Kaye Singleton, Showrunner and Creator of Covenant

Kaye Singleton has been making a name for herself and from the looks of it, she’s all gas, no breaks. Kaye is an award-winning writer, actress, and producer. To date, Singleton has taken on a variety of roles on hit shows and films such as Sistas (BET), Claws (TNT), Don’t Waste Your Pretty (TV One), Tales (BET), American Soul (BET), and Dumplin (Netflix). You might also recognize her from Tyler Perry’s The Oval as Simone, the beautiful, smart, and cunning wife of the Vice President of the United States.

How did you get into acting?

I dibbled and dabbled in acting after college, but it wasn’t something that I was actively pursuing – UNTIL I actually booked a role in a student film and realized I had no idea what I was doing. From there I started taking classes and fell in love with the craft. So much so that when I moved to LA for work I was able to enroll and get a scholarship at Stella Adler Academy of Acting. Their two-year conservatory program, along with training with Ivanna Chubbuck, fundamentally changed my life and ignited a passion that I still have today. Eventually, I quit my job and moved back to Atlanta to pursue it full-time.

Did you always want to be an actress?

No, this is actually a 2nd career for me. I went to college and started working in Marketing for Luxury Beverage Brands for almost 10 years before I quit working to pursue it full time. It was terrifying to do so… to leave the security and comfort of a full-time, salaried career with benefits – but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

What was auditing for your first role like? Did you land that role?

Terrible! I had no idea what I was doing. Thankfully, the classes that I took changed the game for me. Auditioning, though, is an art within itself. It’s a different kind of pressure than actually working on a role for an extended period of time and being able to study the script and the world of that character. You only have a few minutes on tape, and a very small portion of the script to work with when you’re auditioning. I learned a long time ago that there are many factors that go into the auditioning process that an actor has no control over, so you just have to just do the audition and forget about it. What’s for you is for you.

In 2020, you landed your first production deal as a first-time Showrunner for Covenant. Can you tell us how that came about?

The blessing that was COVENANT…. Working in this industry it didn’t take long to realize that there are not enough women, women of color specifically, that get an opportunity to tell our own stories. And there’s not enough opportunity for the extremely talented acting community and crew that are based here in ATL. So instead of waiting for a seat, I took a page from Tyler Perry’s book and pushed to create a table here in Atlanta – not just for myself – but for this community. I pitched 6 different projects, and to my surprise, COVENANT (which I love), is the one they chose. Being that this was my first foray into being a Showrunner and Executive Producer for an entire series, I went into COVENANT S1 in many ways as a naive kid. BUT NOW…. I feel like I’ve emerged – through many trials, invaluable lessons, pitfalls, and triumphs – as a fully-formed, seasoned “OG” in Production. Learning along the way was difficult, but life-changing. It changed me fundamentally, and has inspired me to continue creating, writing, and providing opportunities for others to tell stories and produce their projects. We filmed the entire season here in Atlanta, and it was the first faith-based anthology drama series that took bible stories and thrust them into modern-day times and modern-day circumstances. What would those stories look like in 2022 with the social issues, racial tensions, natural disasters, and diseases that we’re dealing with today? It was the first series of its kind on that network with such a deep subject matter, and I’m grateful that I was given the opportunity and responsibility to tell those stories in truth and integrity.

Did you ever see yourself becoming a Showrunner? Was that on your career path?

No, not at all….. If you would have asked me 10 years ago what my career trajectory was, I would have said that I would be a National Director for a Major Luxury Beverage Brand. God has a way of putting what you need in your path, according to His purpose and will, versus what you may think you want at the time. And I’m glad He did!

What was it like working with the Covenant team? Did you learn any new skills or valuable lessons?

We filmed the entire season here in Atlanta, and it was the first faith-based anthology drama series that took bible stories and thrust them into modern-day times and modern-day circumstances that AMC’s Allblk greenlit. So with the super-sensitive subject matter, I was so glad to be able to work with a team that wanted to tell these stories in the best way possible. They were just as passionate about it as me, from the amazing Actors & Actresses to the phenomenal Crew. And yes, by the time it was over I had to learn every aspect of production from Planning, Budgeting, and Scheduling to Post Production and the Delivery/Legal Process and EVERYTHING in between!

What’s one piece of advice you can give to others that want to be where you are?

To go after what you believe in, your passion. Don’t wait for a “yes” from some executive, or approval from the “powers that be”. You have the power within you to be and do what you’re destined to do. There’s going to be a million no’s. Don’t let that stop you. Create your own table. Don’t wait for a seat.