Courtney is a Portland, Oregon native, where she first fell in love with the “wicked” stage at age 3, performing as a “munchkin” in a local production of The Wizard of Oz. She began taking dance lessons and became obsessed with musicals, new and old. One of her most vivid childhood memories was seeing “Annie Get Your Gun” at the local high school, and then reenacting it behind the closed doors of her bedroom over and over and over. She was equally delighted when the national tour of “Cats” came through Portland and she barely sat through the entire thing. When the Rumtumtugger came out into the audience, she thought her head might explode. Nothing in her young life had been more exciting than that moment. She began studying voice and piano soon after, as well as continuing her dance training.
Courtney performed in plays and musicals throughout high school and quickly decided she would continue her training into college. She graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Theater Arts and also had the wonderful opportunity to spend a semester at NYU’s Tisch School of The Arts studying Musical Theatre at CAP21.
After college, she began performing professionally in local and regional theatre around the Pacific Northwest. Shortly after graduating, she was hired as an Entertainer for the American Steamboat Company, where she would cruise up and down the Columbia River for weeks at a time, singing some of the greatest music of the 20th century. It was aboard the Queen of The West riverboat, where she discovered her love for all different styles of music. Courtney had always loved showtunes, but she grew to love the beauty of the “American Standard” as well as jazz and blues. As soon as she “jumped ship” Courtney decided to try her hand at cabaret. Her first cabaret, “Lineage: A Celebration of Great Songwriting” was performed at Wilf’s Piano Bar with Reece Marshburn, and she was hooked.
Courtney has since moved to Chicago to follow her dreams as an actress and musician. She is recording her first album, “Happy Little Bluebird: The Music of Harold Arlen” in October, 2009. She has also conceived and written a John Hughes-inspired 80’s show called “I’ll Stop The World and Belt With You” which premiered at Davenport’s in Chicago and extended at Theatre Building Chicago in August, 2009.
She has been seen singing several different styles of music at The Town Club, Waverly Country Club, The Racquet Club, Tony Starlight’s Supper Club, Washington Park, Portland Center Stage, and in Chicago at Mary’s Attic, Uncommon Ground and Davenport’s Piano Bar.
Courtney could not be doing what she loves if it were not for the constant love and support of her family.
She finds daily inspiration from a Swedish Proverb her mother gave her that hangs in the kitchen:
“Those who wish to sing, always find a song.”
How true it is.