From internationally touring production show singer / dancer, to aerial acrobat in a dynamic stunt show, to resident pianist at Los Angeles’ most iconic venues, to a Masters of Science degree and world wide human rights activism, Autumn Melody Thomas has led a vivacious and versatile existence across four continents and many careers. At age four, Autumn was placed on a piano to spend the next two decades perfecting classical theory and performance while simultaneously becoming a SAG-AFTRA film and television actress with household names like Disney, Mattel, Universal Pictures, and NBC.
With over 30 film, television, and commercial appearances before graduating high school in the top of her class, Autumn immediately booked work post-graduation as a production show lead vocalists in several prominent regional theatres, dinner theatres, and notably a musical circus / stunt show in Los Angeles. While obtaining her University degree in music and theatrical performance, Autumn put herself through school by performing regularly as a singer / dancer, and upon completing her degree, quickly landed several residencies abroad, including a year long singer dancer contract on Resort’s World Sentosa Island in Singapore, performing a high energy rock musical in Adam Lambert’s gorgeous 2,000 seat Pantages Theatre on the island. During this time, Autumn also booked a number of high profile, internationally televised corporate events and session vocal work before completing her contract and taking off to China. For the next several months, Autumn combined her talent for the performing arts with her passion towards humanitarianism by helping to shape and implement a Julliard ArtReach program that brought art and music to stretches of the world that don’t have ample access to it.
As her adventures in Asia came to a close, Autumn returned to her aerial performances in her Southern California stunt show and was simultaneously picked up by some of the country’s leading corporate entertainment / function bands including Liquid Blue; Guinness World Record holder for world’s most traveled band. This afforded the opportunity to perform on the Las Vegas Strip, sing backup vocals for Broadway’s Sarah Brightman, entertain the NFL All-Stars, open for a ZZ-Top performance, provide entertainment for Larry Ellison (Oracle CEO and fifth wealthiest man in the world), and play for the King of Bahrain along with a plethora of other celebrities and dignitaries around the globe. During this explosion of gigs, Autumn booked a supporting role in the Movie Musical Speakeasy to Me, which took home several fringe awards, and got to originate a song in the movie’s soundtrack! She also worked as a union performer at Universal Studios Hollywood backlot portraying lovable movie characters like The Grinch’s Cindy Lou Who on the actual movie sets.
Next, Autumn booked a role in an original workshop cast with Cathy Rigby’s Broadway entertainment company McCoy-Rigby Entertainment. Autumn took a break from corporate entertainment to set out on a U.S. National tour as a singer/dancer (with some aerial work in there too!), performing in the country’s most famous Equity Theatres and making media appearances all over the country. Upon the tour’s conclusion, Autumn booked back to back international tours with Spirit Productions / Dublin Worldwide Entertainment in their global award winning, 15-year touring show; Spirit of the Dance. After more adventures on the road, Autumn set out to sea after booking reoccurring Guest Entertainer / Headliner Show contracts on five-star cruise lines (including Royal Caribbean’s Allure of he Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world) and well known showrooms throughout Harrah’s / Caesar’s Casinos. She also toured as a swing with the world’s top grossing ABBA tribute band; performing alongside symphony orchestras and at mainstage concert venues in front of thousands.
With years of international / national touring, and over thirty different countries under her belt, Autumn returned to Southern California to her first and greatest love; the piano. Moving from the corporate / party band scene, to luxury resorts, hotels, and restaurants, Autumn worked as a resident piano / vocalist for notable venues such as The Ritz, The Montage Beverly Hills, Terrenea Luxury Resort, Seasons 52, Island Hotel Newport Beach, and Mastros Oceanclub. During this time, a dynamic change occurred as her work load shifted to only nights and Autumn began voluneering with The United Nations Association of The United States of America and at a Refugee centre in Orange County during her daytimes.
As her passion for humanitarianism and human rights escalated exponentially, Autumn’s volunteer service expanded and she was appointed to the Board of Directors for the UNA-USA and began heading up the Job Coaching program at the refugee centre. During this time, she continued her piano / vocalist career with high end bookings and corporate entertainment at Monarch Beach Resort Laguna Beach, The Waterfront Hotel Huntington Beach, Pelican Hill Resort, and JW Marriot’s all over the country. Simultaneously, Autumn also began regularly booking studio session vocal work for a number of prominent LA producers, television shows, and with up and coming artist for their EPs. Her collaboration with Ken Bauer and J-Rob MD was signed to Grammy Nominated EDX’s label Syrup music and streamed worldwide through EDX’s Ibiza 2020 Album.
Taking a break from the bustling industry nights in LA and busy daytimes filled with volunteer work, Autumn landed her dream tour as a solo piano vocalist throughout Europe’s best hotels, resorts, and piano bars. The conclusion of this international tour brought an even greater sense of needing to contribute to the greater good of humanity and focus her life more in the direction of humanitarian activism. The next step for Autumn led to another trans-continental move to central London to obtain a Masters of Science in Global Governance and Ethics at University College London; consistently ranked one of the top ten universities in the world! Here Autumn specialised in human rights, international law, global ethics, and advanced qualitative and quantitative research methods.
However, never able to stray too far from the wonderful world of music, Autumn booked residencies at some of London’s (and the world’s) most iconic venues as she completed her degree; The Savoy, The Corinthia, and The Dorchester. Additionally, Autumn is seen regularly at the Royal Auto Club, Crown London Aspinal, The Four Seasons Park Lane, Park Plaza Westminster, Jack Solomon’s Soho, The Westbury, Basoon Bar, and Toulouse Latrec Jazz Club. While continuing to book music and aerial gigs with high profile corporate entertainment companies, Autumn completed her research dissertation on reconceptualisation and mobilisation of pacifism as a normative framework for the contemporary international system to combat large scale human rights violations with pre-conflict monitoring and de-escalation mechanisms. Her research was awarded a distinction.
Immediately after handing in her dissertation, Autumn was lucky enough to be recruited as a Senior Executive Officer with the UK government’s Emergency Operations Centre; taking on challenges such as Brexit and the UK’s Covid19 response throughout the duration of the pandemic as the entertainment industry went on hiatus. She used the pandemic as an opportunity to co-write and produce her own full length Headliner Production show which she now performs regularly on high end cruise lines and resorts such as Celebrity Cruise Line. She also perfected her unique and alluring aerial-piano-vocal act which she is currently performing on the European Cabaret and Circus Circuit. She continues to gig in between LA and London’s iconic venues as a piano vocalist, volunteer with the United Nations Association and her Refugee Centre, advance her Italian language skills, run marathons, create music, and work towards her goals of international human rights work.
She now has more than 50 countries checked off her list and eloped with the love of her life in Zanzibar whom she met during her many epic travels.