Ani grew up in a family of musicians, actors, and performers. She is the granddaughter of well-renowned Armenian entertainer, Guy Chookoorian. Being a native of Los Angeles, the artist’s life was something that could not be avoided. When she was little, she would travel with her grandfather’s orchestra and watch her mother sing on stages throughout the Western United States. She was always watching and listening. Paying close attention, she learned about the different areas of the entertainment business. She discovered she had a talent for performing, and began training to sharpen her music and acting skills. As well, she picked up a knowledge of sound design, lighting design, and directing. It is her family that inspired her.
Catching the “acting bug” at an early age, she quickly learned that it was her responsibility to educate, inspire, and move the world through her art. As for most artists, her love of acting grew during her high school years.
She trained and invested heavily in her art in order to develop both her acting and directorial skills. Following high school, Ani went to California State University, Fullerton, where under the tutelage of Mark Ramont, she fine-tuned her directing skills, graduating with a B.A. in Theatre with an emphasis in Directing and an emphasis in Education. She has her M.A. in Theatre Education from the University of Northern Colorado. Ani has made a point of immersing herself in all aspects of the theatre community, and she is happy to be involved in any part of the business. She has been on the performance end and the production side, and they both excite her. She has toured the country as an actor, musician and technician. She has directed Off Broadway and regionally. She has worked with and for organizations such as LA Opera, Southeast Civic Light Opera, Kaiser Permanente, KCRW, and Warner Bros. just to name a few.