Toni • Stage Actor • S1/E2

Words, photos and video by David Lam

Rising stage actor discusses her love for storytelling, the bold, statement-making outfits she wears to concerts, and why she prefers thrifting to traditional retail.

Stage actor Toni Turilli sits with her arm on a table in Boston, MA.

For Boston-based stage actor Toni Turilli, the best thing about being an actor is "using it as a vessel for storytelling." She explains, "You are telling stories of so many different people and so many different places and times that you have the opportunity to change people." For her, acting is not just a job but a way to make a difference.

Stage actor Toni Turilli lays on a sofa in Boston, MA.

As an actor, fashion plays a significant role in how Turilli presents herself. She believes that what she wears to auditions is a "huge indicator" of how people perceive her, saying, "I can walk into a room dressed like this and automatically someone's brain is interpreting what I'm wearing and what my face looks like, what my hair looks like. Three seconds into me walking in the door, so before I've even said my name, performed my monologue, they are already basing that opinion on me."

Outside of acting, Turilli is an avid concertgoer. When it comes to what she wears to live shows, she says it is a complete 180 from her daily attire. She is unafraid to take risks and dresses in bold, statement-making pieces. "It really is a time for me to just let go and express myself,” she says.

Stage actor Toni Turilli sits on the carpet in Boston, MA.

Thrifting is also a big part of her style, which she developed during a difficult period in her childhood when her parents lost their jobs. “When that period of our lives hit, thrifting wasn't cool. But then over time, I started to realize that thrifting to me is so much cooler and so much easier than going to department stores," Turilli says.

Thrift stores also give her more options and choices than traditional retail. She adds, "There's so much more range, and I think in that way too, I was building my style based off of what I liked."