Sarah Hendrickson

Sarah Hendrickson is an Academic Specialist in the Department of Theatre, where she teaches courses in acting, auditioning, comedy, and improvisation. She also teaches improvisation in the MSU Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation Program, and is a Teaching Artist in Residence for Wharton Center Education.

Sarah also serves as Head of the MSU Department of Theatre Acting Area.

Since 2018, Sarah has directed the department’s first-year students in Unscripted, a fully improvised production designed to strengthen ensemble performance and prepare students to thrive in the department’s production processes.

Sarah’s role at Wharton Center has encompassed leadership in the Kennedy Center Partnerships in Education program, where she provided professional development for public school teachers on integrating the arts into their curricula; instruction in acting through Take It From the Top, the Sutton Foster Awards, and in under-resourced Michigan classrooms; and Artistic Director of the Young Playwrights Festival.

As an improviser and sketch comedian, Sarah has performed with renowned cultural institutions including Second City, iO Chicago, ComedySportz, The Skinny Improv, and Laugh Out Loud. A proud member of SAG-AFTRA, her professional work spans international stages, industrial films, television, and commercials. In addition to her performance career, Sarah has an extensive background in casting for film, television, commercials, industrials, print work, and “real people” projects through her work with O’Connor Casting in Chicago and Carrie Ray Casting in Detroit. These professional experiences directly inform her teaching, allowing her to provide students with applied knowledge of industry practices while connecting performance training to the professional standards and expectations of the field.

Sarah has also leveraged her unique skill set as co-owner of Entertain You Productions, combining academic and professional expertise to develop live entertainment and facilitate corporate improv workshops.

In addition to her teaching and creative work, Sarah contributes to the broader arts community through service as Vice President on the Board of Directors of the professional regional Williamston Theatre and as Creative Consultant for Share the Music Foundation, a nonprofit music series supporting numerous Michigan charitable organizations.

Sarah is a devoted mentor to emerging artists, guiding them to develop their skills, confidence, and professional networks to succeed in the entertainment industry.