BASIC
Togba Norris
Actor
in Woodhaven, New York, United States
Originally from the West African coastal country of Liberia, Togba Norris and his family immigrated to the US as political refugees when he was 5 years old, and was raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Like most school kids, he was a part of the class plays. It wasn't until a chance and humbling encounter, during his high school freshman orientation, did his life's journey really begin. Upon being heckled by Mr. Norris, one of his teacher's publicly dare him to "put his money wh... Moreere his mouth was" and audition for the school musical. Little did he know, at the time, taking up the dare would put him on a short list of young actors to work with in Minnesota five years later.
Fast forward five years, Togba has embarked on a professional career as a Minneapolis stage actor and Hip Hop dancer, working The Mixed Blood Theatre and Illusion Theatre Company. Togba's performance as "Jahmal Purdy" in Illusion's production of Always and Forever garnered him critical acclaim, and brought to Illusion Theatre record breaking ticket sales and revenue and propelled Togba onto the stages of every major theatre in the Minneapolis/ St. Paul (Twin Cities Metro area), including the famed Guthrie Theatre main stage and experimental lab theatres. Togba's introduction to The Guthrie was under the direction' of Broadway, Tony, and international award winning theatre directors Bartlett Sher, Joe Dowling, Gary Gissellman, and Sari Ketter, he's also played a principle role in Nigerian playwright Femi Osofisun's production of Many Colors Make the Thunder-King. Mr. Norris has continued his love affair with the theatre by appearing in Mary Lou Newmark and Zebulon Project's West Coast premier of Street Angel Diaries at The Theatre @ Boston Court in Pasadena under the direction of Darin Anthony. He's also gotten involved with Noah Wyle & Daniel Henning''s Blank Theatre Company in Los Angeles. Norris has studied with Sam Christensen, Todd Rohrbacher, Dallas Tavers, Stuart Stone, and Idalis De Leon.
Togba's dedication, ferocity and talent have not been regimented to just the stage. He is based in New York City, but works and travels bi-coastally between NYC & LA. He has appeared in numerous regional and national commercials, industrial videos, and print ads for Best Buy, Coca-Cola, Great Clips, Houlihan's Restaurant chains, Old Chicago Restaurant, The Learning Company, Wilson's Leather , Dayton Hudson/ Marshall Field's, Target, Mervyn's, Wells Fargo, and Northwest Airlines.
Togba can be seen as Merrek Vaughn in Never Fear Studio's End Result: The Web Series, as Michael in Oracle Releasing and Solace Soleil film Apart, written and directed by Afdhere Jama, as Marrion in Faggot, written, produced, and directed by Kenneth Brown, Jr at the 21st Annual Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, as the S.O.L.A. Group Leader in Eric Gerbers Feature film Pester, and as The Presenter in Sound Waves, a film by Thomas Personeni. Less
Physical details
Special skills
Dance:
African, Ballroom, Break Dance, Hip-Hop, Improvisational, Jazz, Salsa, Swing, Square Dance, Tango
Singing:
Choral / Choir, Folk, Gospel, Musical Theatre, R & B / Blues, Rock / Pop
Sports:
Bicycling, Fencing, Frisbee, Jump Rope, Pilates, Roller Skating, Rollerblading, Yoga, Fishing
Language:
English, Spanish
Accents:
African, American Southern, Australian, Cockney, Irish, Jamaican, Middle Eastern, Minnesota, New England / Boston, New York City, Scottish, South African, Standard American, Standard British
Additional:
Billiards, Bullwhip, Contortionist, Cue Cards, Dubbing, Ear Prompter, Firearms, Hosting, Improvisation, Jump Rope, Looping, Stage Combat, Teleprompter, Voice Characterizations, Yo Yo
Film
Michael
Solice Soliel Prod./ Oracle Releasing
Merrek Vaughn
Never Fear Studios
Costarring
Regions Hospital Productions
Austin Billings (interactive Cd-rom)
The Learning Company
Host (industrial Training Video)
Wilson's Leather Company
Host (industrial Training Video)
Tabbet/ Berry Studio
Music Video
Shoe Store Attendant
Ethan Lader
Theatre
Mute Homeless Man
Darin Anthony
Porter/ Ant/ Egret
Bartlett Sher
Lead/ Eti Schlomo
Micheal Kissen
Co-star/ Woody
Mixed Blood Theatre
Co-star/ Peter
Jack Rueler
Supporting/ Keith
Richard D. Thompson
Co-star/ Jahmal Purdy
Richard D. Thompson
Commercials