Originally from New York, Marla Phillips grew up in a show business family, surrounded by Broadway stars and comedians.  Her credits include theatre, improvisation, stand-up, television and film.

As a forerunner in interactive theatre, Marla spent five years performing in a medium that combined scripted material and live improvisation. In 2011, she wrote and co-produced “The Naked Truth, A Bump and Crime Murder Mystery,” a tribute to burlesque that included audience participation.

Marla has played the legendary Mae West several times for Universal Studios and in the movie “Sunset,” directed by Blake Edwards.  In 2005 she was asked to write and produce a PSA campaign for the Children’s Health Education Foundation (CHEF) in New York City.  The ads featuring her voice were released nationwide, enabling CHEF to bring educators and families together to learn about the biological, psychological and social implications of obesity.

After landing in LA, a series of wild synchronicities led Marla to discover her natural gift for energy healing. Marla became an ordained Minister of Healing and earned a Bachelor Degree in the Natural Theology of Sacred Healing. She founded Adventure Within and began working directly with clients.

Before long, Marla realized that the principles of acting and healing were strangely intertwined, and that energy work could enhance both the skill and confidence of actors. Through Adventure Within she began offering her fellow SAG-AFTRA actors lessons in developing charisma and expanding their energy during performances.

At this time, Marla is bringing her “One Woman Medicine Show,” to the stage — an amusing and intimate story of how her professional journey split into two paths that finally come together in unlikely, magical, and even supernatural ways. 

Marla is a member of S.A.G. and A.F.T.R.A.