Sunday, Nov. 08, 2009

Show-biz mom: East St. Louis woman helps her son achieve his acting dream

Sheila Morrow quit college, put her life on hold and moved to Los Angeles 10 years ago to help her 18-year-old son make it in show business.

Edwin Morrow isn't a household name -- yet -- but he has appeared in movies, TV shows, commercials and stage plays and now is trying his hand at producing.

Sheila is back in East St. Louis, operating a new consulting business to help other parents prepare their children for careers in the entertainment industry.

"The most common mistake is that people will hurry up and try to find their way to California, and that's a no-no," said Sheila, 48. "(Children) should hone their craft here at home. They need to do research and get coaching and stage experience first."

Sheila worked seven years for two Los Angeles talent agencies before striking out on her own with Sheila A. Morrow Career Consulting. Her motto is, "Don't wait for your ship to come in. Swim to it."

She also has formed The Fam Group with Edwin, 28, of Los Angeles, and his sister, Erica Muhammad, 32, of East St. Louis.

Their first major project in St. Louis is a young actors and musicians exposition called "So ... You Wanna Be a Star!" on Saturday at the Millennium Hotel.

Panelists will include a casting director, acting coach, talent manager, writer-actor-director, choreographer, vocal instructor, photographer-creative director, attorney in entertainment law and even a credit consultant.

"(Parents) need to protect themselves," Sheila said, noting she saw many fall victim to scams in California. "You can spend a lot of money foolishly on the wrong things."

Or neglect to spend money on the right things. Sheila never regretted hiring a professional photographer to take Edwin's head shot, which she sent to about 150 people in the entertainment industry after arriving in Los Angeles.

The Morrows are big proponents of helping children become multitalented to give them an edge in a highly competitive market.

"A child can't just be an actor anymore," Erica said. "A child has to know how to sing, dance, do some gymnastics, whatever."

People who attend the exposition can purchase a coloring and activity book, which the Morrows published last year to teach children and parents about breaking into show business.

"Kam Goes to ... Hollywood" is named after Erica's 8-year-old son, Khalifah Muhammad. Edwin, who dabbles in graphic art, drew the pictures.

"This book is about a precocious little kid who's trying to find his way to the bright lights of Hollywood with his two twin sidekicks, Pip and Flip," Sheila said.

Kam develops a portfolio with a head shot and resume, hires an agent, goes to an audition and learns acting terms such as "set," "cut," "upstaging" and "stealing a scene."

As a boy, Edwin performed with Muny 1st Stage in St. Louis and Katherine Dunham Center for the Performing Arts in East St. Louis. He took acting and dance classes at The Muny, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and the Center for Contemporary Arts (now Center of Creative Arts) in University City, Mo.

Edwin got his big break in 1995, when he landed the role of young Willie Mays in the HBO movie "Soul of the Game" about the Negro baseball league, starring Blair Underwood and Isaiah Washington. He auditioned while working as an extra in scenes filmed in the historic Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis.

Edwin later played Smitty "Short-Bug" Smith in the independent film "Park Day," set in Springfield, Mo. That's when he joined the Screen Actors Guild, elevating him to professional status.

"I don't have time for sports anymore," he said in an early interview. "I had to cut them out. I had to make a choice on which one I loved the best. It was a tough choice, but acting outweighs the sports."

Edwin graduated from Lincoln High School in 1998. He headed to California a year later with his mother, a former Army sergeant earning a business degree at SIUE.

Erica stayed behind with Sheila's parents, Hurley and Jessie King, of East St. Louis. But she understood and supported her mother's decision.

"I wanted (Edwin) to pursue what he really wanted to do," said Erica, who later moved to Los Angeles and worked as a real-estate loan officer.

In 2002, Edwin played a supporting role in "We Were Soldiers," a film set during the Vietnam War, starring Mel Gibson, Greg Kinnear and other big names.

He later appeared in the movies "What about Your Friends: Weekend Getaway" (2002) and "One Flight Stand" (2003); TV episodes of "E.R.," "The District," "One on One," "Boston Public" and "The Parkers;" and the stage plays "Direct from Death Row: The Scottsboro Boys" and "Joe Turner's Come and Gone."

He raps under the name "EdVanzd" and recently produced a short film called "Kai," which BET has agreed to broadcast.

"It's a satire on the fact that coffee houses are so prevalent, especially in California," Erica said. "They're the center of networking in L.A., and there are a lot of coffee addictions. There are all those different flavors. People just have to have them."

"So ... You Want to Be a Star!" will take place from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Millennium Hotel, 200 S. Fourth St. in downtown St. Louis, near the riverfront.

Admission is $50 per person or $80 for two. To pre-order tickets or get more information, call (866) 478-9416 or visit www.samcconsulting.com.

At a glance

What: "So ... You Wanna Be a Star!" young actors and musicians exposition.

When: 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday.

Where: Millennium Hotel, 200 S. Fourth St. in downtown St. Louis, near the riverfront.

Admission: $50 per person or $80 for two.

Information: Call (866) 478-9416 or visit www.samcconsulting.com.