Sarah Taylor Ellis is a Berlin-based composer, music director, and lecturer whose work aims to embrace the inherent hybridity and multiplicity of music theater as an art form.
News
November 8, 2024
Check out the new trailer for Die Tüten aus der Verwaltung here. And get your tickets now!
November 6, 2024
See NDR's report on Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten at Volkstheater Rostock, running from November 3 until December 26.
October 27, 2024
Die Tüten aus der Verwaltung, das Bürokratie-Musical von glanz&krawall und Theater Thikwa with composition and music direction by Sarah, runs from December 11-14 and 17-18. Tickets are available here.
September 7, 2024
Sarah is composing and music directing this year's Weihnachtsmärchen at Volkstheater Rostock, Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten, which opens on November 3. Tickets are available here.
August 12, 2024
Sarah's music is featured in Creative Women*, a concert of German-language musical theater by female and non-binary writers, September 20 and 22 at the University of Regensburg. Tickets are available here.
June 25, 2024
Tickets for LULU: Revanche im Zirkuszelt are available here. Early Bird Tickets purchased before July 7 cost only 15 EUR (10 EUR erm.).
June 17, 2024
Read more about the upcoming presentation of Die Mitte der Welt at Landestheater Linz in BroadwayWorld.
June 3, 2024
Songs from the new musical Die Mitte der Welt - an adaptation of Andreas Steinhöfel's beloved young adult novel with book and lyrics by Niklas Wagner, music by Sarah Taylor Ellis - will be presented at the DMA schreib:maschine at Landestheater Linz on June 24. Book your tickets here.
April 5, 2024
Check out the trailer and stunning production photos from glanz&krawall's STADT DER TEUFEL here.
March 24, 2024
Read reviews of STADT DER TEUFEL in the Berliner Morgenpost ("So sympathisch, witzig und klug hat man das lange nicht erfahren dürfen") and Tagesspiegel ("Zu Recht darauf zielend, dass diese Kunstgattung [Operette] mal für ihr widerständiges Potenzial bekannt war, statt für parfümiertes Geschunkel. So hat auch Suppè sie verstanden. „Stadt der Teufel“ [springt] musikalisch mühelos vom ¾-Takt zu Deichkind").
March 7, 2024
Sarah is musikalische Leiterin for glanz&krawall's STADT DER TEUFEL, opening March 24 at Heimathafen Neukölln. Tickets for performances in March and April are available here.
January 1, 2024
"I Sing of Maria," a new choral piece for upper voices and harp with lyrics by Frey Kalus, will be performed by members of the Berliner Domkantorei on Saturday, January 27 at 6pm and on Sunday, January 28 at 10am at the Berliner Dom.
December 16, 2023
Selections from These Girls Have Demons will be presented in the next DMA schreib:maschine, December 18 at Neuköllner Oper. Read more about it in BroadwayWorld.
August 24, 2023
Doing the Time Warp: Strange Temporalities and Musical Theatre is out in paperback today!
July 12, 2023
See the first production photos from EMMA: No One But Herself, recently produced at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.
July 5, 2023
Read Sarah's analysis of "Move On" from Sunday in the Park with George. This blog post was part of a special project in Signature Theatre's Season of Sondheim; "Sharing Sondheim" gave voice to all of his songs before the closing of Sweeney Todd on July 9.
June 8, 2023
Sarah was honored with the Goldene Feder teaching award from the Linguistics and Literature student council (Fachschaft SpLit) at Universität Bayreuth.
May 30, 2023
EMMA: No One But Herself will be produced at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London from July 5-8. Book your tickets here!
May 28, 2023
The first three Saint Songs will be performed at 1781 Collective's LAB Session in Berlin tonight.
April 4, 2023
Doing the Time Warp: Strange Temporalities and Musical Theatre was reviewed in Studies in Musical Theater, Volume 17, No. 1. See a preview on Sarah's Research page.
March 5, 2023
Doing the Time Warp: Strange Temporalities and Musical Theatre is now available to pre-order as a paperback. I see you shiver with antici...
October 18, 2022
These Girls Have Demons is a NAMT Finalist and featured in the NAMT "Other Shows You Should Know" jukebox.
