My Story

I grew up in Western, PA where I spent my childhood wandering in the woods behind my house and reading piles of books. It was during those years that I fell in love with acting. But in many ways my acting journey has been a slow journey.  Practicality won out in college and I studied English Education, which led to three years of teaching high school students. Through a series of events in my life, including the death of a friend, I came to the conclusion that life is short. And I realized that I wanted to look back on my life knowing that I had taken risks rather than always wondering, "What if?". So I quit my job and went in search of acting training.

Slowly doors began to open and I was able to study towards an MFA in acting, at the University of Louisville (2009). Following graduation I moved back to PA and began the work of sorting out how to be an actor outside of academics. My first big project was working on a one-woman show I had started in graduate school called, Portrait of a Family, which premiered in March 2010. And the journey has continued from there. It is a journey of both hard days and really beautiful days. But it is a journey I am grateful to be on.

My hope for the future is to keep acting and growing in my understanding of this craft both in film and on the stage. I hope to keep writing and performing my own work as well as working with other artist who love their work and are seeking to create well crafted stories.

The purpose of this site is to share parts of my story as they unfold. My thoughts on my process, various projects I am working on, and a glimpse into the joys and struggles that fill my life and acting.

I hope that my work encourages you to search for beauty in your own life, wherever you may be and whatever your work may be.

Thanks for stopping by. - Sarah Carleton