Dominika Zawada Interview by Jen Bush
Pick an artistic talent and chances are Dominika Zawada has it! From performing to behind-the-scenes Ms. Zawada has filled her wheelhouse with skills. Her vocal and performing prowess has been recognized with multiple awards. She holds a seat at a table of prominent judges as an expert in her field to judge musical competitions. Ms. Zawada always gets her fairy tale ending being the founder of ‘Happily Ever After’, Amsterdam’s first musical theatre to perform every show in English. It was a pleasure to speak with Ms. Zawada to learn more about her fascinating journey in the arts.
When Ms. Zawada is inspired it’s an exhilarating experience for her and it puts a pep in her step! As inspirations go for a musical theatre performer, it doesn’t get much better than the master himself, Stephen Sondheim. “I noticed that I get inspired throughout the day by many different things, be it books, stories, videos, situations, people, surroundings. But when I do get inspired, I can’t sit still and I have to do something about it right away.”
“When it comes to musical theatre and people, my biggest inspiration has always been Stephen Sondheim. The way he treats the text and music is remarkable. Every single thing in his work is well thought through and important. There are so many nuances, musical motives that aren’t obvious until you study it, deep stories and fascinating characters. Some people call his work unnecessarily complicated, which I can understand, but that’s what I love about him and his work, and I hope to get to work on his pieces more in the future.”
Ms. Zawada simply loves to be immersed in the world of the arts, armed with the skill sets to create it and help others create it. “I love every aspect of live performance, theatre and screen acting. That’s why I found it important to be able to understand the processes behind each of them. I very much enjoy being on stage and performing – there’s no better feeling than being able to express yourself vocally and communicate your emotions with an audience. To make someone feel what you feel or evoke a thought in someone gives me great fulfilment. At the same time, producing and making things happen gives me a lot of enjoyment and satisfaction too. Being able to create space for other artists who have something to show, say, or communicate with the world is an amazing feeling. I love managing teams and helping others bring their visions to life, whether on screen or stage. I love every part of theatre making but I know I would never stop performing as that gives me the drive to keep going further.”
Many international artists recognize that the United States is the pinnacle of the arts. Ms. Zawada certainly did, and she came here to further her dreams. “I grew up in Poland where I had the opportunity to actively perform from the age of 11. When I was 19 I moved to The Netherlands where I studied singing, started a musical theatre company, acted in films and taught many artists. These two countries helped me grow as an artist by meeting many talented people. I am so thankful and grateful for all the opportunities I received but I also knew that I wanted to keep learning. I knew that if I wanted to learn from the best I needed to go where the best of the best work – New York. “
ARTIUM: OMNI 