SAMANTHA BELDING

 

actor | singer | dancer | storyteller

Samantha Belding is currently living in Philadelphia where she is pursuing a BFA in Musical Theatre at University of the Arts (UArts). She is extremely passionate about storytelling, singing, dancing, acting, directing, writing, and film, and has been able to delve into these areas through her coursework, training, and collaboration with fellow artists.

Most recently she understudied the role of Jutta and was in the ensemble in UArts' production of In the Green (book, music, lyrics, and orchestrations by Grace McLean) and participated in a winter acting intensive at Shakespeare's Globe in London.

Previously, Samantha directed, choreographed, and played the role of Jesse Tuck in a production of Tuck Everlasting, which performed in April 2021. The cast held socially distant, fully masked outdoor rehearsals in Samantha's driveway in California beginning in August of 2020. The actors were extremely grateful to have the opportunity to reunite and find a creative way to bring theatre to life during the quarantine. Prior to Tuck, Samantha played Katherine Plumber in Peninsula Youth Theatre's production of Newsies in March 2020. Earlier that year, she played a lead in the short film, "No Dice," a Dungeons & Dragons teen romantic comedy directed by John Ainsworth.

Samantha originated the role of Caroline Whithers in Hell on Earth: A New Musical (About Middle School) which made its regional debut in Mountain View, CA in November, and at Feinstein's/54 Below in New York in January 2020 with guest star, three time Emmy and two time Tony award-winner and Oscar nominee, Laurie Metcalf, and Broadway actor Anthony Rosenthal of Falsettos. This original musical was created and directed by Shawn Ryan along with composer, Michael Sobie.

Other previous roles include Fiona in Shrek the Musical and Willy Wonka in Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka (both Peninsula Youth Theatre in Mountain View, CA). She is also a founding member of Hillbarn Theatre's Teen Company (Foster City, CA). Some of Samantha's favorite past shows include 42nd Street and Follies (Stagedoor Manor, NY), Sweet Charity, A Chorus Line, and 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Starting Arts’ Dream Team, San Jose, CA).

During her freshman year of high school, Samantha performed her first Broadway cabaret show at Café Zoe (Menlo Park, CA), and donated all proceeds to March for our Lives. Since then she has co-produced and performed in three cabaret shows at Café Zoe, including her most recent duet event in December 2022 with longtime friend, Val Zvinyatskovsky.

She has spent many summers training at A.C.T (SF), Young Actors' Theatre Camp (Santa Cruz), BroadwayEvolved (NY), and Stagedoor Manor (NY).

In her spare time, Samantha loves playing piano and Dungeons & Dragons, drawing, and writing.