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*Extended Biography Below*

 

MEKA KING is an ACTOR/RECORDING ARTIST/WORSHIP LEADER/AUTHOR from Central Florida with an accomplished 20 year career. Meka has toured the globe, sharing her gift and ministry in 6 continents. She has appeared in highly acclaimed productions for Cirque Du Soleil, Walt Disney World and Universal Studios. She’s also appeared, as a principal performer, in popular productions of the Broadway musicals: The Color Purple, After Midnight, Little Shop of Horrors and Ain't Misbehavin'. Meka has recorded two solo CD projects and a Live DVD of original music. She can be seen in national and regional advertisements on television and online. As an advocate for racial justice and diversity, equity and inclusion in the arts and entertainment, Meka founded the Central Florida Entertainment Advocacy. She was nominated for Actors’ Equity Association’s Paul Robeson Award for outstanding humanitarian efforts. She is also the Founder of Kingdom Ministries, a non-profit community outreach organization. Meka attended Northwestern University’s prestigious Medill School of Journalism and has studied acting and performance with some of the industry's top coaches. Additionally, she is a Voice Over Talent with extensive creative writing and production experience. While advancing in her craft and career is a goal, Meka's overall dream is to make an indelible mark on the world around her in a positive and impactful way.

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Read below for a closer look at Meka King's professional journey...

 

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EXTENDED BIOGRAPHY

 

The place where you can bare your soul and share your heart…that place is home.  From the time that I picked up my first microphone at 4-years-old, I knew that the stage was exactly where I belonged…

 

Meka King would watch a single tear roll down her grandmother’s cheek every time Amazing Grace was sung in church.  This is where her musical journey began.  This is when the desire to impact people with her voice was formed. This set the stage for what would become her passion and her greatest gift.

 

Meka has always been “a little ham!” She enjoyed putting on shows for her family and being the center of attention. But it wasn’t until college at Northwestern University in Chicago, that she got her first taste of the theatre.  She was featured in Fats Waller’s Musical Revue, “ Ain’t Misbehavin’.” The original show director’s wife saw the production and had great accolades for Meka and her cast. She said they were the closest to the original Broadway version that she had ever seen and that her late husband would be so proud!  That’s when the Theatre Bug took a bite right out of Meka’s heart! She returned home to Orlando, FL, upon graduating, and became a local Drama Director. She co-wrote an original adaptation of “The Wizard of Oz,” called “Elohim.” The musical debuted at Orlando’s Historic Plaza Theatre and Meka starred as Dorothy.  It received rave reviews and pushed Meka to further her career.

 

She started by making a mark in her hometown.  She was cast in The Blues Brother’s Live as Aretha Franklin’s character, Mabel at Universal Studios.  The very next year Meka was chosen to tour with International Praise and Worship Leader, Ron Kenoly.  She toured the globe as a featured and background singer for 2 years sharing her gift with people from England to Africa, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Korea, Canada, the Caribbean and right here in the USA. 

 

After touring, one of Meka’s lifelong dreams came true!  She became a featured singer for The Walt Disney Company! Meka played the role of the Princess, Kibibi, in Disney’s Festival of the Lion King.  She was also cast in American Vybe, Jungle Book Alive with Magic and a host of other amazing Disney productions.  Her career with Disney has spanned over 17 years! Meka’s dreams didn’t stop there! She went on to portray the role of the Princess in Cirque Du Soleil’s highly acclaimed, La Nouba. Known for it’s intricate, complex vocals and mystery language, the contemporary circus show is definitely one of the highlights of her career! 

 

Meka devoted time to recording as a solo artist. She co-wrote and co-produced her Debut and Sophomore albums, “Count It All Joy” and “Believe: The Live Recording.” The albums have brought encouragement and hope to many, while leading Meka to share her music internationally.  After recording, the Theatre Bug struck once again.  This time around, Meka has worked with some of Broadway’s best and brightest! She opened Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees at Universal Studios. The Broadway style, Harry Potter themed show was directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes. He also choreographed Broadway’s Cinderella, First Date, It Shouda Been You and Bright Star.  The writers of the show, Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner (Broadway’s First Date), were so pleased with Meka’s performance, that they made her the official character voice of Celestina Warbeck! Meka’s voice is featured on Warner Brother’s releases for the show as well as on the official Harry Potter website, Pottermore.com.

 

To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the major motion picture, The Lion King, Disney produced a multi-media tribute show. Meka opened Harambe’ Nights and worked alongside acclaimed Broadway Producer, Director, Choreographer and Tony Award Winner, Warren Adams.  Adams choreographed Broadway’s Motown show and Produced and Directed Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which featured sensation, Neil Patrick Harris. Meka also opened American Music Machine, a 5-person a cappella group that is taking the genre by storm, at Disney’s Epcot.  The show was composed and arranged by renowned Hollywood Composer, Musical Director and Vocal Arranger, Tim Davis. Davis is the vocal mastermind behind the a cappella arrangements and vocals for the hit TV show, GLEE. 

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Most recently, Meka helped make immersive theatre history working with creatives from Lucas Films to develop the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser. This innovative endeavor allowed her to explore a world that combines her craft as an actor, singer and public personality all at once. The character GAYA is all of these things wrapped up in a Galactic Superstar. Directed by Mikhael Tara Garver, a pioneer in immersive theatre, the project has redefined how theatre and interaction coincide. Meka also premiered as SHUG AVERY in the Phoenix Theatre Company's production of The Color Purple. This is a bucket list show for Meka and getting to tell this iconic story based on the novel by Alice Walker, is a dream. Following in the footsteps of her friends Elisabeth Withers and Heather Headley, Meka is thrilled to portray this troubled but lovable songstress and diva!

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In addition to spreading her wings onstage, Meka has also taken on the task of bettering the theatre community and world around her. An advocate for racial justice on and off stage, Meka founded the Central Florida Entertainment Advocacy (www.cfeanow.org). Within 1 year of it's inception, CFEA has made an indelible mark, raising awareness for allies and creating advancement opportunities for Black Industry Professionals. In recognition of her work, Meka was nominated for the Actors' Equity Association's Paul Robeson Award for outstanding humanitarian efforts. The prestigious award has been received by legends Lena Horne, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Harry Belafonte, Sydney Poitier, Maya Angelou, Judith Jamison and James Earl Jones.

 

Meka King’s musical journey has taken her from the church to the theatre, from national and international live stages to recording studios, from pursuing her own dreams and goals, to advocating and fighting for the dreams and rights of others. What started as a little girl’s small desire to impact listeners with her voice, has grown into a calling…a calling to share the gift of music with the world. This journey has taken her far and wide. But no matter the “stage,” it’s always right where she belongs, doing what she adores…baring her soul, captivating audiences, creating lasting memories, touching hearts and lives. This is Meka’s gift…