Born and raised in Flint, Michigan, Sarah Halstead is making a name for herself in multiple industries, and if you’re a Michigan native, you’ll be interested to learn more about how she’s putting her State on the map. She left Michigan shortly after graduating from high school. She moved to NYC to study drama at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. However, that’s only the beginning of her story.
Sarah has come a long way from her early days, cultivating a stellar reputation as an actress, podcaster, and comedian. This talented young lady fell in love with acting shortly after graduating from high school. She starred in several small plays, most notably in an off-Broadway production of A Lullaby for Murder, where her character also played classical piano on stage.
She also wrote, directed, and starred in a play called Legends of Champagne at Charleston Wine and Food Fest. But audiences might know her from her stint on the silver screen, where she starred in multiple television shows, including Cry Wolf, Blood Relatives, and Deadly Sins. In addition, Sarah has also written, created, and starred in a short film called Meet the Roommate.
While her NYC stint was an excellent learning experience, she decided to move to Los Angeles per the advice of her agent. She starred in Hairspray, the play at the iconic Orpheum Theatre, playing Velma Von Tussle. However, that wasn’t the driving factor behind her cross-country move. Instead, she relocated to LA because she wanted to follow in the footsteps of her favorite trailblazing comedians like Lucille Ball, Joan Rivers, and Moms Mabley.
Sarah Halstead was always obsessed with comedy from an early age. She was only ten when she first saw Saturday Night Live and fell in love with stand-up comedy. She looked up to trailblazing female comedians because she could relate to their struggles, especially because the stand-up comedy industry was male-dominated back then. Even though Sarah didn’t immediately pursue stand-up comedy after high school, she always felt it was her destiny.
Fortunately, LA is well-known for having a bustling stand-up comedy scene. The city is home to multiple iconic stand-up comedy venues, including The Hollywood Improv, where Halstead has become a regular feature. In addition, Sarah co-created and co-hosted the live political show, The Summit, with Darrell Hammond, an SNL alumnus. She’s also the creator, producer, and star of her monthly stand-up comedy show, Bottle Shock Comedy, which is still ongoing.
Becoming a comedian isn’t easy. Sarah considers it the most challenging endeavor in the world, but she relishes a challenge and doesn’t consider giving up in the face of adversity. Her mindset and resilience have allowed her to accomplish great things as a female stand-up comedian. In addition to being a regular fixture at The Hollywood Improv, she also co-created and co-hosted the podcast Jimmy & Sarah on the Sunset Strip at the World Famous Comedy Store, where she interviewed high-profile comedians with her co-host, Jimmy Shin.
Sarah also recently created, wrote, and produced a one-hour stand-up special, RVs and Cats. The stand-up special recounts her cross-country journey with her two cats in an RV and has been streamed over 1.7 million times on Amazon Prime. In addition, it’s also available as a vinyl album. The stand-up special can also be found on all digital streaming platforms, including Deezer, iTunes, Apple Music, and Spotify.
If her impressive comedy and acting career didn’t convince you of her talents, you’d be surprised to know that she’s also the creator and host of the renowned podcast, Drinking During Business Hours. The bi-weekly podcast sees the host interview respected artists about their creative journeys over a bottle of vintage wine. It’s a remarkable achievement, considering Sarah juggles work in different industries seamlessly. As a result, it’s only right to shine some spotlight on the Michigan native and laud her talent. However, Sarah Halstead is convinced that greater things will follow in the future.
