Story & Lesson Highlights with Samia Omari of New York

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Samia Omari. Check out our conversation below.

Samia, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
What has been bringing me joy lately seems very simple, but it is carving time for a walk every day.
Even if it is just for ten minutes, slowing down and taking the time to actually breathe.
As a performer, you never really stop working between auditions, rehearsals, maintaining skills through classes or practice and the administrative work related to performing. It’s really exciting and rewarding but you often have to juggle various projects and tasks at the same time, why keeping an eye on what’s next and your creativity.
I feel this time is necessary to slow down and reflect or reconnect with yourself. I love even more walking in nature, even if it’s just in a park or by the water to process, take my mind off things. Or sometimes walking while reviewing lines helps me memorizing them better.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a performer, actor, singer, dancer, with a focus on physical, movement-based, devised and immersive theater as well as Shakespeare. For the latter two, I am loving the collaborative process with other artists and creative, but also having possibilities for audience interaction and participation. Making the audience part of a live and evolving art piece keeps you on your toes, and leaves room for discovery and exploration.
I first moved to New York to study at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, after having worked in musical theater in Paris. It allowed me to deepen my knowledge of American theater techniques, as well as discover new methods and explore throughout mediums and technique.
Because the New York Theater scene is also composed of so many different artists from all over the country and the world, I feel that there is such a depth, diversity and richness to the work created.
A really significant difference is that projects in the US are integrating more and more multidisciplinary aspects and indie theater is more present with an extensive number of subjects tackled.

As part of my work in New York, I just finished performing in a new play, “Speak, Sahara, Speak” by Taiwo Aloba, at the New York Theater Festival which included poetry, dance and songs in English, Yoruba, Fulani, Swahili and French.
It was such an honor to perform and put into life such a unique piece of work.
In parallel, I am currently working on a devised movement and poetry piece that I am writing and choreographing “Roots^2”.
I am making a point this year to also allocate time to explore and craft my own projects. It is very satisfying to be able to put the experience and knowledge I gained throughout the years to challenging my creativity, work on storytelling, putting my own vision into a piece from the beginning to the end. It is now in workshopping stages and set to be presented for an industry presentation in the Fall.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
One of my biggest beliefs as a child was that I was shy. It was somehow what all the adults kept on repeating and telling me I was, while pushing me to talk to them.
I was a creative kid that would mostly keep myself entertained for hours. Even though I was outgoing with my friends and keep busy on my own; I guess I chose what I wanted to engage with and people took that as shyness or introversion.
But as I grew up, I found out it was just how I was perceived because I would not necessarily speak if I didn’t find it necessary. And a lot of what I wanted to express I did through artistic medium and not necessary talk.
When I started doing theater, I discovered it was in a way an image people projected onto myself a I had not trouble engaging and connecting with people to learn along the way, or making friends while traveling abroad .

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
I believe one of the fear that routinely holds me back in acting/creativity is pretty contradictory one; deep down I think that the fear of success kind of mirrors the fear of failure. You fear failure by design with how the industry works as there are only so many roles or projects and many artists auditioning to see if they fit the role.
With this comes the fear of not being good enough, trained enough, having all the other skills needed in dance or singing. So it’s easy to spiral even though we always remind ourselves that you’ve done your job well already if you book the room: showcase yourself authentically with your best material and your interpretation of the role.
However, succeeding in getting roles also brings a fear of what’s next and how do I keep up my stride or what is next? As we’re all as human and professionals encourage to top what we did before and dream bigger.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
One belief I am committed to is to work with projects and people aligned with my value, no matter how long it takes to have “success”, however you define it at that moment of your life. Because that definition evolves – whether it is getting the bigger projects, getting on Broadway, working only on project you love, or being self-sufficient as an artist while having balance between work and personal life – it is so essential to me to commit my time, energy and put into life projects I believe in and collaborate with people whom I share the very values of humanity, social justice and community that I believe art and artistic expression stands for.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What will you regret not doing? 
I think that one of the things that I will regret not doing is not taking time to celebrate every victories or milestones along the way.
It is something I am working on actively to implement.
The acting industry is by design so go-go-go, as you have to audition for future projects while being in rehearsals and performances for others, that you don’t have a lot of time to stop, realize and acknowledge that what you just accomplished was on your goals list, two, five or ten years ago.
We are so constantly pushed and rushed to get into the next thing while with instinct wanting to do even better or bigger that the project that we just wrapped, that we barely notice that this very project was something that we dreamt and yearned for years ago.
So I feel, today, take a moment to browse through that goal notebook or five years plan notes, and see how close you are of all these beautiful things you dreamt of not that long ago as well as lessons and skills learned along the journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://samiaomari.com
• Instagram: itssamiaom

Image Credits
Carlos Adol, Deborah Lopez, Ezra Goh, Taiwo Aloba, Ashley Smith