October 10, 2022
Sarah is a new member of 1781 Collective, an international collective of musicians that offers an alternative to the traditional music industry for both audiences and creators.
September 30, 2022
EMMA: No One But Herself is now available for licensing with Uproar Theatrics!
September 6, 2022
Sind Sie eine weibliche oder nicht-binäre Komponistin, Dirigentin, Orchestratorin, Arrangeurin, Texterin, Pianistin oder sonstiger Musikerin im deutschsprachigen Raum? Bitte werden Sie Mitglied in unserem Verzeichnis unter www.maestramusic.org, dann können Sie unserer Facebook-Gruppe beitreten (Maestra D-A-CH)!
August 3, 2022
Check out the new trailer for These Girls Have Demons, and contact [email protected] to access a full video of the Penn State workshop.
May 17, 2022
Learn more about the Stage Entertainment Dirigentinnen workshop in which Sarah recently participated on Stage Entertainment's website and in NDR Kultur.
April 18, 2022
These Girls Have Demons will have a two-week workshop at Penn State in June 2022.
February 24, 2022
It's publication day for Doing the Time Warp: Strange Temporalities and Musical Theatre! US * UK * DE
February 1, 2022
Sarah's composition of "Mayme's Song" is featured in the Guildhall School of Music & Drama production of Intimate Apparel at the Barbican. Performances run February 4-15, and the production will also be available to stream online from March 4.
January 27, 2022
Doing the Time Warp: Strange Temporalities and Musical Theatre has been published as an e-book today, and the hardcover can be pre-ordered (available February 24, 2022): US * UK * DE
December 8, 2021
See the live performance of "Music" from White Snake Projects' SOS Incarcerated Voices concert.
November 17, 2021
Sarah was commissioned by activist opera company White Snake Projects to compose a piece for Sing Out Strong: Incarcerated Voices. The free digital concert will premiere on November 20 at 7:30pm EST.
November 9, 2021
The Columbia University workshop production of The Trojan Women is available to stream from November 11-16: www.fiveohm.tv/columbia-university/soa. If you miss the stream, contact Sarah for access to a private video link.
October 2, 2021
Columbia University has now opened up The Trojan Women to fully-vaccinated members of the public. Reserve a free ticket here. Read more about the production in OperaWire.
September 24, 2021
If you are Columbia University affiliated, you can now book a ticket to see The Trojan Women from October 7-9, 2021. If you are not affiliated with the university, or if you would be more comfortable watching from home, the production will stream online from November 11-15, 2021. Click here for more information.
March 11, 2021
Doing the Time Warp: Strange Temporalities and Musical Theatre is now available to pre-order.
January 22, 2021
See the new music video "Resolutions" with music by Sarah Taylor Ellis, lyrics by Meghan Brown, and choreography by Stephanie Klemons (Associate Choreographer of Hamilton).
January 5, 2021
The Columbia University production of The Trojan Women has been rescheduled for October 2021.
November 18, 2020
Sarah has moved to Berlin, where she is freelancing as a composer, musical director, dramaturg, and teaching artist.
November 5, 2020
Read Sarah's interview about composing for community in The Enormity of Now.
September 3, 2020
Sarah has submitted Doing the Time Warp: Queer Temporalities and Musical Theatre to Methuen Drama. The book will be published in 2021.
May 26, 2020
Sarah is the dramaturg for HouseFire, a new climate crisis musical with book and lyrics by Poppy Burton-Morgan and music by Ben Toth. Metta Theatre has received generous funding from Arts Council England to support the show's development.
April 13, 2020
Sarah and Meghan Brown will be featured on Pittsburgh CLO's new web series CLOse Ups: SPARK the Conversation on Tuesday, April 14, at 3pm EDT / 8pm BST to chat all things These Girls Have Demons. More at https://www.pittsburghclo.org/close-ups.
March 18, 2020
The final weeks of the NT Hamlet schools tour, the Dorfman run of Hamlet, and the CCM workshop of These Girls Have Demons have been postponed due to COVID-19. Be well, everyone.
