ACTING
Emotionally brave, vocally skilled and physically transformative.
Sara is an actor and singer currently based in Rochester, NY. Throughout the past 20 years she has been seen on stages in NY, Chicago and regionally. She holds an MFA in Acting from The Actors Studio and New School University and continues to work locally on stage, in independent film, industrials and commercially. Her recent work onstage includes the world premiere and original cast and tour of SURVIVORS, by Wendy Kout, a play based on the true stories of Rochester, NY Holocaust survivors, Dame Jane (Don Juan) in Much Ado about Nothing directed by Carl Del Buono, Viola in an all female Twelfth Night at Blackfriars Theatre, and most memorably the regional premiere of Indecent as Manke and others.
Selections from past productions…
Manke (Middle)
Director: Lindsay Warren Baker
JCC CenterStage
Photographer: Lou Schreiber
Manke (Middle)
Director: Lindsay Warren Baker
JCC CenterStage
Photographer: Lou Schreiber
Viola
Blackfriars Theatre
Director: Alexa Scott Flarhety
Photographer: Nic Minetar
Viola
Blackfriars Theatre
Director: Alexa Scott Flarhety
Photographer: Nic Minetar
Anastasia
Out Of Pocket Prod. & ROC Fringe Festival
Director: Stephanie Rooso
Photographer: Annette Dragon
Lisa Hummingbird Productions
Director: Don Bartalo
Photographer: Annette Dragon
Lisa Hummingbird Productions
Director: Don Bartalo
Photographer: Annette Dragon
By Wendy Kout
World Premiere & Tour
JCC CenterStage & The Jewish Federation
Director: Sandi Henschel
Photographer: Lou Schreiber
TESTIMONIALS
This cast, director, and artistic team should be extremely proud of staging a production of Indecent that is just as good as the Broadway original…the passion and beauty of all the characters brought to life by Sara Michelle Penner and Maya June Dwyer, all culminate in one of the JCC’s best productions to-date.
Sara Bickweat Penner’s Viola has a certain “je ne sais quoi” that one finds in actors who own Shakespeare’s words as their own.
Sara Michelle Penner gives a tour de force performance as Anastasia in Out of Pocket’s offering…it is a performance not to be missed!
Sara is an actress with a stunning talent. Her work is exquisite and absolutely unforgettable. Every once in a while I have the privilege of crossing paths with one I feel destined for greatness, I base this on all the Sara Michelle represents to me; a radiant good person with a phenomenal talent. She is however quite humble and extremely sensitive to the needs of others. This is the perfect requirement for collaboration; clearly and ideal for the theatre.