Samuel Byron Griffith is an actor, fighter, and action designer for many storytelling mediums originally based in Fort Worth, Texas he currently resides in Chicago. His primary training has prepared him to serve as an actor combatant, stuntman, fight director, and stage combat/martial arts teacher. Samuel has from a young age discovered a unique well of beauty, heroism, and great honor that can be found even in the most violent and intense moments of the stories we live and tell. He has trained to understand and capture those precious moments and used it create compelling stories that explore why and what we fight for. Through every medium from classical theatre to motion capture and animation, Samuel is pursuing training and performance opportunities whether that be with local schools, theaters, cinematic arts departments or regional intensives and workshops. Samuel also strives to use violence in storytelling to empower and encourage those members of his community that need support, especially communities with a very strong and foundational but unfortunately lost and/or buried tribal identity.

Samuel has a strong foundation in the SAFD and additionally trained with the British Academy of Stage and Screen Combat and Dueling Arts International. He teaches regularly for the Texas Thespians Organization and has worked on productions from the middle school level to the University and Professional level. Samuel takes training and discipline very seriously and works hard to ensure an environment of safety, inclusion, compassion, empowerment, and accountability wherever he works and is excited to learn from every new project, peer, or master. Samuel loves sharing his passion for story-telling through violence in a way that empowers students and fosters communities of safety, growth, and excellence.

Samuel received his academic education at the University of Texas at Arlington where he gained experience as a TA teaching undergraduate courses alongside fight faculty Joe Chapa and also as a fight director for UTA’s violence-heavy Theatrical productions including Treasure Island, which was a special honor assistant-directing under the award-winning Ashley White—also one of Samuel’s many SAFD CT’s.

Samuel has taught stage combat workshops at the high school and middle school level and served as fight director for their theater arts students. His most recent production as Fight Director was for Grand Prairie Fine Arts Academy’s production of She Kills Monsters (YAE).

Samuel is excited to pursue opportunities both locally and regionally.