Suitcase of Dreams: Nea Somogyi’s Vision for an Integrated Stage

In a bustling corner of New York City’s theater scene, a quiet but deliberate revolution is underway. At its center is Nea Somogyi, a Costa Rican-born multi‑hyphenate artist—performer, creator, director, producer—whose passion for storytelling and community building has manifested in Suitcase of Dreams (SOD): a performance collective creating space for integration, representation, and healing through the performing arts.

From Suitcase of Dreams to the Stage

Since its inception in November 2024, Suitcase of Dreams has carved out a unique niche within the city’s ever‑evolving landscape of cabaret, theater, musical theater, and film. The company’s first show, Next Stop: New York, debuted just after the 2024 elections and became an emotional tribute to immigrant artists navigating life and identity in the U.S. Featuring 14 performers from Mexico, Japan, India, Chile, and beyond, the evening offered far more than just song—it offered visibility.

Special guest performers included Ángel Sigala (Broadway’s New York, New York) and Antonio Rodríguez (national tour of Hadestown), both DACA recipients, whose stories and performances anchored the night in poignancy and purpose. Sigala performed “Gold” from New York, New York, while Rodríguez delivered a deeply personal rendition of “Remember Me” from Coco, reframed through his own lens as a Dreamer. Their appearances helped solidify Suitcase of Dreams as more than just a performance platform—it is a gathering place for artists who long to be seen as full human beings on U.S. stages.

Nea Somogyi is clear: Suitcase of Dreams is not exclusively for immigrant artists.
“The goal,” she says, “is integration, not isolation. Equal opportunity on stage means immigrants and U.S. citizens performing together, sharing the space, and learning from one another.”

A Stage Built on Intention

Each Suitcase of Dreams production begins with an open casting call on Instagram and Playbill.com, drawing upward of 140 submissions. Applicants must answer three key questions inspired by the current show’s concept—this is how the Suitcase of Dreams Team finds performers with genuine interest in building community, artistic growth, and sharing who they are as professional artists.

From these submissions, a handful—typically around 17—are chosen, not based solely on vocal prowess, but on commitment to storytelling and connection. Once selected, performers receive songs curated by the producers to help bring their stories to life. Rehearsals are often one to three sessions, depending on the show, with a strong emphasis on narrative, character, and emotional truth. Somogyi’s direction weaves a cohesive thread through each performance—elevating cabaret from a variety showcase into a unified theatrical journey.

The core production team of recent shows includes performer & director Nea Somogyi, Music Director Rodrigo Garcia Vargas, and Stage Manager Frida Hernandez—each contributing to a growing vision of artistic inclusivity. “Quality over quantity” remains their guiding principle, with hopes of eventually expanding into cabaret, theater, musical theater, and film divisions.

From San José to the Stage

Somogyi’s own story is one of intentional migration. Originally a working actress in Costa Rica, she felt her artistic ceiling drawing closer. In 2019, she arrived in New York with, quite literally, a suitcase full of dreams. She enrolled at AMDA to sharpen her musical theater training, transforming her singular focus as an actress into a multifaceted career that now includes singing, dancing, directing, producing—and performing.

Her journey has been marked by milestones. In 2023, she starred in her first Off‑Broadway musical, Oh Soledad, an uplifting historical fiction exploring a Costa Rican family in the 1940s working together to withstand the country’s political uncertainty during Costa Rica’s 1948 Civil War. Presented at The Actors Temple Theater, the production featured a majority‑Latino cast and was produced by Rob Hinderliter (Broadway producer of Company), Todd Stevens (producer of Friends) and Ken Berry (creator of Oh Soledad). Somogyi played Marta, a main character who brought light to every challenge the family faced, inspiring them to hold on to each other and keep moving forward. She also served as assistant director—an invaluable voice of authenticity as the sole Costa Rican in the cast.

In 2022, Somogyi starred in the short film Apple Pie Dreams, a comedic take on the naturalization process in the U.S., portraying Alejandra, a Costa Rican doctor whose storyline questions the very nature of citizenship and belonging. The film was selected for multiple U.S. film festivals in 2024, further cementing her versatility across mediums.

On the experimental front, Somogyi has performed multiple times at Theater for the New City, most recently in Us (May 2025), a dance‑theater piece from the dance series Human: Layers of Identity, choreographed and directed by Charly Wenzel that explored the collective human experience and our interconnectedness. Part of the Lower East Side Festival of the Arts, the all‑female, international cast—by Somogyi representing Costa Rica—created a powerful fusion of physical theater and contemporary dance, reaffirming the recurring themes in her work: unity, presence, and shared humanity.

Tico Roots, Global Reach

“My people are warm,” Somogyi reflects. “Any Tico I meet in New York, even if we’ve never met, it’s like we’ve known each other forever.” This sense of innate connection permeates her artistic ethos. Costa Rica’s unique blend of Latin American cultures informs her creative intuition, offering what she describes as a “special flavor” in her performances.

Her ultimate artistic passion lies in storytelling—especially the kind that transcends borders and genres. She’s drawn to sci‑fi, fantasy, and characters that, though otherworldly, remain deeply human at their core.
“Whether it provides relief to someone from their struggles, or inspires them to take action, I want my art to be a force for better human beings.”

Always Present, Always Evolving

Somogyi’s leadership style, much like her performances, is grounded in presence and purpose. To the artists of Suitcase of Dreams, she often offers a simple but powerful reminder: Be present. Enjoy what you’re doing. Remember why we are doing this. In a city where hustle often overshadows heart, her words resonate like a quiet rebellion—an invitation to return to joy, to purpose, to community.

In Suitcase of Dreams, Nea Somogyi hasn’t just built a company. She’s built a movement—one performance, one story, one artist at a time.