All About Riley!
Riley Martin is an NYC/NJ–based actress, singer, director, and theatre educator with a lifelong passion for the stage. A proud Jersey girl, Riley grew up performing for anyone who would watch, loving being in front of a camera and stealing attention. From directing/choreographing “original productions” with her sister (more like forcing her sister), singing and twirling around on the soccer field (instead of playing goalie), to performing in every school show she could, she quickly discovered theatre as the place where she could truly be herself and embrace the star she always wanted to be.
It was in high school that Riley understood her love for theatre was a calling she wanted to follow for the rest of her life. She pursued that dream at Rider University, graduating in 2023 with degrees in Musical Theatre and Public Relations. During college, she made her professional theatre debut in a dream role, playing Sandy in Grease at the Axelrod Performing Arts Center. Most recently, she starred as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde at the Count Basie Center for the Arts—another ultimate dream role. Riley looks forward to continuing to cross more musical theatre dream roles off her list and exploring opportunities in film and television.
During her senior year of college, Riley discovered a love for directing and has since returned to Monmouth County to direct theatre in her hometown, from Frozen Kids at an elementary school to Puffs and Legally Blonde at her alma mater high school. In her first year of directing, she earned a Basie Award nomination for Best Director—a full-circle moment following her high school performance nomination. She is also an NJ certified theatre teacher and loves inspiring young artists with the same energy and passion she brings to every stage.
Riley is an enthusiastic lover of life. Offstage, you can usually find her at the beach, getting lost in a good book at the library, or spending time with her goldendoodle, Jersey. She also loves creating perfectly curated Spotify playlists, making silly TikToks (as an aspiring content creator), and geeking out over the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She is a proud alumna of her Zeta Tau Alpha chapter, where she also served as president—an experience that taught her the value of leadership, community, and bringing minds together. Riley embraces spreading kindness, creativity, and authenticity wherever she goes.
Thanks for reading :) Hoping our paths cross soon!