Tramaine Montell Ford

Tramaine Montell Ford is an American actor, comedian, writer, dancer, singer, recording artist, animation voice-over artist, and award-winning solo performer. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Acting from Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts, Department of Drama, and a Masters of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Acting from the American Repertory Theatre/Moscow Art Theatre School Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University.

Ford’s credits include; Hairspray (Feature Film) starring John Travolta and Queen Latifah, One Life to Live (ABC), The Oprah Winfrey Show, Saturday Night Live (NBC), MTV VMA’s, The Today Show (NBC), Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Shakespeare’s Hamlet (Syracuse Stage), The Ballad of Emmet Till (Black Repertory Theatre), Dreamgirls National Tour, Dreamgirls International International Tour - Tokyo, Japan, Elton John & Tim Rice's AIDA (National & International Tour), College Humor, The Tramaine Experience: An Urban Dramedy (American Theatre of Actors, American Repertory Theatre), Odyssey: The Epic Musical (American Theatre of Actors), A Christmas Carol at Princeton University's McCarter Theatre, Manhattan Repertory Theatre, The Shipment, Diane Paulus’ The Donkey Show: A Midsummer Night’s Disco at American Repertory Theatre, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In The Heights (Geva Theatre Center) and has danced for American singer Lady Gaga during her first live TV performance at the NewNowNext Awards. Ford has toured and performed in various theaters and television production studios throughout the United States, Norway, Germany, China, Japan, Taiwan, Inner Mongolia, The Bahamas, Canada, Russia, and the US Virgin Islands.

Born and raised in Chicago’s notorious Cabrini Green Projects, Ford is featured on NBC News as an up & coming rising star and on WNG-9 News as the first individual from Chicago Housing Projects to win at the Chicago Children's Alt Film Festival, taking home 1st Place for “Best Narrative,” The Potion which he wrote and starred in as a teen through the Cabrini Connections Tutor/ Mentor Program. Ford won 2nd Place at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre’s Monologue and Sonnet Contest and began working with Duncan YMCA’s Chernin Center for the Arts Youth Theatre Workshop. In 1999, he starred in FreeStreet Theatre’s CoTingle representing the USA at the 13th Annual ASSITEJ Theatre Festival in Tromso, Norway and at the Bremen International Festival in Bremen, Germany. 

The Tramaine Experience: An Urban Dramedy, Ford’s self-penned one-man-show premiered Off-Broadway on September 22, 2011 at the American Theatre of Actors foster-produced by the producers of Broadway's Wicked and Urinetown, The Araca Group, through The Araca Project, with favorable reviews. Mr Ford’s team trained in several classes and workshops in producing through The Araca Project at the Manhattan Theatre Club. The production originally began and developed through three sold-out developmental workshops at Off-Off Broadway’s Studio Theatre at Theatre Row in the heart of Times Square New York City where Ford has held the title of Co-Executive Producer. Winner of "Outstanding Performance in a Solo Show" award at the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity Awards after its Limited Engagement at the Gene Frankel Theatre and Robert Moss Theatre, with proceeds benefiting charity United Way of NYC. The production has also seen several Limited Engagements at Chicago’s Gorilla Tango Theatre and Greenhouse Theatre Center. The Tramaine Experience: An Urban Dramedy has been featured on NY1 News, NYTimes.com, and Broadway World.

Ford’s professional training also includes Chicago’s FreeStreet Theatre, The New York Tepper Semester with Rebecca Guy from The Juilliard School, and Columbia University’s Kristen Linklater, Warner Bro. Studios Aaron Sorkin Practicum, JoAnna Beckson Studios, Alexander Technique Center, Joel Hall Dance Center, and The Ailey School: The Official School of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre as an Oprah Winfrey Scholarship Recipient and the PWST Ludwik Solski Academy for the Dramatic Arts in Poland. Ford worked as Production Choreographer with Ghost Robot and has choreographed music videos for Kid Sister, Galactic Band, and the New York Musical Theatre Festivity. Ford appears in the Nassau, Bahamas televised live production of The Legend of Sammie Swain as part of Shakespeare in Paradise. Ford used to do print modeling at the time represented by Gilla Roos Agency.

Tramaine Montell is a talented independent experimental pop/hip-hop and dance artist known for his unique sound and captivating performances. His music often combines elements from various genres, creating a distinctive and dynamic style that sets him apart in the industry. Beast (Can’t Do Me) is one of his most popular tracks, showcasing his exceptional talent and lyrical prowess. Tramaine Montell’s EP single Beast (Can’t Do Me) was released internationally on Apple iTunes / Apple Music on Jan 31, 2011. On ReverbNation, the single is available with proceeds benefiting “Keep a Child Alive” charity through Music for Good. In 2019, the remix became available on Amazon Music, Spotify, and TIDAL.

Since 2010, Ford tours to disadvantaged youth in elementary schools in disadvantaged neighborhoods. He visits and performs for and with hundreds of youth every year in Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and Los Angeles, performing My Plate: The New Food Guide Musical Program through The Nutrition & Fitness Education Initiative. The program and Ford have been featured on The Huffington Post, New York Times, ABC News - Los Angeles, and ABC - Staten Island. Ford has also been involved as an actor with The Adolescent Aids Program, performing in training videos used to train doctors and counselors to work with youth patients.

Tramaine began working at Boston Arts Academy as an Adjunct Professor in the Dept. of Theatre teaching 12th-Grade Advanced Actor's Studio Course and 9/10th-Grade Movement for Actors. This followed a special guest faculty residency at City On A Hill Charter School teaching Theatre Arts, as seen on CBS-Boston News, and as a panelist at the Harvard Law School's panel discussion and performance event, The Drama of Lynching, as part of The A.R.T. Of Human Rights Series. Ford began collaborating and working as a teaching artist with The Town Hall NYC Arts in Education, traveling to teach in New York Public Schools including Civic Leadership Academy, Excel Charter Schools, and many more. With Caceras Collective, Ford has taught at Bronx Academy for the Performing Arts and with Broadway for Arts Education (Broadway’s Babies) at Urban Assembly School of Law & Justice. Lastly, Ford provides private lessons as one of the top coaches on Lessons.com and teaches Masterclasses in many places including Mind Your Body.

Ford is Creative Consultant for Blakeman Entertainment, which invests in major Broadway productions including the hit Dear Evan Hansen and Ain’t Too Proud, as well as shows on the West End. Ford is a featured member of Mastermind Connect and works closely with the Young Mastermind’s Initiative and Camping 2 Connect. Ford is also one of the first to start Syracuse University’s VPA Alumni Mentor Program.

Ford earned his Master’s Degree in 2016 from the A.R.T./M.X.A.T. Institute at Harvard University following a residency training and performing in rep at the world-renowned Moscow Art Theatre School in Russia. In 2022, Ford founded TM Creative Productions™ (TMCP), the mother company to subsidiaries The Tramaine Experience™, FORD Coaching℠, ℗ Tramaine Montell Records under which he is Artist Development Manager to son, emerging artist/musician Prince Louis. 2024 brings new projects from TMCP including, but not limited to, The Tramaine Experience: An Urban Dramedy Streaming Special, The Tramaine Experience Arts Education Toolkit Packets, Cambridge to Cambridge: A Memoir, Can I Be Myself for a Minute?! Comedy Special, Let Me Finish LP, Tramaine TV Web series, The Family Reunion (Feature Film Screenplay).

Ford is a proud member of (SAG-AFTRA) Screen Actor’s Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, (ASCAP) American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, and (AEA) Actor’s Equity Association.