Abdullah Khalil discovered his love and talent for acting in the most coincidental way. As an undergraduate chemistry major, he planned to pursue a PhD in chemistry or to become a pediatric physician. However, just prior to attending medical school, his trajectory drastically changed after seeing a production of “Of Mice and Men” at The Hillberry Theatre in Detroit as part of the requirement for an elective class. Abdullah was so profoundly affected by the production, that he decided to study theater before the end of the night! He was stunned by the realization that the stage could provide a powerful vehicle to impact the human spirit and to affect change in a meaningful way. So upon completing his chemistry degree, he began taking theater classes with the Department of Theatre at Wayne State University in Detroit--instead of attending medical school.
To his amazement, Abdullah experienced a great deal of growth and success in his acting classes and was cast as a principal and lead performer in numerous main stage productions. Although he loved science, he discovered his calling in acting and theatre. The BFA in Theatre Program at Wayne State University provided Abdullah with the requisite drama, voice, and physical training to become a successful performer. As a theater student, Abdullah also had the opportunity to study at the world-famous Moscow Art Theatre School in Moscow, Russia. When he chose to pursue studies in theater, Abdullah didn’t realize that his decision would result in personal loss and hardship. Despite the experiences of personal loss and hardship, he realized that he was still fortunate because through acting, he found self-discovery. He believes that every sixty-hour work week, every tear, and every sacrifice has absolutely been worth finding his passion.
