Kristyl Dawn Tift is an actress, singer, and voice artist who works in theatre, musical theatre, film, television and voice over. Her television appearances include principal roles on Genius: MLK/X, The Oval, Black Lightning, Greenleaf, and House of Payne. Film appearances include principal roles in the films Clean Slate (short), Hall Pass and Looper. Her voiceover credits include Elf Pets: Santa’s Reindeer Rescue, an animated short film. With skills in audio production, mixing, and editing, she has produced and narrated audiobooks including Earphones Award-winning Black Birds in the Sky (Harper Audio), Fast Girls (Harper Audio), A Voice That Could Stir An Army (ACX/Audible), and Colonize This! (Hachette Audio). The Christmas Catalog (ACX), and The Soldier’s Secret (ACX). Tift’s theatre credits include the roles of Aunt Em in The Wiz (Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company), Bessie Smith in the concert production of Gut Bucket Blues (True Colors), Jaq in Ice Cream (Alliance Theatre), Cookie in Rumors (The Renaissance Project), Ronnette in Little Shop of Horrors and Lula in Violet (Theatre Barn). She is represented by Houghton Talent in Atlanta, Georgia.
Latest Projects
— Role of Dr. Leona Turner on Nat Geo’s Genius: MLK/X. (February 2024).
— Principal Musical Theatre Performer in the 2023 Beloved Benefit (August 24, 2023). Article
— Narrator of “Deluge” (Good Intentions Collection) by Charmaine Wilkerson (Brilliance Audio). Available now!
— Narrator of “The Candles Are Burning” (Into Shadow Collection) by Veronica G. Henry (Brilliance Audio). Available now!
— Narrator of A Dark and Stormy Night by Christina Dodd (Brilliance Audio). Available now!
— Narrator of Black Birds in the Sky by Brandy Colbert (HarperAudio). * AudioFile Earphones Award Winner! * Available now!
— Narrator of Mob Rule in New Orleans by Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Amazon Classics (Brilliance Audio). Available now!
— Narrator of Southern Horrors & The Red Record by Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Amazon Classics (Brilliance Audio). Available now!