Caianda Handley
- Actress
Caianda Handley, also credited as Cai Handley, was born in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. As a child, she studied classical ballet and other forms of
dance, which garnered the attention of the artistic director at the
Milwaukee Ballet, where she was awarded an Alvin Ailey Scholarship at
the age of 14. Her passion for dancing combined with her talent for
singing, quickly opened doors for new opportunities to perform leading
character roles in musical theater high school shows such as "Into The
Woods", "Pippin", and "Fiddler on the Roof". While attending Emerson
College in Boston, Massachusetts, she was nominated for Singer of the
Year at the EVVY Awards. After graduating college, she moved to Los
Angeles to pursue a career in acting; studying at Playhouse West,
Second City, and taking on supporting roles in independent film
projects. With rave reviews by the Los Angeles Times for debuting at
the Knightsbridge Theater in the musical adaptation of Shakespeare's
Macbeth called "Macbeezy the Hip-Hopera", Caianda was able to get back
in touch with her musical theater roots combining her singing, dancing,
and acting abilities.
