Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Hackshaw
Hi Sarah, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up in Columbus, Ohio as a trained dancer, but I never thought I’d grow up to become a full-time actress! I actually went to Ohio State for Marketing. And after graduating, I had no idea what I wanted to do and I wasn’t necessarily ready to grow up and start “adulting”, so I auditioned at DisneyWorld and started performing at The Happiest Place On Earth right out of college. Being at Disney opened a ton of doors, and opportunities began to fall right into my lap. I went on to perform for the Obamas at The White House, become an NFL Cheerleader for the Denver Broncos, and I continued princess-ing across the world, at Hong Kong Disneyland and onboard Disney Cruise Line! While I was a naturally dramatic, the acting came quite naturally to me. I also soon realized that there was an entire industry for actors who could dance AND sing. So I took some voice lessons, and started doing professional Broadway shows at regional theaters all over the country. I now like to plan out my year around where I’d like to perform during specific months. For example, I love booking shows in sunny Florida during the winter months, and I love seeing the foliage during the fall– so I try to book jobs in the northeast during that time. I also try to seek out acting contracts whenever there are events I’d like to attend, like Louisville for the Kentucky Derby, or NYC around Christmas time! It’s a very fast lifestyle, but it’s all worked out perfectly ever since I started. And while performing is my passion, I most enjoy the friends/connections I make while working all over the world!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been relatively smooth, honestly! The work opportunities have flowed into my life quite effortlessly, although I do work hard at my craft. The biggest obstacle I’ve faced as a professional dancer has been injury. I actually suffered a severe achilles tendon tear a few years ago while performing on a wet stage, so that took me out for a few months. But during that time I focused on my vocals as opposed to my dancing. And once I had done sufficient Physical Therapy/Recovery, I proceeded to book a Vocalist job which ended up taking me all over the world and paying me much more than I ever would’ve made as a Dancer. A setback is always just a set-up for a bigger comeback!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a full-time actress. I do Broadway shows, tours, work for Disney, the list goes on and on. I am a bit niche, as I am a Singer who can also Dance, where as a lot of professional performers just focus on Dance or Singing. I grew up a Dancer first, but I’ve developed a love and skillset for Singing and have actually booked more Vocalist jobs in recent years than Dance jobs (which I’m grateful for, because as your body grows older, your dance tricks dwindle in number)! I am most proud to have been a Denver Broncos Cheerleader, as I love Broncos Country and truly believe we have the best and most fanatic fan base in all of the NFL! I also had the honor of performing for Former 1st Lady Michelle Obama at The White House– that will probably always be the highlight of my career.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Every job I take in my industry is a risk. Because if I take one job, that means I have to uproot my entire life to move to that city and perform that show for an extended amount of time. I try not to overthink it too much, because if I do I’d likely talk myself out of a lot of job opportunities. If a contract offer lands in my lap, and it’s a role/salary/location that I don’t want to turn down, I take it. I am always sad leaving friends/missing family while away on contracts, but the connections I make in new cities are always worth it. I never say no to a good opportunity, because every time I’ve said yes it’s resulted in a better situation for myself that I never would’ve been in if I hadn’t taken it. There’s always something good that will come out of saying yes and going for it.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/SarahRoseHackshaw
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/SarahRHackshaw
