William Shakespeare wrote, “All the world’s a stage.” In Sarah’s world, her place is not on the stage, but in the wings managing the show.
The high school senior has been involved in school productions since ninth grade, primarily working with costumes, with a bit of stage management thrown in. She has always enjoyed the work, but it wasn’t until she served as assistant stage manager for the Variety Children’s Theatre production of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” that she realized just how big a role theatre plays in her life.
Sarah decided while working on “Tom Sawyer” that she not only wants to remain involved in theatre, but she hopes to turn that passion into a career. In fact, she recently applied for a theatre scholarship at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill. She is also looking at Vanderbilt University, the University of Chicago and Saint Louis University.
Sarah was born without a left hand, but she has never let that slow her down. In fact, she has embraced the difference, and she enjoys talking about it. “I love it when people ask me about my hand,” Sarah said.
Her family came to Variety for assistance when she was 7 years old, and she eventually received three different myoelectric hands from Variety as she grew. Her experience with that type of prosthesis actually began when she was 18 months old – and the youngest to receive a myoelectric limb in the United States.
Sarah doesn’t wear the hand very much anymore, however. She enjoys simply being who she is, and wants to share her true self with others. She is very open about her disability, and hopes that sharing her story will help prevent people from being afraid of those who are different from themselves.
“If there is one little way I can impact someone, I hope it might make a difference down the road,” Sarah said.
Variety Children’s Theatre was not Sarah’s first involvement in Variety activities. She was a member of the Variety Children’s Chorus for about four years, even performing at the White House with the chorus in 2002. She also attended several Variety Telethons. Two highlights of Sarah’s telethon experiences were filming a segment with the Rams Cheerleaders – doing a cartwheel for them, using her “helper hand” – and singing onstage with actress Cathy Rigby.
Sarah and her family have also attended many of the “St. Louis Through the Eyes of a Child with Disabilities” outings to St. Louis landmarks.
But none can compare to her experience as assistant stage manager for “Tom Sawyer.” Sarah was originally selected as the Variety child assistant to Peter Hynds, production stage manager. Variety had hired one assistant stage manager, but was still searching for the person to handle “Stage Left.”
Sarah said when she started working with the program she expected to be an assistant who did whatever odd job or menial task needed – and she was happy to do it. But she was thrilled when she discovered she’d been “promoted” to a full ASM position – and she soon learned she’d be running more than errands. She was in charge of “Stage Left” during rehearsals and performances, and the job came complete with her own headset.
Peter Hynds said Sarah was a delight to work with. “From the first time that I met her, I could tell that she had a maturity level beyond her years, and was very focused, articulate and very funny.”
He called Sarah a “go-getter,” and said she always had a positive attitude, determined not to let anything get in her way.
“She was also able to see the big picture and solve problems on the fly,” Peter said. “I would hire Sarah in a heartbeat. She is someone you can really count on.”
Sarah almost declined the opportunity to be involved with “Tom Sawyer,” because her life was already pretty full between intense senior courses and work with her school productions. But at the last minute, she decided Variety Children’s Theatre was a commitment she wanted to take on.
“I didn’t really know what it was all about, but I wanted to give it a try. When I went to the first practice I was just blown away,” Sarah said. “It was a really great experience.”
She learned quite a bit from the professional directors and designers working on the production. In fact, Sarah is currently stage-managing her school’s winter play, and she said it is so much easier – and less stressful – than the job has been in the past. She picked up new tactics from Pete and the other professionals that she is now implementing at school.
The Variety Children’s Theatre production also gave Sarah the opportunity to make several great connections in the St. Louis theatre community, and she received some helpful college advice from people who have been in her position.
Besides viewing “Tom Sawyer” as a tremendous learning experience, Sarah was inspired by the interaction between everyone – directors and designers, professional adult actors, Variety child actors and assistants, and members of the youth theatre community.
“The way that everybody just got together was amazing,” she said.
Sarah had a special moment when she witnessed the adults have their own life-changing experience. “They realized that the kids with disabilities were just like everyone else.”
At the rate she’s going, Sarah will have plenty of opportunity to make an impact – on innumerable theatre productions with her enthusiasm and expertise, as well as on individuals with her honesty, compassion and zest for life.
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