Gwendolyn McDowell affectionately known as “Gwen” was born & raised in Washington, D.C.  Her foster parents noticed she was gifted as a singer.  At the early age of nine, she joined the children’s choir at her church, played small roles in school plays, & sung in school talent shows.

 

When Gwen turned 14, she auditioned & was accepted at the “Duke Ellington School

of the Performing Arts” in Washington, D.C.; majoring in “Vocal Music”. During her junior & senior year, “Acting & Movement” classes were added.  The late Co-Founder of Duke Ellington; Mike Malone took Gwen under his wing, & continued to work with her–mentoring her.  After graduating from Duke Ellington in 1984, she began traveling with all across the U.S. landing principal roles in stage productions at Howard University’s “Crampton Auditorium” in Washington, DC; “The Lincoln Center” in New York; “The Kennedy Center” in Washington, DC & the “Children’s Theatre” in St. Paul, MN, to name a few. 

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Throughout her career in the entertainment industry, God breathed words of encouragement that sustained her. Gwen shared these words in her book she authored; “God Speaks”  which was published in 2012 .

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Gwen has also directed various stage plays in the DMV area throughout her career. In January 2021, Gwen became a Film Maker in which she produced, directed & wrote her first movie, “Stained Glass” based on true events she & her siblings experienced in the foster care system; which sold out twice in the Regal Theater in Hyattsville, MD.