Actress plays dual roles, follows father’s footsteps

At first coming to America was supposed to be a temporary residence.

But war changed all that.

Sabrena Nomani, an actress and performing arts major at Pierce College, came with her family to the U.S. as her father was looking to further his education.

But after the Gulf War erupted her family was no longer able to return home.

“My dad was an actor, but then the Gulf War happened so we couldn’t go back. He was a movie star in Iraq,” Nomani said. “He was coming here to get his Ph.D. in theatre arts, and he did.”

Nomani said her family had many struggles adjusting to a new reality.

“We lost our money, our home and our citizenship in Iraq, and my family was kind of lost out here, we didn’t know what our next step was.”

Her father got a job with George Clooney on a set in California and soon the family moved to the valley permanently.

“He got a job working with George Clooney here on a movie,” Nomani said. “So then we all moved out here and then he was like, ‘I’m going to be a Hollywood actor now,’ and he got some great jobs.”

Acting has been a part of Nomani’s life as far as she could remember.

“I thought everybody was an actor,” Nomani said. “The only people my father brought around were all actors, so I thought it was just part of normal life,”

Embracing her acting lineagle, Nomani played two pivotal roles in the recently acclaimed “Top Girls” production that ran in the arena theatre. She portrayed Gret, an armored warrior-woman in an ancient world, and Angie, a leading woman of our present day.

“I got to play Gret and Angie in the same production,” Nomani said. “The way I took it is that they were the same girls reincarnated in different times, when I was Gret in the wartime, and when I was Angie in the modern time it was how I imagined Gret in that time, who was crazy and had a lot of ambition.”

Nomani describes the message that she believes “Top Girls” is trying to convey

“It shows real women who have problems and are broken and are hurt, and have been through a lot, and how they come out of it and find themselves,” Nomani said.

Despite the name, Nomani beleives this does not just apply to women, but to everyone.

“Not just women do, men do too, but men aren’t vocal about it like women are, and men are just as broken as women are,” Nomani said. “It’s not cool for them to cry together and talk about it. But for us women we’re like grab your wine, let’s sit, what happened? Let’s talk.”

Theatre Instructor and the director of “Top Girls,” Shaheen Vaaz, spoke about working with Nomani, describing how she brought the characters to life.

“What makes Sabrena such a powerful and unique actor is that her instincts are so strong,” Vaaz explained. “She really knows how to embrace those instincts on stage.”

Janel Javier, who aided Nomani with her costume changes, spoke well of Nomani’s acting skills, and the contrast between her true self and the character she played on stage.

“When I met Sabrena, she was one of the nicest people ever,” Javier said. “Which is a little weird because she plays the meanest character ever, and she plays it so well.”

Nomani also discussed her process in building her characters, and her attitude toward her performance, as the biggest moment for her was Gret’s monologue.

“It was a scary feeling for me because I don’t like to ‘go there’ because it’s a heavy place,” Nomani said. “I know I have those dark feelings, and when Gret starts talking about losing her kids, a bitch is going to go there to that dark place.”

Nomani has been attending Pierce College on and off for a long time but says she’s serious this time.

“I’ve come here 30 different times and dropped out each time I’m 31 years old and I’m finally back at school and this time I’m serious,” Nomani said.

This semester Nomani is taking the beginning acting class with Professor Vaaz.

“I’m learning so much about the craft of acting and how it’s so connected to being a human being,” Nomani said. “I’m really enjoying finding that connection.”

In between her off and on attendance at Pierce, Nomani received a degree from Specs Howard School of Media Arts that she puts to use on her instagram social media account ‘sabiesbites’ which she fills with photos and videos ranging from restaurant and shop reviews

• Sabrena Nomani was nominated for acting.

• 8 students were nominated. Based on a play written by Caryl Churchill.

• First premiered 1982.

• Invited to the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival 51 (KCACTF) to one on one interviews with people that she meets in and outside of Pierce College.

• Have not been selected to perform at the KCACTF since 2001.

Jasmine Curry played the three roles of Isabella Bird, Joyce, and Louise.

Alexia Maris played 2 roles of Lady Nijo and Win.

• 3 shows back to back in the same day, at 2 different sites.

“It’s where I take a bite out of food, places, people and things,” Sabrena said, “and I get to hear what other people think and feel, which really helps my acting” hdavis.roundupnews@gmail.com

Now, Nomani said that this time, she’s not dropping classes or stopping until she gets her degree and will continue to persue her acting career.