Meet Murisa Harba | Artistic Director & Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Murisa Harba and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Murisa, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Risk has been an integral part of my success. It’s something I purposely built into our program because I wholeheartedly believe in its power to up-level and realize an individual’s potential. My favorite quote is literally “Life Begins At The End Of Your Comfort Zone” by Neale Donald Walsch. I founded About The Work Actors Studio because I wanted to create a SAFE SPACE for actors to hone their craft and push way far out of their comfort zones so they could truly see what they are made of. I am so incredibly passionate about the need to take risks, because that is when the good stuff emerges. You need to fail fast. And then get up again. That is how you build a career. My buddy Simon Sinek helped me uncover my “why” and here is what we came up with. It brought tears to my eyes when we finally zero’d in on it. “I live to push boundaries. I find comfort in the uncomfortable. I seek out the “new.” New situations, new combinations, new challenges, anything that will allow me to step out of my comfort zone and prove to myself that I can do something I have never done before and in so doing, prove to others that they can too.” So, yeah, I guess you could say I love to take risks!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

I am an actress / director who is passionate about providing actors with a safe space to take risks and see what they are made of. I founded About The Work Actors Studio in 2013 on this very principle. The community of artists we have cultivated is something I am proud of because we believe that we can unite humanity through story. Our new virtual platform has supported our mission and we have recently welcomed our first international students which is incredible!

Part of what sets us apart from other studios is our unique step by step process to get you out of your head and make strong choices. You will also understand your body, mind and spirit on a deeper level through the use of energy centers with our signature techniques The Macro Method & The Chakra Approach®. I have always wondered why one performance is good and another can fall flat, which led me to develop these two techniques which have served me well in my own career. I relied on The Chakra Approach in the role of “Claire” in the feature film Mórok, for which I recently won 2 “Best Actress in a Feature” Awards! It is deeply personal work that revolutionizes the actor’s process leading to layered, nuanced moments and fully embodied characters that feel raw and authentic. I recently finished my book outlining the exact steps to work this way when preparing a role. I have been focusing my efforts every day for decades in order to uncover how to make a stellar performance repeatable, not only for myself, but for my students. I love mentoring actors to go deeper and take risks with their craft. I want to unite humanity through story and I believe we as artists have the power to do just that.

 

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

I love visiting Santa Barbara! Our favorite spots include Summerland Winery, Los Olivos Wine Merchant Cafe and Fess Parker Winery.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

Miracle Mornings by Hal Elrod has truly revolutionized my self care regimen and my ability to operate at my highest capacity for my family, my work, myself and my life. It grounds me and allows me to weed out all the crap that can sometimes crowd the most important elements and goals in my life.

Website: www.about-the-Work.com & www.murisaharba.com
Instagram: @aboutthework & @murisaharba
Twitter: @aboutthework & @murisa
Facebook: /aboutthework & FB group It’s About The Work
Yelp: About The Work Actors Studio

 

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