chantel cherisse lucier was born in San Francisco, California into a Mexican, Norwegian, Italian family of performers and musicians. Her grandparents Naomi Kaye Stratford (comedian, singer & dancer) & Armando Duval Quevedo (musician & MC) owned a club called the Bohemian Gardens in the late 50's. While Naomi Kaye performed in various venues at home & abroad, Armando Duval performed at the famous Sinaloa. Her parents, Michael "Peek Sawyer" Gundersen (singer) and Valeriana Darlene Quevedo (singer & dancer) performed nationally and internationally making chantel a backstage baby. At a very early age chantel was performing and learning onstage & off.
At the age of 10 she began her professional training at A.C.T. (American Conservatory Theatre) and by 12 she was performing with Y.P.M.T.C. (Young People's Musical Theatre Company). At 13 she began her training as a dancer and choreographer at School of the Arts in S.F., CA. where she trained with Elvia Marta, Bayan Jamay & others. During her teenage years, she continued to sing and act on occasion but dance and choreography proved more enticing at the time. After receiving her BA from Mount Holyoke College (in choreography and dance) she co-directed and choreographed Joyce Carol Oates' play "I Stand Before You Naked" and co-founded Tread Dance Theatre. It was at this time that a series of choreographic excursions ensued. She also had the pleasure to perform and present work with Erika Shuch, Robert Henry Johnson, Erin Merk and other Bay Area choreographers. It wasn't until a dance injury and the formation of XOB Interdisciplinary Arts was founded that she discovered an increasing love for the theatre, song and words emerge. She discovered Viewpoints and Suzuki Theatre work during her years at MHC and continued to train and utilize these techniques in her work. Her dance career gently shifted to a life focused on physical theatre. After a few years and some dabblings in film she had a keen sense that there was much more she needed to learn about the truth of acting and how to be at once physical and truthful; so she auditioned, studied and graduated with an MFA in Acting from the Actors Studio Drama School in Manhattan, NY.
chantel resides in the San Francisco Bay Area & travels/performs nationally & internationally as her family has,
with various groups, including The Living Theatre and Rev Billy & the Church of Stop Shopping.
chantel is a founding member of woken' glacier theatre company in NYC.
with various groups, including The Living Theatre and Rev Billy & the Church of Stop Shopping.
chantel is a founding member of woken' glacier theatre company in NYC.