👶Early Life

Wambui’s birth name is John-Ann Washington, named after her father. She was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1950, with two brothers and one sister. After high school, she studied Acting at the New York University School of the Arts. When she arrived in 1968, the NYU School of the Arts was just one building on Second Avenue in the East Village of NYC. Today, that single building has grown into the prestigious Tisch School of the Arts.

🎭Theatrical Journey

Wambui did not graduate from NYU because, although students were not supposed to audition for off-campus shows, she read an ad looking for people who could turn a Bible parable into a funny skit. She thought that sounded fun and decided to see if her skit about the Prodigal Son would get a laugh.

The creative team casting the show thought her monologue was funny and asked her to sing a song. She had to admit she didn’t have one prepared because she didn’t even know what she was auditioning for—she just wanted to see if she could write something funny, as she was considering a career in standup comedy.

Long story short, Wambui was cast as an original member of the Washington, DC company of Godspell, which opened at Ford's Theater on April 7, 1972. This became Wambui’s first professional show. She left NYU, thinking she’d return after Godspell, but one show led to another, and she never went back to graduate.

Wambui would go on to perform in “Godspell” and “Jesus Christ Superstar” on Broadway. She appeared in featured roles in many regional productions and Broadway touring shows, including “Two Gentlemen of Verona (the rock version),” “Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope,” “The Magic Show,” “Gone With the Wind” (the musical), “Nunsense,” “Crowns,” and “The Wiz.”

💪Overcoming Challenges

But her story doesn’t stop there. Wambui’s love for her theatrical career was immense. She cherished the people she met, the places she traveled, and her passion for her craft shone through in every performance.

Wambui was married, divorced, married again, and became the mother of two amazing daughters. In the meantime, while juggling shows, marriage, and motherhood, Wambui was battling depression and other mental health challenges. She eventually entered the mental health system and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

It would be twenty-five years before Wambui walked away from the mental health system, changing her diet, the people and things in her environment, and her mindset. Changing her name to Wambui Bahati—meaning “singer of songs” and “my fortune is good” in Swahili—symbolized a fresh start on her path from tough times to triumph.

🎤Advocacy and Inspiration

Wambui wrote and starred in her own one-woman musical, “Balancing Act,” and authored “You Don’t Know Crazy,” where she opened up about her mental health journey in both extraordinary projects.

Later, she wrote and starred in the powerful one-woman show “I Am Domestic Violence,” inspired by her own experiences with her abusive first husband. This groundbreaking production and workshop educate audiences about domestic and partner abuse and have been presented in many cities in the USA, Canada, and Australia.

Wambui is a motivational speaker, sharing mental health awareness and lessons on “How to Get Up When You’ve Been Knocked Down.” Her life is a testament to turning personal challenges into opportunities to inspire and make a difference.

🧶Crafting and Sharing

Wambui turned to crafting to relax and take a break from the world’s chaos. Coming from a family of sewers and quilt makers, she drew on the skills her mother, grandmother, and aunt taught her as a child. She started making custom hats and then developed a YouTube channel called “Wambui Made It,” where she shares tutorials on various crafts, with a special emphasis on loom knitting.

🌟Continuing the Legacy

Whether performing, writing, or speaking, Wambui uses her art to heal and advocate, blending entertainment with meaningful messages that resonate with everyone she meets.

As Wambui gets older, she knows how important it is to share our history and stories with the younger generation. A fan of nostalgia, she enjoys sharing memories from the good old days.

Wambui invites you to dive into her work, join her advocacy, and find comfort in knowing you’re not alone. Wambui Bahati shows us that we can transform our struggles into powerful forces for good in our lives and communities.