[INTERVIEW] Andrea Somera Relates Deeply To Character

Andrea Somera is an actress who got her start with local youth theatre. This was during a production of Pirates of Penzance. Since then, she held numerous roles! Including The Hunchback of Notre Dame (playing Esmeralda), Assassins, & Priscilla Queen of the Desert. She was even in Letters to Eve, and so much more. Andrea even has a Halo Top commercial to brag about! The musical actress is now playing Brianna in the musical On This Side of the World.

In On This Side of the World, a woman flies from the Philippines to America. She holds a one-way ticket and a suitcase full of stories. Each story is collected from immigrants who came before her. Suspended above the ocean, she replays these stories in her mind. This is as she searches for the courage to embrace her future. The world premiere musical gives voices to Filipino immigrants navigating old lives and new beginnings, eight-thousand miles from home.

Snehal Desai is the Producing Artistic Director of East West Players (EWP). EWP is the nation’s longest-running Asian American theater. It’s also the largest producer of Asian American theatrical works! They announce the world premiere musical On This Side of the World. With music & lyrics by Paulo K Tirol and created with & directed by Noam Shapiro.

Introduce yourself to our HypnoticAsia Readers. 

Hi everyone! Mabuhay! My name is Andrea Somera and I use she/her pronouns. I am a first generation Filipina American from Orange County, CA and currently  residing in Pasadena, CA! 

We saw that you sang backup for NIKI! Tell us all about that  experience. 

It was actually for a Youtube project- NIKI Moonchild Experience and it was  awesome. It was the first gig I had worked on during the pandemic (all protocols were in  place- masks, testing, social distancing, etc.) so I felt a little nervous about it but felt so safe  on set. NIKI is lovely and SO talented and so was her team. It made me feel a little emotional  because it had been so long since I had done any singing professionally due to COVID, and  that album is a masterpiece.  

Is there a reason why you wanted to be a part of “On This Side Of The World” musical?

I could honestly write a whole novel about why I wanted to be part of this show. One of the main reasons is that I have never seen or been part of a musical that I related to so deeply and not only that, I’d never actually played a Filipina on stage in my 10+ year career. I knew going into this that these characters would be so well rounded, relatable, and unapologetically Filipinx.  

Which character’s story from “On This Side Of The World” resonated with you the most and  why? 

Without a doubt, Brianna in the number “My Mother is an Immigrant.”My  mother is an immigrant. She moved here when she was about 13 with her other siblings and  their Nanay (mother). I have the honor of performing that number and when I first learned the  song, I couldn’t get through it without crying. There are so many references throughout the  song that I relate to and that I have experienced throughout my life as a daughter of  immigrants.

It ends on a very beautiful and hopeful note and makes me feel so proud of my  own mother and grateful for all of her sacrifices. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be here doing  what I love. Every time I get the chance to sing it, I want to give my mother the biggest hug  and the writer Paulo a hug to thank him for writing something so deeply personal and  relatable. It feels as though I’ve waited my entire career to perform something like that. It’s so  magical. 

Can you share any anecdotes/fun stories from rehearsals?  

This has been one of the most collaborative rehearsal processes I’ve ever been  through so every single day there has been something so awesome and memorable! One of  the days I remember most was when we did the opening number for the first time with all of the elements (band, costumes, lights, props, projections) and I think we all collectively felt  that this show was going to be something so incredibly special!  

Is there a musical that inspired you to become an actress? 

Definitely Miss Saigon! I have this memory of when I was around 10 or 11 years  old. My mom came into my room with a walkman CD player (shoutout fellow 90s kids), said  “anak, you should listen to this” and put headphones around me. The song she played for me  was “Sun and Moon” and I remember being so deeply moved and wanting to learn that song  right away! Fast forward to when I turned 19, Miss Saigon ended up being my very first  professional show (shoutout to the Candlelight Pavilion cast)!  

Throughout our time with HypnoticAsia, we’ve seen Asian American representation  blossom in the last few years. As we reflect on AANHPI/AAPI Heritage Month, what  are your thoughts on this evolution and what do you think the next milestone will be? 

Absolutely! It’s hard for me to condense my thoughts on that because I  had lived and worked through so many difficult times where I felt like I had to work 10 times harder just to even get seen in an audition room. When I was younger, I was told  repeatedly that a career in musical theatre would be difficult because of the lack of  representation.

As a result of that, I’d developed imposter syndrome as I started  booking more and still feel a bit of that even as I am doing a musical with a full Filipinx cast telling Filipinx stories! I think the next step would be for us to continue breaking down the doors, taking up space and not be apologetic about it! All of our stories deserve to be told. AAPI Queer stories, Trans stories, stories educating  people about colonialism, dope AAPI female revolutionaries (anyone want to write a  musical about Gabriela Silang?), etc!  

If you were not acting, what do you believe you would be doing instead?

I love fashion and dressing up, so I’d probably be a fashion designer and/or  stylist and thought that I would become that at one point! Maybe it could still happen  while I’m acting- who knows! That or a lawyer (per my dad’s request).

What can we expect to see from you in the future? 

I have another project lined up that I can’t share quite yet but it’s very  exciting and will also feature a cast of all AAPI talent! That, and more cute outfits! 

What advice would you give to someone who wants to become a musical actor?

This sounds cliche, but if this is something you are passionate about and  want to make a career out of, stick around. It’s so tempting to give up, and it’s okay if you  do! But if you feel it in your heart that this is what you are meant to do it’s important to  stick around. Sticking around is something different to everyone too- whether it’s  showing up to auditions, going to class, working on your screenplay, joining a  community of artists, going to shows, etc. this industry need your voice. It needs YOUR story. 

Make sure to check out Andrea Somera in the musical On This Side of the World until June 10th, 2023. Also, keep checking back here for more interviews with the cast!

Photo by Jenny Graham