Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Natasha Samreny. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Natasha, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

My parents gave me the world. They pushed my sisters and me to use all of our senses to engage as a global citizen — to stay curious and to work hard. It was a house of reading, playing outside, and learning new things. It wasn’t until a recent relationship in my adult years however, that I realized the long-lasting value of one of these skills. Practice.

I dated someone who told me they didn’t really try at things they weren’t good at. They were naturally athletic. But outside the realm of football or breakdancing, he said he didn’t really care to explore. He said outright, “I don’t like practicing.”

Maybe that makes sense. Why not lean into the path of the least resistance? Perhaps if I’d done that earlier, I would have gotten further with my writing sooner. But it was the self-centered tone that threw me for a loop.

“I don’t like practicing”?

In that moment, I was so grateful that my parents pushed me to try things that were hard. Things I’d wanted to give up for a myriad of reasons: swimming because I felt dumb in a swimsuit, and I would never be as fast as my sisters. Softball because I didn’t catch from the plate to first and throw home quickly enough. Or running because it felt so damn pointless. And slow.

But you know what I learned in these after-school specials about myself? I learned things that might have taken years without trying and failing. I learned I was a late bloomer who loved being in the water, because it was the first place I could quiet my mind; that I couldn’t throw as far as my pitcher, but I had a hell of a defense mode, and intuitively crushed it as a catcher. And through cross-country and track, I reconnected with my body after a straight-and-narrow adolescence in a disconnecting religion. I fell in love with running, and eventually rebuilt the bridge between my heart, body and mind.

For all the times I whined and complained about cold 5 a.m. drives to the pool, or muggy summer night runs to make miles, I am grateful that my parents taught me to practice. Thank you, Mom and Dad for encouraging me to try something new again and again, because in reality, everything is new until you’ve tried it once. And all practice is, is trying it again, and again, and again …

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a multicultural military brat who traded in Mormon seminary for solo book clubs at the bar.

Raised by recovering Catholics from different sides of the world, I align with anyone who treats garlic as a primary food group.

I got my storytelling start in radio and my sweet codependent nature from too much church in my formative years. Stateside, I’ve performed at The Improv, The Second City, Zanies, the Boston Comedy Arts Festival, NYC Sketchfest, and the Latina Comedy Festival. Internationally, I’ve been seen at the Edinburgh and Camden’s fringe festivals.

In short, if you’re wondering where I’m from, please keep guessing. It’s my favorite game.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Learning about myself while connecting with other people, and making them laugh.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Being an entertainer doesn’t always mean you’re always a crowd-pleaser.

Through improv and stand-up comedy, I’ve had to face my people-pleasing tendencies; partially through the persistent pressure to play to multiple crowds: audiences in different venues, producers, bookers, colleagues, etc.

I wish I had learned earlier on that not everyone will connect with my story, my jokes, or me. And that’s okay. Because my crowd isn’t gonna be the same crowd as some Chad, Dick or Tommy. (So many white dudes in comedy).

Allow yourself the messy joy of playing with your own voice before you try on someone else’s. Or mix it up early on, because if you don’t know yourself, it’s easy to get caught in an echo chamber of comedy and start to sound like everyone else just to get the laugh. You’ve got this. No one knows who you are until you show them.

Contact Info:

• Website: natashasamreny.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natashasamrenycomedy
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashasamreny