S02 E25: On Empathy, Success, and Theater as Life With Suehyla El-Attar Young

Author: Daniel Lamb & Anna Rosa Parker
Published: Mon 06 Dec 2021
Episode Link: None

“I do believe without theater, we would have nothing else that has followed.”

— Suehyla El-Attar Young

Suehyla El-Attar Young is an award winning actor, playwright, and voiceover artist based in Atlanta. She's also a teaching artist, a director, and “a horrible daughter.” She lives happily with her husband and two cats in Decatur.

Even with a nearly endless list of theater and film credits, Suehyla still feels blessed every time she lands a role or gig. Yet, she’s spreading the love around, participating in an arts education program that teaches screenwriting to public school students - some of whom have never even encountered the concept of theater.

“If it was mandatory, I think that you would have automatic empathy taught to students. It's the only subject in school that works in full practicum of everything else,” Suehya says. “You have to know how to do math physics and geometry in order to build a set. Your physical education, of being aware of your body and how it moves, that's all being on stage. Reading comprehension and language, it's all right there. Working as a group for collaborative efforts, it's automatic, it's part of it naturally.”

Check out this eye-opening discussion on life as an Egyptian-American actress living in 2021 Atlanta.

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode of the podcast,‌ ‌you’ll discover:‌ ‌