We recently connected with Lina Zinecker and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Lina, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
This year I got to perform in front of a lot of young audiences. I‘m employed by The Freestyle Repertory Theater and together we perform at different schools in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
Majority of the kids are in middle school and they all bring such love and appreciation for the theater to the table.
At one point during the show we get some of the students with us on stage and improv with them.
It‘s very special to see them gain confidence in themselves and their theatrical choices. Especially when they‘re able to make the audience laugh!
One time after our performance was over a teacher came up to me and told me how much it meant to some of her foreign students to hear me have an accent.
She mentioned that they usually didn‘t want to part take in their drama class, because they were too shy since English wasn‘t their native language.
The teacher said that they now wanted to give their class a shot.
I‘m originally from Germany, and still have a little bit of my German accent left.
I never would have thought that it‘d be a way for others to feel seen, or motivated to give the arts a shot!
The Arts are for everyone- and I‘m so glad that those students understood that that day.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Hi everyone,
My name is Lina Zinecker and I‘m a German actress based in New York City.
Growing up I moved a lot, but acting and performing was the one thing I could always turn to that felt familiar in new environments.
What I really appreciate about acting, whether it‘s on stage or in front of the camera, is being creative with others and creating something together that didn‘t exist before!
One year before graduating high school I took part in the New York Film Academy‘s 4 Week Advanced Acting For The Camera workshop and knew immediately that I wanted to study acting in the U.S.
I graduated from AMDA and have since acted in commercials, award-winning short films, and have been a part of many sketch comedy and improv productions.
Currently I am employed by multiple improv theater companies and perform in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey.
I love how every show is unpredictable, since improv really prevents you from planning ahead. There‘s always such a special adrenalin rush!
I‘m always looking for new creatives to connect with so please feel free to reach out to me!
Instagram: linainnyc
Website: linazinecker.com
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
For me it‘s to have the ability to make an audience forget their outside world, or their worries. A different theater company I work for does immersive improv theater; so some audience members get roles assigned and have to interact with us actors! It’s beautiful to see grown ups abandon their fears of judgement and come up with creative choices.
In the beginning of the show they’re usually very hesitant and skeptical, but in the end they are so full of excitement, and don’t want the show to end.
Being able to provide that for others makes me happy to go to work!
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
I think being supportive of the creatives in your life and taking them seriously goes a very long way! There’s a lot that goes into preparing a character and rehearsing for a show.
It takes a long, long time and isn’t just learning some lines and reciting them.
So people genuinely acknowledging the effort and time that goes into entertaining an audience means the world!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.linazinecker.com/
- Instagram: linainnyc