Caley Versfelt is in charge, in demand and incomparable. She grew up loved for who she is and aware of her outstanding, world-changing abilities. Out of curiosity I looked up the very overworked word “special” and found that the actual definition, “better, greater of otherwise different from what is the usual, and exceptionally good”, is Caley to a T. She embodies her own watchwords of fun, acceptance, inclusion and passion. She likes being who she is. Everyone likes who she is.
She started swimming at the age of 9 for the fun of it, but when her mother told her about the Special Olympics, she saw it as another way of being accepted for who she is. For starters, she loves education, loves writing, is a poet, an actress, and because she wants to see abilities take center stage, she is an eloquent spokesperson for people with Down Syndrome. Most of all she is an endlessly loving and exuberant human being. Fun.
She says she was once shy. No more. She laughs as she says she loves talking about herself and her life. She is not nervous at auditions or in her capacity of community leadership. She was prom queen, and not that it matters, because beauty is only skin-deep and all, but take a look at her in that gorgeous silver gown.
You may remember her from her episode of Glee and will recognize her when you see her in the television hit Born This Way, a series that fits right into Caley’s personal agenda for its portrayal of a group of people with Down Syndrome and seeing their abilities. For the fun of it you can see Caley at work as interviewer of fellow Hollywood friends like David Zimmerman, who is, in his own right, besides being a performer, so important in the smart crossover world of performance and special abilities which would, of course, include John Paizis’s Performing Arts Studio West.
Caley talks about friendships, romance, work, leadership and understandably uses the word “fun” often because she seems to be having it at every turn. She never gets bored. She fields personal questions with ease and humor. She is a one-woman lesson in the beauty of candor, intelligence, love of life, and generosity. Listen to her here on Love Letters Live because the most direct line to the joy of Caley Versfelt is her own voice that carries the kind of self-assurance, fun and strength everyone should have.
Love letters? Yes. She has quite a bit to say about writing them. Her boyfriend, yes. Her parents, yes. The entire Down Syndrome and Special Olympics community, sure. Her agent Gail Ford Williamson, of course? Her teachers and friends, yes.
Well, as I keep saying, she has a lot to say about everything, so now hit the listen button, because in addition to all she knows, on the subject of fun, she is one of the world experts! Contagious.