Sarah-Marie is an award winning actor, teacher, singer and producer living in Austin, Texas. With an education firmly grounded in on-the-job training Sarah-Marie holds no degree, but has clocked over ten thousand hours both on stage and in the classroom, winning multiple awards and numerous testimonials from students and mentors alike. Her approach to artistry is firmly rooted in the joy, passion and pursuit of excellence in storytelling. Her hunger for growth and compassion for the human condition know no bounds.

Regional acting credits include: Fun Home (Alison), The Last Five Years (Jaimie), Reefer Madness (Mary Lane), Company (Jenny),  Into the Woods (Cinderella), Mack & Mabel (Mabel Normand) and The Baker's Wife (Genvieve). She was a proud member of the Award Winning Improv Troupe: Girls Girls Girls Improvised Musicals for 8 years and has been awarded Best Actress for her roles on stage with The B. Iden Payne Award Council of Austin as well as Best Improv Troupe multiple times over. On stage she has been called “hilarious” “fierce” “truly exceptional” and "part artist, part mad scientist" by The Austin Chronicle. Off stage, Sarah Marie is a passionate director of improvised narrative productions such as Risen: Improvised Stories in World War Z and Tarantula: Dynamic Dreamlike Improv. She has directed staged readings such as Phoenix by Scott Organ and sketch shows including F*&K It's Christmas at The Institution Theatre. She has studied improvisation with Mick Napier, Craig Cackowski, Todd Stashwick, Laura Hall and interactive visionary Jeff Wirth. She trained and taught at Carol Hickey Acting Studio in the lineage of Charles Jellinger and Harry Maestrogeorge for seven years until opening her own micro-studio: The Actor's Lab. The Act Lab is dedicated to serving the Austin community with affordable, incredible, curated improv story and acting practicum.

MY APPROACH TO ACTING & IMPROVISATION

The phrase "acting is a child's game" suggests that at its core, acting is about play, imagination, and transforming into imaginary circumstances, much like how children play pretend. I learned this from Harry Mastrogeorge, Keith Johnston, Twyla Tharpe, Anne Bogart and numerous other wonderful teachers who have influenced me along the way. Proponents of this idea argue that adults can lose sight of this "playful" essence, and need to return to a child's ability to wholeheartedly engage with imagination and make-believe to become better storytellers and humans. And as a neurotic and analytical virgo at heart, I take my ability to create very seriously. It is a life saving exercise in relinquishing the ego, to better grow and create, and in turn reflect the authentic human experience. 

MY PERSPECTIVE ON TRAINING IN THE INDUSTRY

I think of training in the arts the same way that an athlete thinks of training on the field. You must strengthen the muscle of acting and improvisation in order to play the game! The more you learn and grow, the deeper and more RICH the game can become. Finding the balance between discipline, self care, and demanding excellence in all I do has become the pursuit of my life on and off the stage. It is a great joy to be alive and to get to do this work, regardless of "success" as others measure it, the success is always in knowing what a wonderful journey you've been on to better your work!