February 26, 2020
The book cover for Doing the Time Warp: Queer Temporalities and Musical Theatre has been revealed!
November 16, 2019
Sarah is composer and musical director for The National Theatre's Hamlet for young audiences, adapted by Jude Christian with direction by Tinuke Craig. Hamlet will tour local schools for six weeks before playing at the Dorfman from March 30 - April 9, 2020.
November 9, 2019
These Girls Have Demons will have a 2-week workshop at CCM (College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati) in April 2020.
September 28, 2019
You can now view the promo trailer for The Trojan Women. Contact [email protected] for access to the full performance video.
September 24, 2019
Doing the Time Warp: Queer Temporalities and Musical Theatre is set to be published with Methuen Drama.
August 1, 2019
Four-time Olivier Award winner Maria Friedman will star as Hecuba in the upcoming London reading of The Trojan Women. Read the full casting announcement in Playbill and BroadwayWorld.
July 15, 2019
Sarah will join Arts Educational Schools, London (ArtsEd) as Head of Music for the Day School and Sixth Form in September.
June 28, 2019
Adele Thomas will direct a reading of The Trojan Women in London this August - produced by new, intersectional feminist opera company HERA and supported by an OPERA America Discovery Grant.
June 25, 2019
Songs from Emma were recently featured in a student concert conducted by Filip Holacky at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: Everyone Likes Me and The Two of Us Together Is Enough.
April 20, 2019
See photos of These Girls Have Demons' recent staged reading at PCLO's New Musicals Weekend.
April 9, 2019
These Girls Have Demons' cast has been announced for the upcoming New Musicals Weekend at Pittsburgh CLO.
April 1, 2019
Sarah has received an OPERA America Discovery Grant for Female Composers. The grant will fully fund a reading of The Trojan Women in London this summer.
March 1, 2019
You can now reserve seats for These Girls Have Demons during New Musicals Weekend at Pittsburgh CLO. Demons will perform on Saturday, April 13 at 7pm and on Sunday, April 14 at 1pm. RSVP here!
January 19, 2019
Tune in to BBC Radio Shropshire at 9:15am for an interview about Sarah's work as a composer and the new musical theatre programme she is leading at University Centre Shrewsbury.
December 20, 2018
Read all about our new musical theatre programme in the Shropshire Star: "Curtain Up on Musical Theatre course at UCS."
December 16, 2018
We are thrilled that Ellie Heyman, Director in Residence at Joe's Pub, will direct the next reading of These Girls Have Demons at Pittsburgh CLO. Stay tuned!
October 2, 2018
Listen to new DEMON demos on SoundCloud! https://soundcloud.com/staylorellis/sets/these-girls-have-demons
August 24, 2018
Sarah has accepted a position as Senior Lecturer in Musical Theatre at the University of Chester; she will be establishing a new undergraduate musical theatre programme at University Centre Shrewsbury.
August 12, 2018
These Girls Have Demons will continue development with Pittsburgh CLO beginning with a writing residency from August 21-25.
May 12, 2018
Contact me to access a full video of our recent workshop of Emma in London, directed by Thom Southerland and starring Carly Bawden, Rupert Young, Alex Young, Ashleigh Gray, Tiffany Graves, and more brilliant West End talent.
April 28, 2018
Read more Janeite buzz for Emma: A New Musical in Jane Austen News, published by The Jane Austen Centre in Bath. "Although the musical is still in its early days of creation, and the date of opening night is yet to be announced for both the New York and the London production, it’s a musical with an amazing cast list, and one those of us at the Jane Austen News would definitely like to see."
April 16, 2018
Janeites are excited for our new musical adaptation of Emma! Deborah Yaffe, author of Among the Janeites, writes, "It’s encouraging to see an all-female writing team behind this show, especially one whose previous collaboration is a feminist musical about slumber-party guests possessed by demons. Perfect preparation for Jane Austen!"
April 12, 2018
Casting has been announced for the upcoming London reading of Emma, directed by Thom Southerland.
April 9, 2018
These Girls Have Demons just completed a two-week workshop with direction by Kristin McCarthy Parker and music direction by Mila Henry. Learn more about Pittsburgh CLO's SPARK Festival here!
