Conversations with Sarah Thompson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Thompson.

Hi Sarah, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I quite literally fell in love with acting when I was the Scarecrow in Immanual Lutheran School’s production of “Oz” as a sixth grader in East Dundee, IL. I naturally brought a lot of physical comedy as well as some improvisation to the role and surprised just about everyone who knew me as I was a very shy kid. I came to California from IL to get a degree at Concordia University Irvine in Theatre: Acting and Directing. I was also in the student-run improv troop, Improvceivable. From there, I took standup comedy classes with Greg Dean’s school during the pandemic which helped me learn basic joke structure and gave me the confidence to tell actual jokes instead of just fun facts. I then joined Upside Down Comedy, and I am so grateful to the whole group, but especially Robert G. Lee for his continuous expertise and encouragement as my comedy teacher. I have had the privilege of performing with “Marcus and Friends” in West Hollywood. I started my own clean comedy show, “Squeaky Comedy” out of a room at my church, Crosspoint in Huntington Beach. We’ve been known to do standup and improv, but the show has morphed into an improv troop with Joel McCrary, Hannah Loesch, David deMena, Lauren White, Max Randolph, and Marissa Bustamante – all of whom I cannot thank enough. I am also so grateful for Tim Sanchez who runs all of the tech for our shows! I am very passionate about sharing clean comedy to let people know that God has a sense of humor and is the one who gives us joy. If you think about it, He made some funny things! I wouldn’t think of a giant, bald, flightless bird, but ostriches exist! Ultimately, I want people to see how much God loves and cares for them. I am always open to talking about the love of Jesus, although this is not usually the main focus of my comedy. In my standup, I like to show how I am a failure who clearly needs God. I am so grateful that God has given me the gift of laughing through struggles. I want to talk about struggles I face, in hopes that hearing it helps someone else feel seen or heals a place in their heart. Praise God, He doesn’t avoid suffering but comforts us and came to take on our suffering and sins through Jesus dying in our place.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My own time management and the classic struggle of survival are always my worst enemies. However, God has provided for me in ways I don’t even know. For example, a few years ago, I should have been about $3000 in debt, but I wasn’t in debt at all. I cannot tell you how that happened other than God doing a miracle and having a purpose for me in Orange County/LA. I love writing and performing and always want to be doing that more. However, producing my own show has helped me learn a lot, mostly about how I cannot do it all and need other people to help me see what I can’t see. I’m definitely still learning to ask for help more and delegate tasks to others who might actually want to help me. I have a lot of dreams and only so much time, so I have to take each day at a time and realize I’m a person rather than a machine that can be constantly working.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am an actor, standup comedian, improviser, producer, writer, and voice actor.

As an actor, I love physical comedy. I love the collaboration and natural jokes that arise in improv. I have written short sketches with Upside Down Comedy and am working to produce some of my own.

I produce and improvise in Squeaky Comedy at Crosspoint’s Student Center in Huntington Beach once a month. It’s fun for the whole family and always a Sunday at 7pm. The most up to date info is on our Instagram @squeaky_comedy.

I started voiceover with UMass global because of a workshop I went to with a friend and have had more opportunities since! I was brought on to voice three different characters for the podcast, Confessions of a Catholic Single in season 2 and am excited to voice a recurring character in season 3!

Standup comedy is the scariest, most difficult, and most vulnerable thing I have ever done. But, it has also probably been the most rewarding. I have so much fun and can be so creative. It has also made me much more confident voicing my feelings. What’s one man’s rejection compared to a whole room full of people? I have a set about my experience with OCD, but I am working towards a lot more jokes about being single my whole life and all of the insecurity that naturally coincides with that as a woman.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I would say I am a bold risk taker. I moved from IL to CA to go to Concordia, travelled around the world for a semester studying abroad and doing mission work, graduated during the pandemic and went to live with my cousin in Arizona before moving back to CA to pursue performance. It’s been slow-going, but I’m still growing and able to be more of a whole person rather than just in the hustle of the industry 24/7. If the reward could outweigh the risk, the risk is worth taking. If fear is the only thing stopping me, that is not a good excuse, especially if I believe that God has good things for me as His child, and He will not let me miss whatever future He has for me. I get to co-create it with Him because He knows the plans He has for me! I still get to work as He works behind the scenes, and let Him open the doors.

Pricing:

• Squeaky Comedy Tickets are free! You can help us prepare by getting tickets at Eventbrite, or you can just show up! We do take donations at the door for the comedians if you would like to give something.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm12365624/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
• Instagram: @therealsarahthompson
• Other: Tiktok: @therealsarahthompson

Image Credits
Erlinda Olvera
The Actor’s Collective