About me
My name is Sara Ragey, and I am a theatre artist, director, and educator. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, I grew up immersed in theatre, attending productions with my father, a professional set designer, whose guidance helped me develop a critical eye. I gained experience in all areas of theatre through school productions and summers working at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. Acting was my first love, leading me to earn a BFA in Theatre Performance from Chapman University, where I also discovered a passion for directing and the collaborative process of bringing stories to life.
After graduation, I broadened my perspective through teaching, beginning as an AmeriCorps Volunteer teaching Language Arts and later as a high school theatre educator in Salt Lake City. Over the past six years at Highland High School, I have expanded the theatre program from three courses to seven, directing productions ranging from contemporary dramas to full-scale musicals, including Hadestown: Teen Edition (Best Director, Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards), The Insanity of Mary Girard, Fortress, Urinetown, and Antigone. I have also choreographed musicals, guided students through Shakespeare and devised theatre, and mentored young artists to top ratings at regional and state competitions.
I have built a strong community of artists in Salt Lake City, which led to the co-founding of Grey Matter Theatre, a company dedicated to exploring the ambiguity and gray areas of human experience. Through Grey Matter, I directed and starred in the world premiere of The Resurrection Men at Great Salt Lake Fringe, which won Best New Script at the festival.
I am drawn to ensemble-driven storytelling and abstract staging, where simplicity creates space for nuance and imagination. I am inspired by directors and playwrights who combine emotional truth with inventive form, including Sarah Ruhl, Paula Vogel, and productions such as Medea, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and the 2006 revival of Company.
Beyond the stage, I am deeply committed to teaching and mentorship. I have developed comprehensive curricula in acting, directing, design, and IB Theatre, fostering artistic rigor while encouraging critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration. I continue to seek ways to deepen my craft, expand my artistic community, and create work that is thoughtful, empathetic, and transformative.