The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Actress, blogger, food nerd, stand-up comic, entrepreneur.

That’s what the past 18 years have entailed for 2002 Sisters High graduate Tara Redfield, who is “home” in Sisters for a bit during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Redfield is a prime example of how one experience leads to another as well as proof that a person’s passions can often lead you to a pathway for expression.

Chapman University in Orange, California, where she majored in theater and also studied journalism, provided the educational background for Redfield’s first post-graduate work in television.

“I was working in Los Angeles behind the scenes as a casting associate on the TLC show “Take Home Chef” which featured then-unknown Curtis Stone who is now a huge culinary star and restaurateur,” said Redfield.

During this time she also continued work on her acting at the Beverly Hills Playhouse.

“Take Home Chef” did not get renewed for a second season and Redfield picked up restaurant jobs, sort of stereotypically, while continuing to pursue her acting ambitions — which ultimately worked out.

“I ended up doing some background work on movies and TV shows, starred in some plays, got parts in some short films, booked a national commercial for Yoplait yogurt and was even the body double for Elizabeth Moss (Mad Men and The Handmaid’s Tale) in the film ‘The One I Love,’” she said.

Credits for these works made her eligible to join the Screen Actor’s Guild in 2014.

During these years other interests — food, writing, and content-creation — led her to launch her own blog she dubbed “Food Pervert” in 2010.

“I eventually focused on this as my sole creative endeavor and left acting behind. I started shooting my own ‘Food and Travel’-style videos where I took viewers on local and international dining experiences, as well as making recipe videos and interviewing chefs,” she said.

One thing led to another, according to Redfield.

“I ended up having some amazing opportunities, including being a contestant on the TNT cooking competition series, ‘On The Menu,’ hosted by Ty Pennington and the original Celebrity Chef, Emeril Lagasse,” she explained. “I also won NBC’s Today Show cooking competition with my original recipe for cocoa tangerine pancakes, which included being flown to New York to make the recipe live on-air. That was an extremely memorable experience!”

Redfield found another outlet for her concern for environmentally responsible living.

“I have a new platform launched in January called ‘Another Day Greener,’ which documents my journey to live more sustainably and, hopefully, inspiring others to also take steps to living a more Earth-friendly existence,” she explained.

Ever the performer, Redfield eventually did return to the stage, but in a new way, when she decided to give stand-up comedy a whirl.

“Comedy was something I had always wanted to try, so I did my first three minute performance at Flappers Comedy Club and ended up having a blast and loving it,” she said. “It’s very thrilling to make people laugh in real time and it makes me happy to know I can make that happen.”

Asked about the sources of her material, Redfield explained, “Whenever I think of an idea for a joke or a bit I just make a note in my phone. Ideas are always coming to me. Most of my content is observational comedy, and, of course, I incorporate dating, politics and other current events into my material.”

She has been performing at Flappers for just about two years and said that when things turn back to normal following the pandemic, she would like to produce her own special along with some of her comedian friends.

With all of her background as a blogger and the extensive use of social media for over a decade Redfield say she has learned “all the tips and tricks” of platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin). She formed her own business, Redfield Media Management, offering clients social media content creation and account management.

This new venture allows her to work remotely, so she decided to temporarily locate in Sisters as the impact of the coronavirus spread.

“In mid-March, just before Los Angeles and other areas addressed their official stay-at-home orders, my gut instinct was to come home to Central Oregon to be with my family,” she said. “These are unprecedented times and, in all honesty, as much as I love my life in Los Angeles, remaining in a city made me feel uneasy for multiple reasons. I knew it was a ‘now or never’ decision, that if I didn’t leave when I did, even a day later might have been too late and who knows how long it would have been before seeing my parents again.”

She says she remains plenty busy maintaining her client’s accounts while hunkered down on the family farm with her parents Sarah and Tygh.

Being home has given Redfield time to reflect on growing up in Sisters.

“I feel incredible gratitude for being able to have grown up here in Sisters,” she said. “ As a student here I had so many wonderful teachers who supported my ambitions past high school and who taught me to trust in my talents. Growing up in a small community was such a blessing in that way.

I felt like I was noticed on a personal level — not just as another student in a sea of hundreds,” she continued. “As a student I was able to participate in multiple activities, including leadership roles, plays, choir, cheer and dance team — all of which fostered my love for performance and entertainment.”

Redfield says that she still has plenty of ideas and aspirations, but is gratified with what she has been able to do thus far and thankful for her roots.

“There are still plenty of goals I want to accomplish in this life, but I’m proud of the decisions I’ve made so far and I’m grateful for the journey I’ve been on and the support I’ve had. I will always call Sisters home and appreciate the safe environment it provided me — allowing me to believe in myself and pursue my dreams.”

Access Redfield’s blog at www.anotherdaygreener.com.