February 1, 2018
These Girls Have Demons will have a two-week workshop in Pittsburgh CLO's inaugural SPARK festival for small musicals.
January 20, 2018
Check out the press release for The Trojan Women reading on BroadwayWorld.
December 29, 2017
The Trojan Women will have a reading at the New York Society Library on January 22, 2018 with direction by Rachel Dickstein and music direction by Mila Henry. More information and tickets are available here.
December 15, 2017
Emma will be workshopped in London in April 2018, with direction by Thom Southerland.
December 11, 2017
Read about Sarah and her partner Ben Toth's musical home in the NY Times.
October 15, 2017
Sarah and Meghan Brown have begun collaborating on a new feminist slumber party/musical, These Girls Have Demons.
September 28, 2017
Photos from the recent industry reading of Emma are available on BroadwayWorld.
September 15, 2017
Emma will have an industry reading starring Kerstin Anderson, Claybourne Elder, and Ruthie Ann Miles later this month. Direction is by Sammi Cannold and music direction by Kim Grigsby. Read more at BroadwayWorld, TheaterMania, and Playbill.com.
July 5, 2017
The opening number of The Trojan Women will be featured in NYMF's Women of Note Concert, July 24 at 9:30pm. Tickets here.
May 24, 2017
The Trojan Women will have its first reading at the New York Society Library in winter 2018, directed by Rachel Dickstein.
March 30, 2017
Sarah is writing three new songs for The Civilians' Let Me Ascertain You: Hate Actually at Joe's Pub on April 10. Tickets here.
March 5, 2017
Along with Tony winner Jeanine Tesori and Oscar nominee Diane Lane, Sarah is again on the selection committee for the Elizabeth Swados Inspiration Grant, given by The Ziegfeld Club Inc. to an influential female music educator in NYC.
February 26, 2017
Sarah has arranged a medley of Sondheim songs about time (or "SondTime" songs) for The Sondheimas Mixtape at Joe's Pub.
January 8, 2017
Sarah has composed an original choral piece, "We Walk Through," that will kick off the Women's March on NYC later this month.
December 28, 2016
Sarah is the recipient of a 2-year fellowship from the Jubilation Foundation, which supports "individuals with an exceptional talent for helping young people feel fully alive through rhythm -- as expressed in music and dance."
November 24, 2016
Emma will be workshopped in LA this upcoming February with Apples and Oranges Studios (An American in Paris, Memphis, and Hair).
September 23, 2016
Sarah has been invited back to her alma mater, Duke University, for a talk/workshop on adaptation, musical theater, and Emma during the 2016 DEMAN Weekend.
August 29, 2016
Emma was proud to be the pilot musical in Apples and Oranges Studios' THEatre ACCELERATOR. The show had a successful developmental reading at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando, FL.
August 2, 2016
Emma has been selected for a developmental reading with Apples and Oranges Studios (An American in Paris, Memphis, and Hair). Applying the model that accelerates technology start-ups, their brand new THEatre ACCELERATOR treats storytellers as founders, creating an opportunity to interact with experts in storytelling, production, distribution, and the business of show business.
June 28, 2016
Along with Tony winner Jeanine Tesori and Oscar nominee Diane Lane, Sarah is on the selection committee for the inaugural Elizabeth Swados Inspiration Grant, given by The Ziegfeld Club Inc. to an influential female music educator in NYC. The award will be given at the closing performance of Runaways at City Center.
May 30, 2016
"She Read Palms" from Emma will be featured in NYMF's Women of Note concert, August 1 at 6:30pm at the Duke on 42nd Street. Tickets and further information can be found here.
April 25, 2016
Sarah is collaborating with Ellen McLaughlin on a musical adaptation of The Trojan Women.
December 7, 2015
Sarah is currently writing articles for The Palgrave Handbook of Musical Theatre Producers and The Routledge Companion to the Post-1970s American Stage Musical.
October 12, 2015
Emma will have a staged reading at Gallery Players this upcoming November 2 and 3 at 7pm, part of the 2015 Overtures New Musicals Reading Series. Tickets are available here, listed on the calendar as "OVERTURES 2015."
