Jeniel Smith – A Star in the Making | Chocolate City: The Best African American Blog

Jeniel Smith – A Star in the Making

Jeniel Smith

It has long been debated as to who leaves the more lasting impression, the creative artist or the performing artist. I suspect that Jeniel Smith does not concern herself with that debate simply because she is naturally gifted in both arenas. She sings, and performs in dramas and musicals around the city of Chicago. She is currently working on her first demo of her own music and is shopping around for a music label.

When she is not busy running to rehearsals or actively engaging with students in her professional role as a Counseling Specialist for the Upward Bound Program at Malcolm X College . Jeniel Smith is a Chicago-based, actress and songwriter. She is not only artistically talented, but also has an impeccable professional resume. She has an AAS in Mortuary Science from Malcolm X College in Chicago , a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Care Leadership, a Master of Education in Adult Continuing and Literacy Education from National Louis University respectively.

Jeniel is a unique and sparkling performer whose natural ability and instinct

From left to right: Jeniel M. Smith, Alexis J. Rogers, Paulett Bruce, Dionne Warwick, and Carrie.

allows her to command attention in both the music and theater worlds alike. Jeniel is truly a driven young lady. She has a dream, and is actually striving to accomplish it. Some people have dreams, but they only talk about them. Jeniel has always desired to pursue singing professionally and hasn’t allowed the fact that she has had no prior formal training discourage her. She was introduced to the theater after responding to a casting call by ETA Creative Arts Foundation Artistic Director Mr. Runako Jahi. ETA Creative Arts Foundation is among Chicago’s most productive African American institutions dedicated to the performing arts.

Mr. Jahi is well known for his sixth sense of instantly recognizing unpolished diamonds and bringing the best out of them. He is an award-winning director, playwright and actor who has appeared in numerous productions throughout the Midwest, in addition to the New Federal Theater in New York. He is said to have coached the likes of Golden Globe Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated actress Jennifer Hudson.