Darryl Semira
Professional actor, acting teacher, and coach
Broadway credits include:
MAMMA MIA!
Original cast replacement
MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT
First national tour
BOMBAY DREAMS
Original Broadway cast
The experiences I had at JMM were formative in my choice of career path and in providing a safe and nurturing environment to develop my nascent abilities in the performing arts. It was with the first show I ever did, playing The Baker in JMM's 1995 production of INTO THE WOODS that I discovered my love of acting and which propelled me to learn all I could about it. As a sophomore at the time, little did I know how much this experience would grab a hold of my life and set me on a course to a career on Broadway, Los Angeles, and theatres throughout the nation. My senior year, I learned even more about the power of my own voice to stand up for what is right, playing Reverend Hale in THE CRUCIBLE. And the culminating point of my high school performance career, playing Anatoly Sergievsky in CHESS, taught me how to overcome my fears as I confronted one of the most challenging vocal roles in musical theatre at the age of 17.
While I owe so much to the drama program and the amazing faculty that guided me through those years, there were definitely some bumps along the way. The chorus room was occupied quite often by students rehearsing on their own or in small groups whenever it wasn't being used for classes. But as there were many students with musical abilities and interests, it meant there would always be someone who was left out and couldn't practice. We would have greatly benefited from larger, more flexible music rooms.
When I was auditioning for colleges in 1996, taped submissions weren't yet a common practice. But now, I know many colleges, universities, and conservatories have made taped auditions fairly standard, which means providing facilities where students can comfortably set up and record (with all the needed audio/visual equipment) would be a huge asset. Providing state of the art equipment would result in more professional looking and sounding audition tapes, which may give a leg up in an extremely competitive field.
Finally, as an educator myself, and with social justice movements regarding equality coming even more to the foreground of public discourse in recent years, I know the importance of accessibility, something I know I wasn't aware of as a teenager in the mid-90s. The aforementioned music rooms and recording studio would give students who don't have the space or technology at home because of their socio-economic status the opportunity to pursue their dreams. Their home situations would no longer preclude them from applying for programs that may have traditionally been biased toward more privileged students who happen to have room to practice at home or who have the newest audio recording equipment. In addition, a new auditorium at JMM of sufficient size and careful planning would have the potential to accommodate students who may be differently abled, who would otherwise have never been able to navigate the backstage and stage (or even the audience area) with ease.
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A professional actor for the last 23 years, Darryl’s Broadway credits include MAMMA MIA! (original cast replacement), MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT (first national tour, directed by the legendary Mike Nichols) and BOMBAY DREAMS (original Broadway cast). He has appeared on TV and at regional theatres nationwide in world premieres of new shows by Charles Strouse (ANNIE, BYE BYE BIRDIE), Maltby/Shire (BABY, BIG), and Maury Yeston (NINE, TITANTIC).
Darryl has worked with the eminent theatre director Anne Bogart and members of SITI Company, training in Viewpoints / Suzuki Method of Acting while directing and acting in developmental stages of THE THREE SISTERS.
As an acting teacher and coach, Darryl Semira has lived and worked in both New York City and Los Angeles, where he taught at the renowned Margie Haber Studio. He is currently on the adjunct Theater faculty at SUNY Buffalo State College and is a private teacher/coach online and for the Western NY region.
Upcoming roles include Orlando in AS YOU LIKE IT (Shakespeare in Delaware Park), William Shakespeare in SOMETHING ROTTEN! (Kavinoky) and Pip in GREAT EXPECTATIONS (Irish Classical)
Training and education: University of Michigan (BFA Musical Theatre) and SUNY - University at Buffalo (MA Theatre and Performance). Member of Actors' Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA. darrylsemira.com