Header photo by Peter van Heesen.
Check out the new trailer for Die Tüten aus der Verwaltung here. And get your tickets now!
November 6, 2024
See NDR's report on Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten at Volkstheater Rostock, running from November 3 until December 26.
October 27, 2024
Die Tüten aus der Verwaltung, das Bürokratie-Musical von glanz&krawall und Theater Thikwa with composition and music direction by Sarah, runs from December 11-14 and 17-18. Tickets are available here.
September 7, 2024
Sarah is composing and music directing this year's Weihnachtsmärchen at Volkstheater Rostock, Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten, which opens on November 3. Tickets are available here.
August 12, 2024
Sarah's music is featured in Creative Women*, a concert of German-language musical theater by female and non-binary writers, September 20 and 22 at the University of Regensburg. Tickets are available here.
June 25, 2024
Tickets for LULU: Revanche im Zirkuszelt are available here. Early Bird Tickets purchased before July 7 cost only 15 EUR (10 EUR erm.).
June 17, 2024
Read more about the upcoming presentation of Die Mitte der Welt at Landestheater Linz in BroadwayWorld.
June 3, 2024
Songs from the new musical Die Mitte der Welt - an adaptation of Andreas Steinhöfel's beloved young adult novel with book and lyrics by Niklas Wagner, music by Sarah Taylor Ellis - will be presented at the DMA schreib:maschine at Landestheater Linz on June 24. Book your tickets here.
April 5, 2024
Check out the trailer and stunning production photos from glanz&krawall's STADT DER TEUFEL here.
March 24, 2024
Read reviews of STADT DER TEUFEL in the Berliner Morgenpost ("So sympathisch, witzig und klug hat man das lange nicht erfahren dürfen") and Tagesspiegel ("Zu Recht darauf zielend, dass diese Kunstgattung [Operette] mal für ihr widerständiges Potenzial bekannt war, statt für parfümiertes Geschunkel. So hat auch Suppè sie verstanden. „Stadt der Teufel“ [springt] musikalisch mühelos vom ¾-Takt zu Deichkind").
March 7, 2024
Sarah is musikalische Leiterin for glanz&krawall's STADT DER TEUFEL, opening March 24 at Heimathafen Neukölln. Tickets for performances in March and April are available here.
January 1, 2024
"I Sing of Maria," a new choral piece for upper voices and harp with lyrics by Frey Kalus, will be performed by members of the Berliner Domkantorei on Saturday, January 27 at 6pm and on Sunday, January 28 at 10am at the Berliner Dom.
December 16, 2023
Selections from These Girls Have Demons will be presented in the next DMA schreib:maschine, December 18 at Neuköllner Oper. Read more about it in BroadwayWorld.
August 24, 2023
Doing the Time Warp: Strange Temporalities and Musical Theatre is out in paperback today!
July 12, 2023
See the first production photos from EMMA: No One But Herself, recently produced at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.
July 5, 2023
Read Sarah's analysis of "Move On" from Sunday in the Park with George. This blog post was part of a special project in Signature Theatre's Season of Sondheim; "Sharing Sondheim" gave voice to all of his songs before the closing of Sweeney Todd on July 9.
June 8, 2023
Sarah was honored with the Goldene Feder teaching award from the Linguistics and Literature student council (Fachschaft SpLit) at Universität Bayreuth.
May 30, 2023
EMMA: No One But Herself will be produced at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London from July 5-8. Book your tickets here!
May 28, 2023
The first three Saint Songs will be performed at 1781 Collective's LAB Session in Berlin tonight.
April 4, 2023
Doing the Time Warp: Strange Temporalities and Musical Theatre was reviewed in Studies in Musical Theater, Volume 17, No. 1. See a preview on Sarah's Research page.
March 5, 2023
Doing the Time Warp: Strange Temporalities and Musical Theatre is now available to pre-order as a paperback. I see you shiver with antici...
October 18, 2022
These Girls Have Demons is a NAMT Finalist and featured in the NAMT "Other Shows You Should Know" jukebox.
