mentor and friend Sal Romeo and began taking scene study and T.V. / film acting classes. It was through his association with Sal (and several other inspiring theatre artists) that he became a co-founding member of the award-winning Friends and Artists Theatre Ensemble (F.A.T.E). Some say F.A.T.E., which was located on Vermont Avenue in Los Feliz (across from Marty and Elaine's popular Dresden Room), is the reason the east side of Hollywood is as hip as it is today! Well, that and a little film called Swingers. Some of the F.A.T.E. productions Eric was most proud to participate in were Marat Sade, Balm in Gilead, The Firebugs, Moonchildren, K.D. Dufford and as the star of the midnight cult classic, Late Nite with Barry Ivy. It was the character of Barry Ivy, the satirical talk show host that made Eric famous. From time to time, he is still recognized as Barry when shopping at the 7-Eleven on the corner of Franklin and Vermont. As Barry Ivy, Eric conducted interviews with Dustin Nguyen (21 Jump Street), Rob Stone (Mr. Belvedere), Courtney Gains (Children of the Corn) and Mike Gordon (Phish). In a later incarnation of the same character, Eric interviewed Christopher Hewitt (Mr. Belvedere), Michael Dorn (Star Trek) and Bernie Kopell (The Love Boat).
 
During his F.A.T.E. years, Eric took full advantage of his musical training (which included four summers during high school at Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts - now Idyllwild Arts) and wrote (with screenwriter Kevin Hincker) the music for a full-length musical called Ghost Dance. It was never produced, but does that really matter? He and Kevin also wrote a children's musical called Magic Leaves that toured some L.A.U.S.D. schools. Eric also wrote music for the children's theatre piece, Cracker Jack Day (book and lyrics by Jennie Kaplan-Fahn) which was honored by then Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley for promoting racial tolerance.
 
In addition to studying with Sal Romeo, Eric has taken classes at The Groundlings, Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute (New York) and Tepper-Gallegos (commercials).
 
If you watch television, you may have seen Eric on Murphy Brown and Melrose Place (alongside Marcia Cross), assuming you didn't blink. You would have had a better chance to notice him on Port Charles and a couple times on General Hospital. He's been in commercials for Time Warner Cable, 7-Up, and The Abstrap to name a few and has done radio announcing (KPCC) and voiceover work for Medsn.com.
 
Once, while advocating equal rights for people with disabilties, as part of a delegation to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Eric was present to hear Yasir Arafat give a speech. He has met and spoken with his heroes Stephen Sondheim, Ram Dass and the late Dr. Leo Buscaglia. He has shared ice cream with Shirley MacLaine.
 
Currently, Eric Bolton is co-producing a documentary with screenwriter / director Dennis Osborne and Control Freak Productions (executive produced by Jackie Autry) due out in early 2006. He lives in Burbank, California, teaches voice and piano part-time and keeps close ties with his family. For information about his You Sing Out Vocal Workshops, visit: http://www.myspace.com/yousingout