Intro
Intro
Yes, And Mantra
Life is completely unscripted. We can try to “prepare” for everything… job interviews, first dates, difficult conversations with our kids or parents, big presentations at work…. We can practice them 100 times in the car or shower, but we never truly know how they are going to go. The best thing we can do is prepare to be unprepared. That is the backbone of improv. Being prepared for the unknown. How do we prepare to be unprepared? It’s how you respond. There is a magical tool we use in improv to make everything work…our mantra is “yes, and”. The magical power of “yes, and” will reshape the way we live, work, parent, teach, and love.
“Yes” is: acceptance. I accept reality as it is.
“And” is: action. I choose what happens next.
We are all improvisers. We’ve been doing it our entire lives. You have a lifetime of experience. Most conversations are improv. When you make dinner without a recipe, that’s improv. So if life is unscripted, and you’re an improviser….why not use the tools of improv that are proven to make the unknown successful and fun?
Theatre, Film & Voiceover
Sara Anne Tomczak is an Equity actress currently seen in television and film including a recurring role in Chicago Fire, multiple episodes of truTV's The Carbonaro Effect on HBO/Netflix, and a pilot for Amazon Prime Video's TV series Birthday Wish.
She’s filmed 40+ commercials including Amazon, Zoom, Ford, McLaren Medical, Becker’s Bridal, and Wordscape. Sara Anne filmed industrials for companies including General Motors and Amway.
Her recent voiceover work has been for brands including General Motors, DFCU Financial, Becker’s Bridal, and NCG Cinema.
Some of Sara Anne’s favorite theatrical performances including touring in Much Ado About Nothing, Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Shelby in Steel Magnolias, and all of her shows at Chicago’s The Second City. Performing at The Grand Hotel in Mackinac Island was her favorite location so far!
Educator
Sara Anne is the head of the Theatre program at Jackson College. She teaches several classes and directs the mainstage productions throughout the year.
She previously taught Acting, Auditioning, On-Camera, and Art of Theatre classes at Kent State University.
In Chicago, she taught acting and improv classes with Knuckleball Comedy. She was also a private coach for Acting Studio Chicago.
Sara Anne was a teaching assistant in Los Angeles at Occidental College for Michigan State University's Study Away Film Acting Program.
Producer,
Director
Artistic Director
Sara Anne has directed and produced several plays, short films, theatrical productions, photoshoots, as well as sketch comedy & improv shows.
Academic theatre is her strongest passion. She has directed 4 mainstage productions at JC as well as studio performances. At Kent State University, she directed For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls and Choices.
Sara Anne was the International Associate Artistic Director for Newell Brand’s photography/video department. She worked with 30+ brands including Sharpie, Yankee Candle, and Graco.
With 7 years of experience as an Associate Casting Director, Sara Anne loves teaching Auditioning and Professional Aspects for Actors.
Commercial & Voiceover Work Includes
Writing, Improv, Comedy
Sara Anne has been seen on stage in Chicago at The Second City countless times. She graduated from The Second City’s Conservatory program and fell in love with sketch comedy and improv.
She was a producer, co-writer, and performer for Chicago’s sketch comedy group Bear Skin Rug which toured and regularly sold out shows.
Sara Anne has written and produced short films and several sketch comedy shows for film and stage with Shytown Productions and as a co-founder of Tomcat Productions.
Performance Training
Sara Anne received her MFA in Acting for the Returning Professional from Kent State University and her BFA in Acting for Theatre and Film from Michigan State University. Go Green!
She graduated from The Second City's Conservatory Program and studied at The Acting Studio Chicago, The Green Room Studio, and Vagabond School of the Arts in Chicago.
Movement Training
Working with the University of Michigan, Sara Anne is the Coordinator for the Fredricksen Stage Combat Workshop. She has trained with several global Fight Masters including the President of the SAFD, Christina Traister.
She is trained in and teaches the Laban Movement Technique. After training with The New York City Movement Theatre Studio, Sara Anne teaches the Lecoq Movement Technique.
Join the Jackson College Theatre Family!
Click the image for more information on the Spring production at Jackson College. Actors and crew members are welcome to join our production of Noises Off!