BREAKING BARRIERS

The US entertainment industry has had its share of Indian American actors leaving an indelible mark with their acting prowess. Joining the league is a young, talented accomplished dancer and theatre person, Sonal Shah who got well-noticed for her role as Dr.Sunny Dey in the last season of “Scrubs.”

“Scrubs” is back for a 9th season and Sunny will be back in a recurring role.

Sonal’s parents, Bhadresh and Mrudula Shah, hail from Mumbai. They moved from India to the US in 1970 and are based in Wheaton, Illinois since 1977. She too grew up in Wheaton, Illinois and started her career as a competitive dancer. Sonal was named the Miss DuPage County Queen/Ambassador and one of DuPage’s Top Twenty Students. She was honored with the Burshtan/Kiwanis Leadership Award and attended Loyola University of Chicago as a Presidential Scholar. While at Loyola, Sonal received the Weinig Travel Fellowship and graduated with a degree in Theatre and pre-medicine.

Sonal went on to become a surefire staple in the Chicago Theatre Community having performed with The Tony Awardwinning Goodman Theatre among many others. She is a founding member of Rasaka Theatre Company and supplemented her acting education at Improv Olympic Chicago, The Moscow Art Theatre School at Harvard University and she graduated from The Second City Conservatory.

Now all the while tutoring students in calculus and working for a prominent PR firm in her “free” time, Sonal has always been a performer. “But did not necessarily always want to pursue it as a career. I started acting when I was in 2nd grade and was nicknamed “Ak-Tress” from all of our family friends from that point. Growing up, I was heavily involved in school plays, community shows, musicals, variety shows, speech team, and show choir. I also consistently performed dances at our temple and in various competitions, shows, etc. Yes, I was pretty much doomed to be a performer. I was an insane overachiever in high school and was always going from one meeting to another! I always knew I was an actor, but didn’t always want to pursue a career as an actor,” she says.

Sonal wanted to be a doctor and heal people. She even took the MCAT the summer before her Junior year of college. “At some point I kind of simply realized my passion for performing outweighed my passion for wanting to be a doctor. I received a best actress acting award from the university and I was shocked that other people thought I could pursue a career in acting!”

Of course getting a break in this highly competitive industry wasn’t easy. Years of efforts went into it. “Every play I’ve done for free or pay, every class I’ve taken, every table I’ve waited on, every random job I’ve had, every theatre company I’ve been a member of, every student film, every sacrifice I’ve made, every mailing I’ve done, every contact I’ve made…all of the countless hours/money spent on marketing, auditions, training, etc….have led to this “break.” I’ve always wanted to do a sitcom and “Scrubs” in particular…is dream come true.”

Ethnicity, however does come in the way she says. “I love to play Indian roles and I also just love to play roles that are not Indian-specific. I love being Indian, but at the end of the day, I am a person…I am me. Every person is unique in his/her own way and every person has an essence. I enjoy playing roles where I am not necessarily Indian but I am a human. Personally, I feel acting is an amazing art form that can be utilized to spread diversity awareness, abolish ignorance and inspire peace in this world.”

Sonal is actively auditioning and most likely will film a leading role as a high school student in a horror movie. “I’ve been enjoying writing, playing guitar, yoga, hiking, and getting in tip-top shape!”

[ BY LAVANYA GARIKINA ]