Rolanda’s mother, Clara White, is
sick and tired of taking all the medications she needs daily to manage her
diabetes and other ailments. Clara is played by Patricia Bridges,
who started her acting career ten years ago with the Uptown Centre Stage,
and has since performed with Hansberry-Sands, Andre Lee Ellis, and CAPITA
theatre companies. Patricia's performance list includes "A Lesson Before
Dying," "Solid Gold Rock N'Soul," "Shakin' The Mess
Out of Misery," "Black Nativity," and "Rhythm of a People."
She has also portrayed the live interpretation of Lillie Smith Greene at
the Old World Wisconsin Museum. Patricia currently works as a Juvenile Parole
Agent and enjoys working with youth. She is dedicated to the arts and enjoys
gospel singing as well. She is currently a student herself at the University
of WI-Milwaukee. Her dream is “to become an actress in the business
of real life because LIFE is just one take and that's a WRAP."
Echoing the choices and responsibilities that the characters in Gettin'
Grown face, Patricia remembers an experience from her youth. "My first
adult responsibility/ errand was the have $900.00 in my pocket and ride
my bike to go downtown and around in the community to pay bills for my grandmother."