Name: Taseem Nathari
Age: 18 years old
Occupation: Full time Student at The New School for Drama
From young, Tasneem Nathari always felt a fire burning at her core, boiling her blood and consuming her thoughts. She’s always understood this fire to be a passion overwhelming her, but never knew what for. The universe conspired to bring her toward the colorful world of drama, dance, and acting in her young years as an 8th grader in middle school, when approached by her now former Musical Theater teacher at Cicely L. Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts, Ms. Gargone. It seems that it was fate that brought her to the main office at the institution, where Ms. Gargone saw her and recruited her. Maybe Ms. Gargone sensed her fire, or felt the glitter falling from her aura, but it was undoubtedly fate. Going from softball and then to track and field, Tasneem searched for the source of her passion and stumbled upon it that day, but she was still uncertain. Initially intimidated by this new world, she shrunk into a shell of her thoughts and grew to be subconscious and at the brink of quitting, she snapped back, which is the prime reasoning for her continued passion today. Through perseverance, and faith, she contented to let herself be inspired by some of the greatest names in music and acting like Lauryn Hill, Amy Winehouse, Nicki Minaj and Pam Grier. She is an archetypical representation of an perseverance and determination and represents so much more than she probably realizes. She emphasizes truth and honesty in her journey and expresses her artistry to be eclectic. She walks through life with her heart as her compass and see’s herself on Broadway in the future. She’s a visionary with the heart of a lion, a Dancer, Singer, and Student. With a unique touch, and an ambitious spirit, This is Tasneem Nathari.
Q&A
Q: Let’s just start off with your name and what you do.
A: I’m Tasneem Nathari. I’m a student at the New School for Drama. In the fall we’re becoming the college for Performing Arts At the New School. So were gonna combine with Mannis- The school for classical Music and the school for jazz and contemporary music. – So at Drama, my focus is acting, and uh, because I have an interest in musical theatre, I loaded myself up with Dance courses and vocal courses and so I guess you could say im getting musical theatre training, acting training, playwriting, directing, So those are different things I’m exploring. I also wanna explore stage combat, and i’m really interested in Classical Theatre, and so im gonna explore that also. I write my own music, and perform my own music and that’s separate from school
Q: So uh, what is stage combat?
A: Oh um, [Laughs] fighting, its just like um, fake punching, and kicking.
Q: So as a performer like, what has performing done for you?
A: Um, performing, for me, has always been really selfish um, I perform– It’s the only thing i’ve ever liked to do, I’ve tried so many different things. I used to play soccer, I used to play softball, um, I liked soccer but i didn’t love it. So uh, Ive been singing for a really long time, and then I auditioned for Tyson, umm because we were moving back to tyson I lived in a different neighborhood and um, when I got to the main office, I got into tyson for vocal music, and when i got to the main office, because no one sent my transcripts over I um– I didn’t have a PA, so I was just sitting in the office, I was just sitting there all day, and the Mrs. Gargone, who was the Musical Theatre teacher, came in there and she was like “Hi, how are you!?” and I was like “I’m fine,” and she’s like “Well, what are you doing in here?” and I was like umm, “well I don’t have a performing art,” and she was like “Can you sing?” and I was like “Yeah, I think thats what I’m here for because that’s the only thing I auditioned for,” and she was like “well what happened,” and I’m like “Ion, know.” and she was like “Do you wanna audition for me?” I was like “okay,” and I just went to her room and auditioned for her, and then she accepted me and then at that point I started performing, but I was really insecure about it because now I was in an environment where everyone was a performer and everybody wanted to be famous, or everybody wanted to, yah know “I’m gonna be an actor,” “Im gonna be a singer” “Im gonna be this, Im gonna be that” and so I just got really shy and I started doing costume design, and so thats when I realized I loved, Clothes, I loved patterns, I loved– to dress. But I didnt love it as much as I wanted to be on he stage, I was so jealous and I wanted to be on stage so bad. And so I auditioned for Dream Girls, and I didnt get in, and so I was in the bed like, cryin’ cryin’ and cryin’ and I was like “Im not good like.” and my mom was like “Oh so youre gonna quit?” And I was like “….Yeah” and then she was like “Really?” and I was like “No I cant! I– its the only thing I wanna do.” So she was like, “So keep going.” And so, I just started like, singing really heavy on my own and I realized that singing was the only time i was really happy. ‘Cause I was always like really… depressed and I always like– I dont know, and I didnt have any reason to be depressed besides the fact that I wasnt really doing what I really wanted to do. And so I just umm… started singing by myself and I kept singing singing singing and then Finally I auditioned for Pippin. so I was like “Okay, maybe its getting better and I didnt get the lead, so I was like “Whatever,” Ill just be in ensemble, and so I started getting a lot of attention because in rehearsal I was like, giving my all. And so for the first time in my life, I realized that i was doing what i was meant to be doing. It just gave me a way to be creative and express myself and have fun and work in a collaborative environment. And so I fell in love!
Q: So like, going back to your down point, where you felt like you wanted to quit. So your mother kept you motivated? What like, kept you motivated?
A: Um, Ms. Gorgone. My musical theatre teacher. She was just like “Oh youre so good, youre so good. Why are you so insecure. Why do you have an attitude?” and I just didnt wanna hear it, like I just didnt wanna hear anything.” and Im like “If im so good, then why dont you give me the solo?” and then I started having entitlement issues. and Im just like “well, I should be getting this, and that.” and then I had to humble myself. and then Byron, my best friend byron. He was so passionate. About what he was doing! And I– I wanted to have something to be passionate about! and so He was motivating me too like to sing. and he’s like “Your good! like why dont you just do it!” and ill be like “No like i cant!” and he kept on my and my mom kept on my and Ms. Gorgone and then those three together, I was like “Alright, I have to do it. Theres no reason for me to not to!”
Q: So like, how would you describe your artistry?
A: Umm…. I think its really…. Ecclectic. Its a combination of so many things! and Honesty is Honesty, like thats the root of everything I do. being truthful and honest. I feel like thats so important to me. And so thats the basis of my artistry. Telling stories that are true to me. And making acting choices that are true to me or just truthful in general because a character isn’t gunah like, always have my story or something where I could be like “I went through that.” But I have to always find truth in everything that I do.