October 10, 2022
Sarah is a new member of 1781 Collective, an international collective of musicians that offers an alternative to the traditional music industry for both audiences and creators.
September 30, 2022
EMMA: No One But Herself is now available for licensing with Uproar Theatrics!
September 6, 2022
Sind Sie eine weibliche oder nicht-binäre Komponistin, Dirigentin, Orchestratorin, Arrangeurin, Texterin, Pianistin oder sonstiger Musikerin im deutschsprachigen Raum? Bitte werden Sie Mitglied in unserem Verzeichnis unter www.maestramusic.org, dann können Sie unserer Facebook-Gruppe beitreten (Maestra D-A-CH)!
August 3, 2022
Check out the new trailer for These Girls Have Demons, and contact [email protected] to access a full video of the Penn State workshop.
May 17, 2022
Learn more about the Stage Entertainment Dirigentinnen workshop in which Sarah recently participated on Stage Entertainment's website and in NDR Kultur.
April 18, 2022
These Girls Have Demons will have a two-week workshop at Penn State in June 2022.
February 24, 2022
It's publication day for Doing the Time Warp: Strange Temporalities and Musical Theatre! US * UK * DE
February 1, 2022
Sarah's composition of "Mayme's Song" is featured in the Guildhall School of Music & Drama production of Intimate Apparel at the Barbican. Performances run February 4-15, and the production will also be available to stream online from March 4.
January 27, 2022
Doing the Time Warp: Strange Temporalities and Musical Theatre has been published as an e-book today, and the hardcover can be pre-ordered (available February 24, 2022): US * UK * DE
December 8, 2021
See the live performance of "Music" from White Snake Projects' SOS Incarcerated Voices concert.
November 17, 2021
Sarah was commissioned by activist opera company White Snake Projects to compose a piece for Sing Out Strong: Incarcerated Voices. The free digital concert will premiere on November 20 at 7:30pm EST.
November 9, 2021
The Columbia University workshop production of The Trojan Women is available to stream from November 11-16: www.fiveohm.tv/columbia-university/soa. If you miss the stream, contact Sarah for access to a private video link.
October 2, 2021
Columbia University has now opened up The Trojan Women to fully-vaccinated members of the public. Reserve a free ticket here. Read more about the production in OperaWire.
September 24, 2021
If you are Columbia University affiliated, you can now book a ticket to see The Trojan Women from October 7-9, 2021. If you are not affiliated with the university, or if you would be more comfortable watching from home, the production will stream online from November 11-15, 2021. Click here for more information.
March 11, 2021
Doing the Time Warp: Strange Temporalities and Musical Theatre is now available to pre-order.
January 22, 2021
See the new music video "Resolutions" with music by Sarah Taylor Ellis, lyrics by Meghan Brown, and choreography by Stephanie Klemons (Associate Choreographer of Hamilton).
January 5, 2021
The Columbia University production of The Trojan Women has been rescheduled for October 2021.
November 18, 2020
Sarah has moved to Berlin, where she is freelancing as a composer, musical director, dramaturg, and teaching artist.
November 5, 2020
Read Sarah's interview about composing for community in The Enormity of Now.
September 3, 2020
Sarah has submitted Doing the Time Warp: Queer Temporalities and Musical Theatre to Methuen Drama. The book will be published in 2021.
May 26, 2020
Sarah is the dramaturg for HouseFire, a new climate crisis musical with book and lyrics by Poppy Burton-Morgan and music by Ben Toth. Metta Theatre has received generous funding from Arts Council England to support the show's development.
April 13, 2020
Sarah and Meghan Brown will be featured on Pittsburgh CLO's new web series CLOse Ups: SPARK the Conversation on Tuesday, April 14, at 3pm EDT / 8pm BST to chat all things These Girls Have Demons. More at https://www.pittsburghclo.org/close-ups.
March 18, 2020
The final weeks of the NT Hamlet schools tour, the Dorfman run of Hamlet, and the CCM workshop of These Girls Have Demons have been postponed due to COVID-19. Be well, everyone.
February 26, 2020
The book cover for Doing the Time Warp: Queer Temporalities and Musical Theatre has been revealed!
