We were lucky to catch up with Martin Yousif Zebari recently and have shared our conversation below.
Martin Yousif, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
Working on my first full-length play, Layalina, from its inception to its recent world premier has been one of the most humbling, challenging and rewarding artistic experiences of my entire career. In the height of the 2020 quarantine, with nothing else to do, I spent months confronting years of unprocessed trauma from my childhood and young adulthood. Until then, I had been a working actor and in 2020, I felt like I was mourning the death of my artistic career; mourning the years lost, money and hours spent, and all the tears cried. That coupled with my personal feelings of despair, I decided to finally put words to page, a story that had been in my heart and mind for years now. In November of 2020, I finally finished a first rough draft of my play and went on to submit it to two different opportunities, both of which accepted Layalina to develop in their respective programs. From a virtual reading, to an in-person reading in NYC, to a workshop production in Chicago and most recently to a world premier in Chicago, the last three years have taught me invaluable lessons in art making and collaboration. I’ve had the honor of working with several brilliant directors on the play, four different groups of actors in every stage of development and connected with so many audience members who have been forever changed since experiencing the play. The biggest lesson learned is we are capable of turning some of the darkest moments in our lives into some of the most fruitful with a. lot of hard work and belief in ourselves.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I act in plays, I write plays and soon I hope to write for TV/film. Acting is what incited my passion for the performing arts and now, writing is sustaining that passion. I came to performing arts from an educational background in theatre. I was involved in my high school’s extensive theatre program and then went on to receive a BFA in Acting, and later in my career began to write. I’ve also had the opportunity to serve as other roles within the theatre industry, such as costume designer, language/dialect coach, educator, director and cultural consultant. I believe my vast experience in the industry sets me apart as I’ve never been satisfied doing just one thing. I have immersed myself in almost every aspect of storytelling with the hope that this thorough understanding of the industry will strengthen my work and the way I collaborate. I collaborate openly, honestly and without ego. I put people first and I believe that is evident in my work but also in the way I walk through the industry.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
One of the most rewarding aspects of being an artist is watching audience members experience your art, or any art for that matter. Seeing an audience laughing exactly when you thought/planned they would or hearing them laugh when you never expected them to. Glossing over a moment that meant nothing to you and seeing someone next you in tears about that same moment. Watching a theatre full of audience members in harmony with each other or conversely, at odds with one another. The beauty of live theatre and storytelling is that we try as hard as we might, and we’ll still never be able to predict how an audience is going to receive any moment, word, line, story, etc. Art is personal and it is sacred.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I don’t really think of my life in this way often, but when I dive deep, I realize my entire existence is a story of resilience. From my family’s struggle to flee our home country to me later pursuing a career they did not approve, my entire artistic journey has been one of resilience and perseverance. I would be lying if I said that I did not experience crippling self-doubt on a regular basis; however, in hindsight, I realize that the most rewarding experiences in my career have come from the most frightening decisions. The decision to be different, to follow my truest passion, to say no definitively, to say yes enthusiastically. I am not my trauma, and my life is not a tragedy, but even the darkest moments have informed my journey and my work. 
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Image Credits
Personal Photos: Rachel Sepiashvili Personal IG: @rachelsepiashvili Photography IG: @raisaphotoo Professional Production Photos: Liz Lauren