Sanam Erfani
- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Sanam Erfani was born in Tehran, Iran, and is an award winning actress. Trilingual in Farsi, English, and Spanish, she is a graduate of Columbia University's MFA Acting program. The first Iranian-born to graduate the acting conservatory, she was mentored by the late-great Kristin Linklater, as well as La Mama Theater founder, Ellen Stewart. During her studies, she was nominated by her professors and won the prestigious Bob Hope Fellowship for her performative excellence.
She obtained an undergraduate degree in Performance Arts from San Francisco State University, where she worked with and was mentored by three-time Tony Award Nominee (for her play "Quilters"), Barbara Damashek. After receiving a First Place in Novice Nationals in Dramatic Interpretation, she went on to win Gold or First Place that same year at the prestigious Phi Rho Pi National Tournament for her Dramatic Interpretation of Joyce Carol Oates' monologues. While in high school, she also received the Southern California Educational Theater Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Leanne in a poignant play based on stories of women who served during the Vietnam War entitled, "A Piece of My Heart."
In addition to her acting, she is a playwright and screenwriter. Her produced plays include: "Attractions" which premiered at the New York Theater Festival, "Hush: Inside the Waiting Womb" which premiered at The Players Club in New York and the Hudson Theater in Los Angeles, a 12 character solo show entitled "Last Import Soliloquy" which premiered at Joyce SoHo in New York, and an original adaptation of Ibsen's "A Doll's House" and Strindberg's "Miss Julie" entitled "La Liberata" which premiered at Dixon Place in New York.
Her recent films include Bharat Film Festival Winner "The Refuge" (Official Selection at Five International Film Festivals ), the multi-award winning feature film "Imitation Girl" (available on Amazon), award winning short film "Scheherazade" (winner: Champs-Elysées Film Festival, winner: DC Shorts), and "Hasti Joon" (official selection at Five Film Festivals).
Active in New York Theater and Experimental Theater with Al Límite Collective, her off and off-off Broadway Credits include: "Liminal Archive" with Al Límite Collective at the New Ohio Theater, "Babette's Feast" at The Connelly Theater in New York, "The Fall" at The Flamboyan Theater in New York, "Miss Lilly Gets Boned" at The New Ohio Theater in New York, and "Cats Don't Grin" premiering at Cherry Lane Theater in New York.
Her work is centered on passionately creating and playing dynamic characters in nuanced storylines with seamless naturalism and grounded authenticity.
She obtained an undergraduate degree in Performance Arts from San Francisco State University, where she worked with and was mentored by three-time Tony Award Nominee (for her play "Quilters"), Barbara Damashek. After receiving a First Place in Novice Nationals in Dramatic Interpretation, she went on to win Gold or First Place that same year at the prestigious Phi Rho Pi National Tournament for her Dramatic Interpretation of Joyce Carol Oates' monologues. While in high school, she also received the Southern California Educational Theater Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Leanne in a poignant play based on stories of women who served during the Vietnam War entitled, "A Piece of My Heart."
In addition to her acting, she is a playwright and screenwriter. Her produced plays include: "Attractions" which premiered at the New York Theater Festival, "Hush: Inside the Waiting Womb" which premiered at The Players Club in New York and the Hudson Theater in Los Angeles, a 12 character solo show entitled "Last Import Soliloquy" which premiered at Joyce SoHo in New York, and an original adaptation of Ibsen's "A Doll's House" and Strindberg's "Miss Julie" entitled "La Liberata" which premiered at Dixon Place in New York.
Her recent films include Bharat Film Festival Winner "The Refuge" (Official Selection at Five International Film Festivals ), the multi-award winning feature film "Imitation Girl" (available on Amazon), award winning short film "Scheherazade" (winner: Champs-Elysées Film Festival, winner: DC Shorts), and "Hasti Joon" (official selection at Five Film Festivals).
Active in New York Theater and Experimental Theater with Al Límite Collective, her off and off-off Broadway Credits include: "Liminal Archive" with Al Límite Collective at the New Ohio Theater, "Babette's Feast" at The Connelly Theater in New York, "The Fall" at The Flamboyan Theater in New York, "Miss Lilly Gets Boned" at The New Ohio Theater in New York, and "Cats Don't Grin" premiering at Cherry Lane Theater in New York.
Her work is centered on passionately creating and playing dynamic characters in nuanced storylines with seamless naturalism and grounded authenticity.
