Based: Johannesburg
Sam began her theatrical training at the Performing Arts Workshop, where her subjects included all forms of dance, drama, singing and music. She made her professional debut in Richard Loring’s “Joseph and his amazing technicolor dreamcoat”, as an adoring Girl and the national tour of “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” followed soon after. The role of Snow White in Pacts Pantomime “ Snow White and the 7 Dwarves” marked her first professional leading role.
Roles in various children’s productions followed including “Pinocchio”, “Alice in Wonderland” and “Peter Rabbit” for people’s Theatre. She made her screen debut as the lead in Little Sister’s music video “Dear Abby”, and soon after, appeared as Gabriella in “Under African Skies”.
Her next Theatrical highlight was playing the role of Diana Morales in “A Chorus Line”, where she got the opportunity to work with several American artists including director, Troy Garza. She next donned her fishnet tights and got to do the Time Warp in Christopher Malcolm’s “The Rocky Horror Show” playing the role of Janet Weiss – a role which she got to repeat on several occasions. Other theatre credits include Dorothy in “Wizards of Oz”, Sam in “Best of the Best” (The launch of the Theatre on the Track) and Chrissy in “Hair”.
Sam also spent time aboard an American Luxury cruise liner – The Monarch of the Seas – for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines where she performed as lead singer/dancer. Sam spent a year in London furthering her skills, where she appeared in the Lost Musicals production of “Panama Hatti” at the Barbican Theatre. Two of her most memorable roles have been as Polly Baker in Pacts production of “Crazy for You” for which she had the opportunity for working with the London Associate Director, Nigel West and as Anita in Pacts “West Side Story” where she was directed by the acclaimed director Alan Johnson. Sam has also been involved in numerous corporate theatre launches, television specials, guest appearances and cabarets including “Hooray for Hollywood” at the Cellar in Durban, “New York State of Mind” at the Civic Theatre and “I still Believe in Love” a one woman show in Cape Town.
She also appeared in a number of commercials and training video’s, sung with cover bands and orchestras and is one of the foremost corporate theatre performers in the country. She has appeared in the television drama “Erfsondes” and is also a member of Nubia an all woman vocal harmony group. In 2005 Sam appeared in the hugely successful run of the smash hit Broadway and West End musical “Chicago” in which she played the coveted role of Roxy Hart to glowing reviews. She received a Naledi Award and a Fleur du Cap nomination for Best Actress in a musical for her role in Chicago, a role which she once again reprised in the 2007 run of Chicago at the new Monte Casino Theatre. She performed in the Broadway and West End hit “Thoroughly Modern Millie” playing the title role of Millie, to fantastic reviews and was nominated for a Naledi Award for Best Actress.
In 2007 Sam made her debut in a straight theatrical piece playing the role of Brooke Daniels in Ben Elton’s hugely successful satire “Popcorn”.
In April 2009 Sam appeared in the exquisitely beautiful Andrew Lloyd Webber musical “Aspects of Love” in its first major revival outside of the UK, in the role of Guilietta Trapani and had the incredible experience of working with Director Nikolai Foster fresh from his success on the UK Tour. in 2011, Sam was involved in an original stage work, written fir Anglo Gold which ran at Gold Reef City, playing the role of action hero Cassandra Prime. It was called “Streets of Gold”. Sam has also written and starred in two, one-woman cabarets, “Soulfire and Fireflies”, which details the journey from the end of a tricky, romantic relationship towards wholeness, and “Starstruck”, which gives a behind the scenes, and an onstage look at the life of an Actress. It showcases Sam’s earliest musical influences, the highs and low’s of a career spanning 20 odd years, and the triumphs thus far. Sam’s latest theatrical highlight has been playing the role of that divinely, decadent Sally Bowles in Pieter Toerien’s and Kickstart’s productions of “Cabaret” to sold out house in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
