Sara Parisa

There is something magnetic about Sara Parisa on stage. She has a presence that grabs your attention and keeps it. I admire her ability to go from musicals to straight plays. Most recently Sara was a scene stealing Alexi Darling in LCT’s RENT and a charismatic, self-assured Juliet in Rover’s The Shakespeare Conspiracy. Sara has studied under some of the best actors in DFW and appears destined to join their ranks. Take a few moments to read about the remarkably talented Sara Parisa’s journey in the performing arts and add her name to your “Never Miss” list

When was your first time on stage?

In an academic setting, I believe it was a Groundhog Day musical in second grade. No, not that one. Punxsutawny Phil didn’t want to go out and check for his shadow, and the rest of us played forest animals who changed his mind by reminding him how important and special he was. It was kind of adorable.

Outside of school, I have a core memory from when I was in maybe kindergarten or first grade. I was at a party with a bunch of our family friends, and we kids were having a party of our own in a separate room, as we always did. On this particular night, my older cousin had the idea to put together a skit reenacting Home Alone, assigning me to one of the robbers and directing us all on what to say. Mind you, we didn’t have any of the traps or gags that define Home Alone; it was just my cousin and me terrorizing our friend who played Kevin, and all I had was my cousin’s very basic summary of the movie. All the same, I was having a grand old time…until she had the idea to take it out to the living room and perform for the grownups. Ironically, it was yours truly who proceeded to panic and freak out until she agreed not to do it. (Cheers to character development!)

Fast forward a few years, I’m in sixth grade and my sister and I are hanging out with these same cousins over winter break. We ended up resurrecting the skit from all those years ago, except this time my cousin filmed it and put a simple edit together on Windows Movie Maker. That short and silly video was suddenly the coolest thing in the world for me, and for about a year or so after that, movie-making was our go-to shenanigan whenever we got together.

When did you know you wanted to be an actor?

Despite being a pretty shy and reserved kid, I’ve always known, even before I could put it into words, that I wanted to be a performer; it was always just a question of what type of performer. My elementary years were spent singing in the school choir and picking up as many instruments as I could in music class, followed by seven years of playing clarinet. In high school, most of my time went into marching band, with the occasional theatre production here and there. Even so, I was constantly torn between pursuing music and pursuing theatre. When the time finally came to start thinking about college, I came to the realization that acting was the one thing I could see myself doing for the rest of my life.

(Now, that’s not to say that band kid has left me completely. I’m a middle school theatre teacher by day, but when the schedules allow, I have been known to visit the beginning clarinet class, or even play with the band at our pep rallies!)

Who is your greatest mentor?

I’ve been raised by some of the greatest talent in DFW. My theatre professors at UNT—Sally Vahle, Bob Hess, Sarah Rutan, Marjorie Hayes, and Dr. Timothy Wilson—shaped me into the performer and artist I am today. Allison Kingwell saw me through my first semester as a theatre teacher, and I truly would not have gotten through that semester in one piece without her support and guidance.

Those are just a few, but there are truly too many to name. Over the last few years, I’ve had some amazing castmates and directors who have pushed and challenged me as a creative, and given me everything from audition advice to teaching tips. I’m immensely grateful for every single one of them.

What role have you enjoyed the most in your career so far?

I’m thankful and proud to have played a wide range of characters and types in my career so far. These are just a few roles that stand out for me. One is Emily Loveworthy in Love Loves a Pornographer at Rover Dramawerks. I loved this script and this character so much, and this was my first show in the DFW theatre community post-college and post-shutdown, so she holds a special place in my heart. I also like to think that if all my roles were real people, she and I would get along the best. Another is Sheila Birling in An Inspector Calls at Lakeside Community Theatre. This show was an emotional marathon for everyone involved, and Sheila’s character arc was such an interesting one that I loved getting to explore. Inspector was also one of a few shows that I did in my first full year as a teacher, and somehow, this rehearsal process was one of the smoothest I had that year. It was a great experience to have during a major transitional period in my life, and it gave me a newfound confidence in my ability to balance acting with teaching. The role that has challenged me the most thus far is, easily, Kathleen Mooney in Flanagan’s Wake at Allen Contemporary Theatre. This was an interactive improv show, where several characters would have to tell detailed stories based on audience suggestions, without ever leaving the stage. Truthfully, I’d had no intention whatsoever of auditioning, but it came at a time when I’d gone a few months without a show and had a handful of auditions that didn’t work out; I was just itching to be in something, anything. I signed up on a whim, and proceeded to have the most terrifying and humbling audition I’ve had in a long time. I walked out mortified, and I even went to another audition later that day, one where I felt much more comfortable and confident. To my absolute shock, the offer I ended up getting came from Flanagan. Looking back now, I am so thankful that it played out the way it did. Flanagan pushed me in a whole new way and allowed me to grow a skill that I never thought I could.

