Arianna Afsar Explained

Arianna Afsar
Birth Place:San Diego, California, U.S.
Birth Name:Arianna Ayesha Afsar
Birth Date:22 October 1991
Education:University of California, Los Angeles (BA)
Notable Works:Hamilton (2016)
Jeannette: The Musical (2019)
Allegory (2019)

Arianna Ayesha Afsar (born October 22, 1991) is an American singer, composer, beauty queen and activist best known for her starring role in Hamilton, as the songwriter of the musical Jeannette, and as a top contestant on American Idol.

Early life and education

Afsar is from San Diego. Her father is from Bangladesh and her mother is of German origin.[1] [2] She attended Westview High School where she opened Adopt-a-Grandfriend in 2005, to fight loneliness of senior citizens.[3] [4] After graduating Westview in 2009, she attended the University of California, Los Angeles.[5] [6]

Career

Pageant

Afsar won the Miss America's Outstanding Teen title for California in 2005[7] and represented California in the inaugural Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant in Orlando, Florida in August 2005.[8] As the youngest contestant in the competition, she won a preliminary talent award and placed first runner-up.[9]

She was the winner of Miss San Diego County in 2010.[10] [11]

In 2010 Afsar competed in the Miss California pageant for the first time and won the Miss California 2010 title.[12] [13] She competed in the Miss America 2011 pageant in January 2011 and placed in top 10.[14]

American Idol

In 2009, Afsar was a contestant on American Idol 8. She auditioned in Phoenix and sang "Put Your Records On" by Corinne Bailey Rae.[15] She was one of the final 36 contestants.[16] Afsar progressed to the live semi-finals but failed to make it through her group and was not selected to compete for a wildcard by the judges.[17] [18]

Theatre

In 2001 she appeared in a production of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical as Cindy Lou Who.[19]

It was announced on July 13, 2016, that Afsar would portray the role of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton in the Chicago production of Hamilton beginning performances in late September 2016.[20] [21] [22] [23] Afsar left the Chicago production on March 25, 2018, but briefly returned to the role for the 2nd National Tour's stop at Segerstrom Center for the Arts for the weekend of May 19, 2018.[24]

Afsar wrote the music and lyrics to the musical We Won't Sleep (formerly Jeannette) with a book by playwright Lauren Gunderson. The musical is about U.S. Rep. Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to Congress. Under the title Jeannette, it was part of the 2019 summer series at the National Music Theater Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Connecticut.[25] We Won't Sleep is scheduled to have its world premiere at the Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia in 2022.[26]

Politics and activism

Afsar is also a women's rights activist. She is on the board of the ACLU of Illinois Next Gen.[27] She spoke at the youth reception for the American Civil Liberties Union national convention.[28] She is an avid supporter and vocal advocate for Planned Parenthood, United State of Women, and the Women's March.[29] Afsar opened for Michelle Obama at the United State of Women at the Shrine Auditorium.

Other

Afsar played the role of "Ellie" in the direct-to-video science fiction action film Martian Land.[30]

Filmography

Film

!Year!Title!Role!Notes
2014Mauj Mastiyan (Taste of Love)Dolly
2015Martian LandEllieDirect-to-video
2018Canal StreetKathy
2022Wedding SeasonPriya

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2009American IdolHerself4 episodes
2014Unusual SuspectsDeanna GrimesEpisode: "Blood in the Water"
2014OMG! EMTBrianneEpisode: "Surprise Attacks"
2014Tattoo NightmaresElizabethEpisode: "Broke and Branded"
2015My Haunted HouseCarrieEpisode: "Summer Rental & Dark Room"

