Simone was born in Stamford, Connecticut but has lived most of her life in Silver Spring, MD. Her mother says, “She knew how to sing before she could speak”.
Starting in her family church, Simone began singing, dancing and public speaking. She eventually went on to study Musical Theater and Classical Voice participating in numerous choral programs, as a soloist, in community and professional productions.
Simone went on to receive her Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance from Xavier University of Louisiana and her Master of Music in Voice from Peabody Conservatory under the tutelage of Denyce Graves and Margaret Baroody.
Following her Peabody Graduation, Simone went on to perform with local Opera companies; Bel Cantanti as Monica in The Medium, Opus Concert Theater as Frasquita in Carmen and with Opera Nova in concerts at The Kennedy Center: Millennium Stage and online. Traveling further Simone has performed with Chicago Summer Opera in Die Zauberflöte as Pamina and to Charlottesville Summer Opera as a Young Artist.
Paving her own path to success in the world of performing, Simone returned to her roots in Musical Theater performing with Kensington Arts Theater as Johanna in Sweeney Todd, HCC as Heather Chandler in Heathers: The Musical, Toby’s Dinner Theater as an Ensemble Member and Rachel Marron in The Bodyguard.
In her down time Simone enjoys trying out new recipes and spoiling her cat Toby. Simone runs and performs for her business Black Princess Parties DMV; a children’s entertainment company that provides Disney inspired Princesses for celebrations. Simone also works as a Creative Assistant and Social Media Manager for The Denyce Graves Foundation and Cooking with Denyce.
What people are saying…
“Simone Brown as Johanna and Brian Douglash as Anthony Hope are an irresistible pair. Pulling double duty as forbidden lovers and making repeated quick changes to fill the ensemble, they both add a tender innocence to the story. A Peabody trained opera singer, Brown slides deftly along Johanna's super-soprano range. There is no difficulty in believing her talent would spark the passion of a stranger on the street.”
-BWW Review: SWEENEY TODD at Kensington Arts Theatre by Kelle Long
“Dripping with ingénue goo, both Anthony (Brian Dauglash) and Johanna (Simone Brown) possess the correct vocal qualities to play the lovebirds. Their chemistry from the meet-cute point is strong, and draws them together quite soundly. Both Dauglash and Brown have strong, sensible voices that deftly traverse the ridiculous scores of “Kiss Me” and its reprise as well as their various segments of “Johanna.” They are both vocally sound and full of that gushing ingénue-type love that clobbers the characters of Anthony and Johanna.”
-Theatre Bloom: Sweeney Todd at Kensington Arts Theatre by Amanda N. Gunther