Artist Spotlight
Featuring: Sarah B. Stevens
Sarah B. Stevens (she/her/hers) talks with Encore Michigan about the perks of being a character actress.
How did you get started in the arts?
When I was little my mother used to call me Sarah Bernhardt (after the famous 18th century actress) so I guess it's safe to say I've always been...dramatic. I used to put on plays in our living room and was obsessed with the old movie musicals I would get on tape from the library.
I had been doing our church christmas pageants since I could walk, but it wasn't until my parents signed me up for summer camp in 5th grade that I became really hooked. I got to play Agnes Gooch in Mame and walk around with a big pregnant belly and sing "Gooch's Song". It was the first time I ever made a crowd of people laugh, and I've been hooked every since.
If you could direct/produce one show, what would it be and why?
I guess the previous answer applies here as well :) But I think if I was able to, helping to produce new stories would be my focus. It seems particularly hard for new stories to get out there and succeed in recent years.
If you could play one character in all of theatre or film, who would it be and why?
I have this dream of creating a Carol Burnett bio-musical. She's such an interesting person and her life has been fascinating. The best compliments I've received have been when people compare me or my performance to her.
Name two artistic role models and why you look up to them.
Carol Burnett - The first time I watched the 1982 movie musical of Annie, I was obsessed. She has this ability to play the most dispicable characters, but somehow be the most likeable person on screen. She's hilarious and rubber faced and her physical comedy can't be matched. I always keep one of her autobiographies near my bed.
Katherine O'Hara - She makes big, bold, sometimes wacky choices, but you believe every word she says. Her characters are always grounded in reality and at the same time larger than life. Watching her in the Christopher Guest movies like Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show and then her more recent work in Schitts Creek is a masterclass in comedy.
What did you want to be when you were a child? Are you fulfilling that dream?
There was a brief time where I wanted to be an astronaut, until I realized that I have horrible motion sickness, a fear of heights, and was terrible at math. After that, the dream has always been theater.
You know, upon reflection, I think I am actually living the dream. The goal was never fame or fortune, it was always to be able to pursue theater AND have a normal home life. I think I have that! I work full time for a nonprofit organization called ITHAKA, so I am limited to theaters that rehearse at night. Fortunately, there are a number of theaters in our area that work with that schedule! I get to be around to pick my daughter up from school and to see her soccer games and school band concerts, and at the same time I also get to pursue the thing that makes my heart light up. Who could ask for anything better than that?
I do joke that once she's out of the house, I'm going to go off on a national tour. Who knows? That's the perk of being a character actress, you get to age into your roles, not out of them. There's still time!
What is your artistic guilty pleasure?
Camp and slapstick! I want bigger, louder, faster, sillier and I'm not affraid to say it! I want to laugh and make people laugh. It's been a goal of mine in recent years to figure out how to strip some of that away and learn how to play more grounded, natural roles as well. But if a director tells me to go big I'm in heaven!
What role/show/experience on your resume is most memorable and why?
Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd at the Encore will forever live as one of my favorite theater experiences.
The character is so unique. It's as is someone took the secondary comedic character role and made her the star. I wish there were more musicals that give that character the main plot line. She's funny and obsessive and conniving. Her motivations are complex and she's so passionate and fun to play.
The cast was also STACKED! Each and every person in that show is a star in their own right. It was incredible to have that amount of talent and vocal power from start to finish. I think that casting is a testiment to Matthew Brennan, who directed the show. Everyone wanted to work with him and make his vision for the show a reality. It didn't matter the size of the part, they knew it would pay off, and it did!
What is your dream for the Michigan Arts Community?
I dream of a future where we can respect that artistic success doesn't only happen in specific markets, like New York and LA. Regional markets like Michigan are brimming with talent, but I feel like there is still a perception that you can't 'make it' in theater unless you're on Broadway. But every Broadway veteran that I've worked with in Michigan is floored by the talent we have right here. We have the goods right here in our own backyard, it's time we recognize that!
