An Offering of Story and Song
This episode features David Mielke, an LGBTQIA+ actor who has spent much of his career feeling like an imposter. From Canada to Hollywood, the fear of authenticity due to sexuality and the political climate carried. He now lives happily in a Yurt with his partner, producing youtube Broadway spoof-hits. He is a delight to speak with, and has a lot to say about being true to who you are.
David Mielke is a gay man born in Campbell River, BC, where an extraordinary teacher named Marie Rackham helped him turn his life around when he dropped back into high school after running away from home at the age of 15. He went on to work in Los Angeles as an actor and singer, appearing in television and theatre. When Marie was diagnosed with cancer, David returned to Canada to care for her, and together they created the award-winning Cozy Grammar series as a way for her to be, as she put it, “where cancer isn’t.” After her death, he worked in LGBTIQ social services before returning to acting and creating autobiographical stage shows. David lives in a yurt with his husband, Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma, on Vashon Island, WA. Their latest collaborations are The Driftwood Bridge - An Offering of Story and Song; and a series of videos called Broadway In The Yurt.
David Mielke was born in Campbell River, BC, Canada, where an extraordinary teacher named Marie Rackham helped him turn his life around when he dropped back into high school after running away from home at the age of 15. He went on to work in Los Angeles as an actor and singer, both appearing in film, television, and regional theatre, and creating and performing one-person shows under the banner of his company, The Rainbow Man Productions. His original works include Rediscovering the River and Spirit of the Unicorn. When Marie was diagnosed with cancer, David returned to Canada to care for her, and together they created 114 episodes of the award-winning Cozy Grammar series of video courses as a way for her to be, as she put it, “where cancer isn’t.” After her death, he worked in LGBTQ social services before returning to working as an actor, producing additional content for Cozy Grammar, and creating and performing his own theatrical productions with his husband, Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma. Their most recent collaboration is a musical called The Driftwood Bridge. Member of Actor’s Equity, SAG-AFTRA, and ACTRA.
David writes and performs autobiographical stage shows, most notably, "The Spirit of the Unicorn," "Rediscovering The River," and "The Driftwood Bridge," and created an award-winning streaming language arts series called "Cozy Grammar." He has worked as an actor in regional theatre in Canada and the US, and in television in Hollywood, both in front of and behind the camera.
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