November 16, 2019
Sarah is composer and musical director for The National Theatre's Hamlet for young audiences, adapted by Jude Christian with direction by Tinuke Craig. Hamlet will tour local schools for six weeks before playing at the Dorfman from March 30 - April 9, 2020.
November 9, 2019
These Girls Have Demons will have a 2-week workshop at CCM (College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati) in April 2020.
September 28, 2019
You can now view the promo trailer for The Trojan Women. Contact [email protected] for access to the full performance video.
September 24, 2019
Doing the Time Warp: Queer Temporalities and Musical Theatre is set to be published with Methuen Drama.
August 1, 2019
Four-time Olivier Award winner Maria Friedman will star as Hecuba in the upcoming London reading of The Trojan Women. Read the full casting announcement in Playbill and BroadwayWorld.
July 15, 2019
Sarah will join Arts Educational Schools, London (ArtsEd) as Head of Music for the Day School and Sixth Form in September.
June 28, 2019
Adele Thomas will direct a reading of The Trojan Women in London this August - produced by new, intersectional feminist opera company HERA and supported by an OPERA America Discovery Grant.
June 25, 2019
Songs from Emma were recently featured in a student concert conducted by Filip Holacky at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: Everyone Likes Me and The Two of Us Together Is Enough.
April 20, 2019
See photos of These Girls Have Demons' recent staged reading at PCLO's New Musicals Weekend.
April 9, 2019
These Girls Have Demons' cast has been announced for the upcoming New Musicals Weekend at Pittsburgh CLO.
April 1, 2019
Sarah has received an OPERA America Discovery Grant for Female Composers. The grant will fully fund a reading of The Trojan Women in London this summer.
March 1, 2019
You can now reserve seats for These Girls Have Demons during New Musicals Weekend at Pittsburgh CLO. Demons will perform on Saturday, April 13 at 7pm and on Sunday, April 14 at 1pm. RSVP here!
January 19, 2019
Tune in to BBC Radio Shropshire at 9:15am for an interview about Sarah's work as a composer and the new musical theatre programme she is leading at University Centre Shrewsbury.
December 20, 2018
Read all about our new musical theatre programme in the Shropshire Star: "Curtain Up on Musical Theatre course at UCS."
December 16, 2018
We are thrilled that Ellie Heyman, Director in Residence at Joe's Pub, will direct the next reading of These Girls Have Demons at Pittsburgh CLO. Stay tuned!
October 2, 2018
Listen to new DEMON demos on SoundCloud! https://soundcloud.com/staylorellis/sets/these-girls-have-demons
August 24, 2018
Sarah has accepted a position as Senior Lecturer in Musical Theatre at the University of Chester; she will be establishing a new undergraduate musical theatre programme at University Centre Shrewsbury.
August 12, 2018
These Girls Have Demons will continue development with Pittsburgh CLO beginning with a writing residency from August 21-25.
May 12, 2018
Contact me to access a full video of our recent workshop of Emma in London, directed by Thom Southerland and starring Carly Bawden, Rupert Young, Alex Young, Ashleigh Gray, Tiffany Graves, and more brilliant West End talent.
April 28, 2018
Read more Janeite buzz for Emma: A New Musical in Jane Austen News, published by The Jane Austen Centre in Bath. "Although the musical is still in its early days of creation, and the date of opening night is yet to be announced for both the New York and the London production, it’s a musical with an amazing cast list, and one those of us at the Jane Austen News would definitely like to see."
April 16, 2018
Janeites are excited for our new musical adaptation of Emma! Deborah Yaffe, author of Among the Janeites, writes, "It’s encouraging to see an all-female writing team behind this show, especially one whose previous collaboration is a feminist musical about slumber-party guests possessed by demons. Perfect preparation for Jane Austen!"
April 12, 2018
Casting has been announced for the upcoming London reading of Emma, directed by Thom Southerland.
April 9, 2018
These Girls Have Demons just completed a two-week workshop with direction by Kristin McCarthy Parker and music direction by Mila Henry. Learn more about Pittsburgh CLO's SPARK Festival here!
