Spotlight on Markia Nicole Smith: From Camper to Choreographer, Baltimore to New York City!
Markia Nicole Smith was first introduced to the Hippodrome Foundation (HFI) when her 6th grade class from Francis Scott Key Middle School was invited to participate in an HFI educational program around Phantom of the Opera. She and her classmates attended the show and Markia was immediately fascinated with Broadway. She signed up for Camp Hippodrome right away and joined as a camper in 2010.
When camp started, it immediately became apparent to the counselors that Markia had incredible talent, and they were excited for her to shine as such a young person on the Hippodrome Theatre stage. By participating in Camp Hippodrome, Markia realized that her voice was a very special gift. She went on to attend the Baltimore School for the Arts and then Point Park University in Pittsburgh, earning a BFA in acting.
Markia credits her first year of Camp Hippodrome as a pivotal moment in her decision to become an artist. She has since been an important contributor to the success of Camp Hippodrome. Markia was a camper for two years, then served as a camp counselor for the next five years (all Camp Hippodrome counselors are previous campers!). Since 2019, Markia has served as HFI’s Camp Hippodrome Choreographer, designing choreography for the entire program and working directly with campers to teach them the movements.
The entire Hippodrome family is proud to have played a role in Markia’s development. She is now a multi-hyphenated performer, working as both an actor and teaching artist in New York City. She has spent her post-graduate life performing regionally and in New York, with occasional visits to Baltimore to assist HFI with creating opportunities for Maryland youth. Professionally, Markia has been involved in developing several new works including three Theatre for Young Audiences shows with TheatreWorksUSA. She is auditioning for several Broadway shows and remains committed to pursuing a career as an actor and serving as a teaching artist.
Markia has been both a beneficiary of and a contributor to HFI’s education and outreach programs. She has made a difference for thousands of Maryland young people, encouraging them to do their best and to make the arts a part of their lives. We are grateful to Markia for helping to inspire Maryland children and we look forward to working with her — and watching her on stage — for years to come!
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