Next week, the project team for SISU is in the Heart will travel to Fairport Harbor, Ohio to read the play with the community for the first time. Joining us are two professional actors - Nina Sallinen (Los Angeles, California), and Jeffrey Allen Sneed (Parma, Ohio). You can read more about them below!
If you'd like to join us for the reading, you can find all of the details here. We need lots of people to participate and to let us know what we got right and what still needs work!
-Park
If you'd like to join us for the reading, you can find all of the details here. We need lots of people to participate and to let us know what we got right and what still needs work!
-Park
Nina Sallinen is a professional actress from Helsinki, Finland. She received her Masters Degree from the Theater Academy of Finland. Nina has performed in more than 70 shows, including productions at the Finnish National Theater, Tampere City Theater, Q-theater, Theater Little Finland, and Theater Jurkka. She has performed at festivals in France, Italy, Norway, Macedonia and in U.S in Chicago IL and Santa Barbara CA. She also starred in two TV shows as a series regular. Nina lived in Chicago and started a theater company called The Walk About Theater, where she developed her one woman show,
Poor Poor Lear . In Los Angeles, Nina earned a nomination as Best Supporting Actress from L.A Weekly for the Odyssey Theater production of Conquest of the South Pole in the role of Frankie Boy.
Where is your family from?
My family is from Eastern Finland originally, both of my parents. My mom is originally from Enonkoski and my dad is from Savonranta. Both small towns not too far from Savonlinna.
If you could choose one family member to spend time with right now who would it be?
I want to see my grandmother, she's 92.
What does "sisu" means to you?
It's funny but I think that's how I most identify myself as a Finn. I think us Finns believe that we are the only ones who have sisu, I know it's not true, but we like to think so. Sisu is the secret ingredient for getting through hard times, obstacles ,or for even winning. I think everyone has it, you just have to be willing or know how to access it.
Want to know more? Check out this interview with Nina on the Finland Center website!
Poor Poor Lear . In Los Angeles, Nina earned a nomination as Best Supporting Actress from L.A Weekly for the Odyssey Theater production of Conquest of the South Pole in the role of Frankie Boy.
Where is your family from?
My family is from Eastern Finland originally, both of my parents. My mom is originally from Enonkoski and my dad is from Savonranta. Both small towns not too far from Savonlinna.
If you could choose one family member to spend time with right now who would it be?
I want to see my grandmother, she's 92.
What does "sisu" means to you?
It's funny but I think that's how I most identify myself as a Finn. I think us Finns believe that we are the only ones who have sisu, I know it's not true, but we like to think so. Sisu is the secret ingredient for getting through hard times, obstacles ,or for even winning. I think everyone has it, you just have to be willing or know how to access it.
Want to know more? Check out this interview with Nina on the Finland Center website!
Jeffrey Allen Sneed was born and raised in Parma, Ohio just outside of Cleveland. He is a graduate of Bowling Green State University with a BAC in Acting and Directing and while there was President of the Theatre Fraternity Honorary Theta Alpha Phi. Since then, he has been seen in New Jersey, New York, and many parts of Ohio in both professional and educational capacities. Most recently he was seen in "The Devil's Disciple" with the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey and " 'Tis Pity She's a Whore" with Rubber City Shakespeare.
How far back can you trace your family tree?
I wish I could trace it back further! We just have spots of the family tree here and there. Recent endeavors suggest that our ancestors may have been English and the surname was spelled Snead.
What is your favorite family tradition?
I grew up with only my immediate family and as such our traditions are really our own. One of my favorites, and the one I cannot explain, is every Thanksgiving my family sits down and watches "King Kong"!
Describe a time when you had to exhibit "sisu" in your life.
Graduating from a small liberal arts school with a degree no one has heard of and in a field that has a large failure rate left me in a terrible state. For a long time, I was not able to find any work and unable to fulfill any of my ambitions. I went into depression and my personal life fell apart. Eventually, I knew I couldn't give up because this is what I needed to do. I pushed myself out of the doldrums and made a promise to make myself as hard the person I wanted to be. Due to my taking action, I overcame that hard time in my life and am walking a brave and happy road.
How far back can you trace your family tree?
I wish I could trace it back further! We just have spots of the family tree here and there. Recent endeavors suggest that our ancestors may have been English and the surname was spelled Snead.
What is your favorite family tradition?
I grew up with only my immediate family and as such our traditions are really our own. One of my favorites, and the one I cannot explain, is every Thanksgiving my family sits down and watches "King Kong"!
Describe a time when you had to exhibit "sisu" in your life.
Graduating from a small liberal arts school with a degree no one has heard of and in a field that has a large failure rate left me in a terrible state. For a long time, I was not able to find any work and unable to fulfill any of my ambitions. I went into depression and my personal life fell apart. Eventually, I knew I couldn't give up because this is what I needed to do. I pushed myself out of the doldrums and made a promise to make myself as hard the person I wanted to be. Due to my taking action, I overcame that hard time in my life and am walking a brave and happy road.
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