Sam Primack is a man with a plan. At a very early age, he fell in love with acting and has been pursuing his dream ever since he was introduced to the stage.
“When I was 3 years old, my grandma took me to see a production of ‘Aladdin’ at Desert Stages Theatre in Scottsdale, and immediately after I told her I wanted to do a show – so I auditioned for the next one!” remembers Sam.
His first theater performance was in Arizona when he was 4 years old at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center in Scottsdale.
His mother Allyson Primack, who has been supportive and guiding him every step of the way, explains, “After that, he started at Desert Stages Theatre and did several shows there as well as at Valley Youth Theatre, Greasepaint Youtheatre, Theater Works, Childsplay, Spotlight Youth Theatre, Arizona Broadway Theatre and Phoenix Theatre. When he was 10, he landed the role of Pugsley Addams in the Broadway National Tour of ‘The Addams Family Musical’ after submitting a videotape audition. He left school in 6th grade and traveled for six months to 48 cities on that tour.”
Sam, who is now 16 years old and attends Chaparral High School, manages to balance acting, schoolwork and family time. His passion for performing is evident.
“I love the energy of performing in front of an audience who is about to experience a story, that the whole cast already knows, and is going to experience the plot for the first time,” says Sam.
He credits his supportive family for all their encouragement and for helping provide him with numerous opportunities to pursue his craft. “I always want to make sure that my kids are happy,” says Allyson. “I have three children, Sam, Lauren and Aidan, and I want them to feel safe and secure, and to encourage them to live out their dreams – whatever those dreams may be.”
She believes that acting and being on stage offers opportunities for growth off the stage as well. “Every child should have the opportunity to be on a stage once in their lives and to hear the applause from an audience. Even if they don’t end up becoming a professional actor, getting up on a stage and feeling pride will help them have the courage and confidence to do almost anything,” says Allyson.
Sam’s been keeping busy; he has appeared on the television show “The League” on FXX and has been performing in several Valley theaters. He won three AriZoni Awards for Best Actor in a Musical, has won Artist of the Year for the past three years from the National Youth Arts Awards and this past year he was one of four male finalists in New York City for the National High School Theatre Awards. At that ceremony, which was hosted by Ben Platt of “Dear Evan Hansen,” Sam won a full scholarship to Carnegie Mellon University’s summer program, which he plans to attend this summer.
His dreams extend to performing on Broadway and having a professional acting career, but right now you can find him playing Morris Delancey in “Newsies” at Phoenix Theatre running through Dec. 31.
Best to check him out now before you have to travel to New York City to see him.
Masada Siegel is an award-winning journalist and photographer.