Do you have a dream role?

So many! I was raised to be a huge ABBA fan, and so I simply have to do Mamma Mia sooner or later. If I don’t play Sophie anytime soon, my plan is to give it a couple decades and then come back for Donna. Other musical roles would be Maria or Liesl in The Sound of Music, Maureen in RENT, Veronica in Heathers, and Jenna or Dawn in Waitress.

I have several dream roles for straight plays, too. Some classic characters would be Jo or Amy March in Little Women, Gwendolyn or Cecily in The Importance of Being Earnest, and Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion. I played Eliza once for a scene study in college, but I’d love the chance to play her in full! Arsenic and Old Lace, either as Elaine in the near future, or as Abby or Martha in a few decades. Literally anyone in Noises Off. I’m also down for pretty much any Shakespearean comedy, though it is mandatory that I eventually put my height to use and play Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

At some point in my career, I really want to perform White Rabbit Red Rabbit. I’m absolutely fascinated by the concept of the show, and it’s written by a fellow Iranian, so I’m all the more invested.

What person(s) would you like to be on stage with?

I’ve been lucky to work with many of my dear friends and loved ones, and I’m always seeking out more opportunities to collaborate with them. At the same time, there are so many talented folks in the area that I greatly admire, though I have yet to share a stage with them. A few that come to mind are Robert San Juan, Hannah Burns, Ariana Stephens, Kelsey Korman, Audrey Reidling, and Lorenzo Gapud.

Outside the DFW area, it would be an absolute dream come true to perform alongside someone like Julie Andrews or Meryl Streep. As well, because I’ve been told for years that I resemble her, I would love to someday share a stage with Sara Bareilles. If anyone is planning on doing her biopic, I got you!

What performances have you seen that impressed you?

I was thoroughly moved by Oleanna at The Classics Theatre Project last year. The story was thought-provoking and brilliantly performed. It really got me itching to do and see more theatre like it.

Another standout is the touring production of Wicked in 2021. I was an adjudicator for Broadway Dallas the time, and I got to take my family to watch their final dress. This was also the first Broadway tour to open post-shutdown, so it was an incredibly emotional and beautiful experience for everyone.

What are your career goals?

At this point in my life, I just feel lucky to make my living teaching theatre, and to still keep busy as an actor. However, it would be wonderful if I were ever in a position to fully support myself as a performer. As well, I’d love to get back into film acting. I did some in college, but admittedly haven’t gotten to do much since. So if you’re in need of a film actress, let me know! I look taller on camera!

In my wildest dreams, I would love to become a household name, receive an award for my work, or even build my career in other parts of the world. My family and I are big fans of, and take a lot of pride in, the work of Iranian filmmakers like Asghar Farhadi. His Oscar wins in 2012 and 2017 were our wins, and meant so much to me as a young Iranian actor. My mom and I have often joked that I need to brush up on my Farsi so that I can one day work with him, but we’re only half-kidding.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

This doesn’t come up too often, but I am multilingual! I grew up hearing and speaking Farsi, I hold a BA in French along with my theatre degree, and most recently I added Spanish to my Duolingo because I work at a school with a large ESL program. That’s not to say I’m perfectly fluent in any of those languages, but it would be super cool if I ever had the opportunity to perform in any of them!