Sarah Stiles

Sarah Stiles starred as 'Kate Monster' and 'Lucy' in the Off-Broadway musical Avenue Q, playing at New World Stages / Stage 3. Stiles also starred in the show's Broadway run.

Birthday is?
June 20th

Place of birth
Born in MA, raised in NH

You now live in?
Harlem

Did you go to training school, if so which one?
American Musical Dramatic Academy.

As an actor, do you have a preference for stage, tv or film?
I love it all!

Your first stage performance?
I played the title role in Annie at Seacoast Repertory in Portsmouth NH.

Career highlight to date?
Avenue Q on B'way was one of the best experiences I ever had, I never would have left but I got an amazing opportunity to play Joanne in Vanities (A project I had been involved with for 2 years at that point) at Pasadena Playhouse in California and then later brought that show to Second Stage in NY. We also got to record an album of Vanities which was a blast and has just been released.

What roles would you most like to play?
I am desperate to play Mabel in "Mack and Mabel"!!! There are just so few productions....

What is the best advice you have ever received?
My manager always says "On to the next!" when something falls through or I don't get a part I am dying for. He never wants me to wallow. He pushes me to stay positive and focused on the bigger picture. I think that is so important and at the same time so hard to remember in the moment.

What has been your most embarrassing moment on stage?
Gosh, live theater has so many of them. Forgeting lines and tripping has definitely happened to me a number of times, I guess I find that more hilarious then embarrassing. I guess the most embarrassing thing is my inability to control myself when I get the giggles. I am the worst! I don't wanna rat out any of my costars with specifics. Let's just say, having a puppet in Q to hide behind is sometimes a blessing!

What is the most annoying part about your job?
Avenue Q is sooooo exhausting! The most annoying thing is that I can't get as much stuff done during the day as I'd like cause I am wiped.

Briefly tell us ahow you became involved in Avenue Q
Jason Moore, the director, saw me in a reading of "Vanities" and I was called in after that to audition to replace Mary Faber when she left the broadway company. When Anika Larsen left the Off-B'way production they called and offered me the part.

Briefly tell us about which characters you play, and which one is your favorite?
I play Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut... and I love them both equally...they are like my puppet children, I can't choose!!!

If you had not become a performer, what might you have done instead?
Fashion designer. I have dreams of starting my own line one day. When I will find the time to pursue that, I'm not exactly sure.

Who are your favorite actors/actresses? Madeline Kahn, Gilda Radner, Kevin Kline, Robert Downey Jr.

If you could meet anyone in the world dead or alive who would it be and what would you say to them?
Gilda Radner....I don't know what I would say, I would probably just stare and try to soak up as much of her light as possible.

What was the last book you read, and name some of your favorite authors?
I just finished "Are You There Vodka, It's Me Chelsea?" by Chelsea Handler, who I am OBSESSED with. I really feel like we could be best friends, she would make fun of me a lot, but it's cool, I can laugh at myself pretty easily. Before that I read "Water for Elephants" and now I'm reading a book on Owls. I don't have a favorite author or genre but a book needs to grab my attention within the first few pages because I don't have much patience.

What was the last film you saw, and name some of your favorite movies? I just watched "Precious" finally, which was so amazing but intense. Some of my favorite movies are, in no particular order, "Mixed Nuts", "A Streetcar Named Desire", Zeffirelli's "Romeo and Juliet", "French Kiss", "The Royal Tenebaums."

Favorite TV programs?
Love Love Love "Mad Men", "Project Runway" for the frustrated designer in me and "Modern Family" is so brilliant.

Do you have any hobbies?
I knit and crochet A LOT. It's fun and relaxing for me.

Do you have any superstitions?
I used to be really particular about my pre-show routines. I would need to get ready the same way and warm up the same way and at the same time before every show, but none of that seems to matter to me now. I think I've realized that it's much more productive for me to live in the present and go with the flow a little more.

If you were stranded on a desert island, what three items would you take with you?
Matches to light fires, a knife to cut through coconuts and Howie Michael Smith to make me laugh!

What are your future plans?
Howie Michael Smith, who was my Princeton on B'way, and I have started writing and filming sketch comedy webisodes and posting them on youtube under "Sillyocity". We are planning to shoot one a week for the next 12 weeks, so that has been keeping me pretty busy. I'm always looking for the next big step though....as my manager always says "On to the Next!!!"