{"id":136580,"date":"2026-01-29T18:33:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-29T18:33:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/136580\/"},"modified":"2026-01-29T18:33:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T18:33:10","slug":"alaina-rahaims-nickname-in-school-was-sparkles-and-thats-exactly-what-she-does","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/136580\/","title":{"rendered":"Alaina Rahaim’s nickname in school was ‘Sparkles’\u2013and that\u2019s exactly what she does"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AAlaina Rahaim Credit: Dave Decker \/ Creative Loafing Tampa Bay<\/p>\n

Creative Loafing Tampa Bay\u2019s spring arts issue features more than a dozen artists to watch this year and beyond. Meet Alaina Rahaim<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Where it all started: Now 30, she took ballet as a child, but found her true home in an improv class. \u201cI wanted so badly to be in that black box.\u201d<\/p>\n

Where it led: She got her high school degree from the esteemed Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach. But after getting a B.A. in human communications from University of Central Florida\u2014in two years\u2014she pursued a Master\u2019s in Counseling at Florida State University and took a job in the office of career services at the University of Tampa.<\/p>\n

But the arts kept calling: \u201cI was getting involved in community theater, and I made the decision at the end of 2021 to leave my position at UT and start my own private practice.\u201d (Find her at AskAlaina.com<\/a>.) Paid acting roles followed, often at Early Bird Dinner Theatre, where her flair for comedy paid off in roles like the titular doggie in \u201cSylvia.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then along came Cindy: In \u201cWho\u2019s Holiday\u201d at The Off-Central, Alaina captured the sparkle and the poignancy of the post-Grinch Cindy Lou Who. \u201cAside from being immensely talented,\u201d says director Alan Mohney, Jr., \u201cAlaina is one of the most intelligent actors I have ever worked with.\u201d<\/p>\n

Next up, a play she wrote herself: In \u201cZeus Cancelled,\u201d a short play to be presented March 7 during Powerstories\u2019 Voices of Women Festival, she\u2019ll play the fearsome Greek god as a talk show host. \u201cI\u2019\u2019ll have a beard, and most likely a sheet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pitch in to help make the Tampa Bay Journalism Project a success.<\/a><\/p>\n

Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.<\/a><\/p>\n

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This article appears in Jan. 29 \u2013 Feb. 04<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n

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