Lauren Du Pree is an actor, vocalist, writer, and filmmaker from Seattle, WA. After studying musical theatre at Howard University, she began working at theaters like The Kennedy Center, 5th Avenue Theatre, and Ford’s Theatre until her failing health prophetically revealed how she had been dimming her light to fit into an industry that wasn't created with her in mind. These health issues felt like an obstacle to her purpose, but refocusing revealed her greatest strength was in her biggest perceived weakness. She began sharing her healing journey online through her blog, Just Du Pree and writing the stories she wasn't given the opportunity to tell as an actor. The lessons we learn during life's challeges equip us to help others; that is the purpose of her work. Art should make us feel a little more seen and a little less alone. Most importantly, it is a tool for positive change.
Past credits include Orphie in Orphie And The Book Of Heroes (The Kennedy Center), Signature Theatre, Studio Theatre, Ford's Theatre, The 5th Avenue Theatre (Ragtime, Man of La Mancha, Annie, Rock of Ages, The Pajama Game), and Village Theatre (Dreamgirls, My Heart Is the Drum, String). Lauren was an original cast member of the nationally syndicated PBS television show Biz Kid$, played a supporting role in East of the Mountains, starring Tom Skerritt, which premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival 2021, and had a guest star role in season 3 of Shrill. In 2019, she produced her first live show, A Night With Just Du Pree, combining all the things she loves: good music, tasty food, holistic health, and comedy. In 2020, she premiered her musical film shot in quarantine, Untitled: A Quarantine Playlist, during the We Out Here Festival. Her Carmen with a K series, starring her alter ego, a fame-obsessed Instagram model, was selected for the Sovereign Film Festival 2020. Lauren is a 4Culture 2020 Arts Projects Grant recipient, an invited resident for Village Theatre’s inaugural BIPOC Residency Program, a 2021 Northwest Film Forum Collective Power Fund recipient, a 2021 Artist Trust Grant for Artists' Progress (GAP) Award recipient, and a resident for the 2023 Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Grove at Goodspeed Musicals. In 2023, two of her short films, No Tum-E Tea and Untitled: An exploration of the life I thought I wanted, were selected for the Seattle Black Film Festival. She has been a panelist for multiple grant and residency opportunities in the Seattle arts scene, works as a commercial voice-over actor for companies like Amazon, T-Mobile, Washington Department of Health, and Microsoft, and emcees conferences and fundraisers, including Re-Imagining Behavioral Health: Race, Equity, and Social Justice, the AFP Advancement NW Annual Conference, and Boys & Girls Clubs of King County Great Futures Gala & Auction. With Re-Imagining Behavioral Health, she had the honor of moderating discussions with Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis and Dr. Benjamin Danielson.