Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Sutherland.
Sarah, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started acting when I was just a young tot – at twelve years old, I got my first taste of what it’s like to perform in front of an audience with my very first show (a kid-friendly adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream). I was hooked and continued to pursue theater through middle school and high school. I spent school days looking forward to afternoon rehearsals, and I spent summers soaking up as much as I could, from camps at The Alliance Theatre and Georgia Shakespeare (yes, I’m an ATL native!) to the National High School Theater program at Northwestern University.
Once I got to college, I took up theater as my major at Washington University in St. Louis and devoted my studies to learning many elements of the arts. I was a student who straddled many worlds – I felt most natural and at home as an actor with a script in hand, but I also found tremendous joy in the academic, analytical components of theater, like text analysis, dramaturgy, and historical documentation. I went on to pursue a Master’s in Performance Studies from NYU Tisch, which gave me strong critical analysis skills and a keen, interdisciplinary understanding of the forces that shape performance.
Following grad school, I ended up at a marketing and communications agency in New York City, where I had the opportunity to work with amazing theater and arts organizations such as Park Avenue Armory, MCC Theater, and The Wallace Foundation. And while I enjoyed many elements of this job, it didn’t give me much time to perform or pursue creative projects.
A few months before March 2020, I moved back to Atlanta with the intent of pursuing acting. No sooner had I started taking classes, seeing shows, immersing myself in the artistic community than the pandemic hit full force. I was devastated – as everyone was – to watch the entire entertainment community come to a grinding halt.
For me, the silver lining in the COVID nightmare was unlocking my source of creativity. The epiphany came while I was watching those SNL sketches that they filmed in their own homes (which I’m sure was a giant, logistical pain). But what was amazing to watch was how these actors and creatives – along with so many others – were able to use what was at their disposal to create magic. It taught me that it doesn’t take much – all you need is a good idea and the wherewithal to bring it to fruition. So I started writing a bit and working on some comedy sketches. My husband and I shot them in our house with our iPhones (using a ladder and scotch tape to prop up the phone since we certainly didn’t know cell phone tripods were a thing!) Rewiring my brain to think in this way gave me the courage to pursue writing, directing, and filmmaking on a small scale – elements I would never have dreamed I was even capable of touching. After all, acting is my expertise, so shouldn’t I just stay in my lane? Why write when there are way more brilliant writers out there? Who wants to watch something I filmed on my iPhone in my living room when they can watch content with way higher production value? But suddenly, I found myself thinking creatively, as a storyteller, and logistically, as a producer.
I started small – short 30-second sketches and with each project that I do, I try to get a little more ambitious. I’m learning more about production and how all the pieces fit together. I’m an actor first and foremost, and that’s where I find the most flow and joy in what I do, which is telling a compelling story by getting inside someone else’s mind, perspective, vulnerabilities, and motivations. But the world of entertainment and storytelling is opening up to me even more, as I explore other tenets like writing and filmmaking.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think one of the biggest challenges for me has been finding the courage to share my work with other people. Sharing work is incredibly vulnerable, and there’s always the question of whether people will like it, or will resonate with it. But at the same time, it’s such an essential part of the creative process, and I’ve learned how important it is to get feedback from people that I trust. Alongside that, I’ve also had to learn how to be discerning with feedback – what pieces of feedback to take and when to trust my own judgment and instincts. It takes time to refine that muscle.
I sometimes get caught up in the mind game of “this person won’t want to be involved; they’re at such a different place in their career.” But I always try to tell myself that the worst that happens is that someone says “no.” No, I don’t want to be in your short; no, I don’t want to direct this sketch; No, I’m not interested. But what I’ve learned is that people very rarely say no. Most people want to be involved, especially if they like the project. You never know until you ask.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an actor, improvisor, writer, and filmmaker. I’m equally as passionate about theater as I am about film and TV. I started as a theater actor, so theater always has a special place in my heart. There’s something intoxicating about tearing into a meaty play for weeks on end through the gritty theater rehearsal process. The craft of Film + TV has been a joy to learn and to transition into, and I’ve had the privilege of working on some awesome projects with great people.
Though I enjoy drama, my heart really lies in comedy. My specialty is creating quirky, funny, unconventional characters which people can see themselves in – I do that through writing, creating sketches, and through my improv work. There is nothing I love more than making people laugh, and I strongly believe in the power of comedy to heal and bring communities together.
I am part of an improv group called The Naughty Rigatonis. There are 6 of us on the team, and we met taking classes at Dad’s Garage. We perform around Atlanta, often at the Dynamic El Dorado and occasionally at Dad’s Garage Community Nights (both of which are amazing places to see comedy!)
Most of all, it’s really important for me to create opportunities for people to come together and make impactful art. Atlanta has an incredibly talented array of artists, and I love collaborating with other talented, smart, committed people. In the coming years, I hope to continue creating opportunities through writing and producing, both in film and theater and to build a network of great collaborators.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Gosh, it’s hard to say. I’m not sure what I see happening, but here are two things I certainly hope will happen: First, I hope that Atlanta continues to establish itself as a major entertainment hub. As an actor and a creator of any kind, Atlanta is an aMaZiNg place to work and live. People here are insanely talented, kind, and collaborative. It’s a true community, and I hope this zeitgeist only continues to grow and flourish.
I also hope to see live theater have a strong resurgence. It’s no secret that pre-pandemic, live art audiences were already on the decline, and Covid Era really pushed things over the edge for theater. I’ve been encouraged as we’ve come back to see new theaters opening and audiences trickling back into seats. Live performance is such a special, communal experience, and I hope it thrives.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sarahpsutherland.com
- Instagram: @sarahpsutherland
- Other: @thenaughtyrigatonis
Image Credits
Chase Anderson, Kaitlyn Rochester, Jimmie Waites, Joe Sutherland, Jonathan R. White