Notes and References

  1. podcast. 'Hamilton' Star Ari Afsar Dares to Be a Voice. April 1, 2017. TruthDare Podcast, hosted by Toan Lam. January 6, 2018. en-US. 00:02:13.
  2. News: New Miss California Against Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants. Zouves. Natasha. July 13, 2010. NBC Southern California. March 1, 2018. en.
  3. News: Miss California Arianna Afsar shines in the spotlight. Union-Tribune. San Diego. sandiegouniontribune.com. February 28, 2018. en-US.
  4. Web site: UCLA student Arianna Afsar crowned Miss California 2010. dailybruin.com. en. February 28, 2018.
  5. News: Ari Afsar – Singer/Actor. Sunnynook Drive. February 28, 2018. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20180301224900/http://www.sunnynookdrive.com/humans/ari-afsar. March 1, 2018. dead.
  6. News: San Diegan Arianna Afsar competing for Miss America crown. Union-Tribune. San Diego. sandiegouniontribune.com. February 28, 2018. en-US.
  7. News: Arianna Afsar Miss California. April 2, 2015. Miss California. January 6, 2018. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20180106183232/https://www.misscalifornia.org/miss-california/history/arianna-afsar/. January 6, 2018. dead.
  8. News: 2005 Contestants – Miss America's Outstanding Teen. Miss America's Outstanding Teen. January 6, 2018. en-US. January 6, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180106173009/http://maoteen.org/previous-state-titleholders/2005-contestants/. dead.
  9. News: PQ's Arianna Afsar Makes Top 10 in Miss America Competition. January 2, 2011. 92127 Magazine. March 1, 2018. en-US. March 2, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180302103812/http://92127magazine.com/2011/01/28/pq%E2%80%99s-arianna-afsar-makes-top-10-in-miss-america-competition/. dead.
  10. News: Miss Yorba Linda third in Miss California pageant. July 1, 2010. Orange County Register. February 28, 2018. en-US.
  11. Web site: Past Winners. www.misssandiego.org. en-US. February 28, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180301165929/http://www.misssandiego.org/titleholders/past-winners/. March 1, 2018. dead.
  12. News: Miss S.D. wins Miss California in Fresno . Fresno Bee. Vanessa. Vanessa Rakis-Garabedian. July 1, 2010.
  13. Web site: UCLA students juggle their academic workload with pageant competitions. dailybruin.com. en. February 28, 2018.
  14. Web site: . Miss California History . August 21, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181013082256/https://www.misscalifornia.org/miss-california/history/ . October 13, 2018 . dead .
  15. News: American Idol Top 36: Arianna Afsar. Interactive. Tribune. chicagotribune.com. February 28, 2018. en-US.
  16. News: American Idol Audition of the Day: Arianna Afsar. February 3, 2009. The Hollywood Gossip. February 28, 2018. en.
  17. News: Westview High School student makes the 'American Idol' cut. Signs on San Diego. Jane. Clifford.
  18. News: Nine down, now let the wild cards roll. Los Angeles Times. Richard. Rushfield. March 5, 2009.
  19. News: "Grinch" entertains without stealing heart. Phillips. Michael. December 4, 2001. The Los Angeles Times. March 1, 2018. 190.
  20. Web site: Chicago Sun-Times . Casting for Chicago's 'Hamilton' announced . July 13, 2016.
  21. Web site: Daily Bruin . UCLA alumna Ari Afsar lands role in Chicago production of 'Hamilton'. September 16, 2016.
  22. News: Helpless for 'Hamilton'. Nitschke. Emma. Marquette Wire. February 28, 2018. en-US.
  23. News: Chicago Run of 'Hamilton' Announces Opening Leads. Nguyen. Minh. July 14, 2016. NBC News. March 1, 2018. en-US.
  24. Web site: Tweets . Twitter . 14 April 2021 . en.
  25. News: Clement . Olivia . O'Neill Theater Center's 2019 Season Taps New Works by Craig Lucas, Hansol Jung, Charly Evon Simpson, Anna Ziegler, More . 14 April 2021 . Playbill . 2019 . en.
  26. Web site: We Won't Sleep . 9 August 2021.
  27. News: The Next Generation Society. March 3, 2017. ACLU of Illinois. October 23, 2018. en.
  28. Web site: Ari Afsar on Instagram: "The ACLU needs us now more than ever. I had the honor to share my story last Friday for the @acluofil Luncheon. Always Speak Out, Stand Up,…". https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/BR51-DShp3j . December 24, 2021 . registration. Instagram. en. October 23, 2018.
  29. News: Full List of Speakers at Women's March in Chicago. NBC Chicago. October 23, 2018. en.
  30. Book: Miller, Thomas Kent . Mars in the Movies: A History . October 3, 2016 . McFarland . 9780786499144 . 215 . en.

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