February 1, 2018
These Girls Have Demons will have a two-week workshop in Pittsburgh CLO's inaugural SPARK festival for small musicals.
January 20, 2018
Check out the press release for The Trojan Women reading on BroadwayWorld.
December 29, 2017
The Trojan Women will have a reading at the New York Society Library on January 22, 2018 with direction by Rachel Dickstein and music direction by Mila Henry. More information and tickets are available here.
December 15, 2017
Emma will be workshopped in London in April 2018, with direction by Thom Southerland.
December 11, 2017
Read about Sarah and her partner Ben Toth's musical home in the NY Times.
October 15, 2017
Sarah and Meghan Brown have begun collaborating on a new feminist slumber party/musical, These Girls Have Demons.
September 28, 2017
Photos from the recent industry reading of Emma are available on BroadwayWorld.
September 15, 2017
Emma will have an industry reading starring Kerstin Anderson, Claybourne Elder, and Ruthie Ann Miles later this month. Direction is by Sammi Cannold and music direction by Kim Grigsby. Read more at BroadwayWorld, TheaterMania, and Playbill.com.
July 5, 2017
The opening number of The Trojan Women will be featured in NYMF's Women of Note Concert, July 24 at 9:30pm. Tickets here.
May 24, 2017
The Trojan Women will have its first reading at the New York Society Library in winter 2018, directed by Rachel Dickstein.
March 30, 2017
Sarah is writing three new songs for The Civilians' Let Me Ascertain You: Hate Actually at Joe's Pub on April 10. Tickets here.
March 5, 2017
Along with Tony winner Jeanine Tesori and Oscar nominee Diane Lane, Sarah is again on the selection committee for the Elizabeth Swados Inspiration Grant, given by The Ziegfeld Club Inc. to an influential female music educator in NYC.
February 26, 2017
Sarah has arranged a medley of Sondheim songs about time (or "SondTime" songs) for The Sondheimas Mixtape at Joe's Pub.
January 8, 2017
Sarah has composed an original choral piece, "We Walk Through," that will kick off the Women's March on NYC later this month.
December 28, 2016
Sarah is the recipient of a 2-year fellowship from the Jubilation Foundation, which supports "individuals with an exceptional talent for helping young people feel fully alive through rhythm -- as expressed in music and dance."
November 24, 2016
Emma will be workshopped in LA this upcoming February with Apples and Oranges Studios (An American in Paris, Memphis, and Hair).
September 23, 2016
Sarah has been invited back to her alma mater, Duke University, for a talk/workshop on adaptation, musical theater, and Emma during the 2016 DEMAN Weekend.
August 29, 2016
Emma was proud to be the pilot musical in Apples and Oranges Studios' THEatre ACCELERATOR. The show had a successful developmental reading at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando, FL.
August 2, 2016
Emma has been selected for a developmental reading with Apples and Oranges Studios (An American in Paris, Memphis, and Hair). Applying the model that accelerates technology start-ups, their brand new THEatre ACCELERATOR treats storytellers as founders, creating an opportunity to interact with experts in storytelling, production, distribution, and the business of show business.
June 28, 2016
Along with Tony winner Jeanine Tesori and Oscar nominee Diane Lane, Sarah is on the selection committee for the inaugural Elizabeth Swados Inspiration Grant, given by The Ziegfeld Club Inc. to an influential female music educator in NYC. The award will be given at the closing performance of Runaways at City Center.
May 30, 2016
"She Read Palms" from Emma will be featured in NYMF's Women of Note concert, August 1 at 6:30pm at the Duke on 42nd Street. Tickets and further information can be found here.
April 25, 2016
Sarah is collaborating with Ellen McLaughlin on a musical adaptation of The Trojan Women.
December 7, 2015
Sarah is currently writing articles for The Palgrave Handbook of Musical Theatre Producers and The Routledge Companion to the Post-1970s American Stage Musical.
October 12, 2015
Emma will have a staged reading at Gallery Players this upcoming November 2 and 3 at 7pm, part of the 2015 Overtures New Musicals Reading Series. Tickets are available here, listed on the calendar as "OVERTURES 2015."
Header photo by Peter van Heesen.