Many of you know Sarah Jane for her Jewelry Design Company LIFE IS ROSEY. She is passionate about her Life is Rosey shop and has found great inspiration in creating jewelry art that is meaningful to the wearer. JEWELRY THAT SPEAKS. Some of you may not know that Sarah Jane's artistic career is far wider than nust jewelry.
Sarah Jane Nelson moved from Monroe, Louisiana to New York City when she was 17 to pursue a career in acting. In the years that have followed, she has worked with legendary directors Julie Taymor, Jerry Zaks, Lynn Taylor-Corbett, Richard Maltby, and George C. Wolfe. She performed opposite Paul Newman, Tony Randall, Ann Hampton Calloway, Didi Conn, Michael J. Fox, Gregory Hines, Carole King and many other talented artists in film, theatre, television, and music. She continues to pursue roles on stage and screen as well in her interests in songwriting, screenwriting, playwrighting, and producing. Nelson is also a student of the Skidmore College, University Without Walls Program.
Nelson made her Broadway debut in The Green Bird, a commedia play directed by Julie Taymor (The Lion King, Frida.) As one of the critically acclaimed “evil flying apples” she flew 14 feet above the The Cort Theatre stage.
After The Green Bird, Nelson went on to perform a starring role in SWING! on Broadway at the St. James Theatre. She also wowed audiences across the country in the 1st National Tour of SWING! (Check out REVIEWS.) Regionally, Nelson performed a new play-adaptation of The Canterbury Tales on the main stage at The Guthrie Theatre in which she portrayed six different characters in the Chaucer classic. She was in The Public Theatre’s production of, Radiant Baby, a new show about the life of artist, Keith Haring, directed by George C. Wolfe. In the cast of the off-Broadway hit, Dream A Little Dream – The Mama’s and Papa’s Musical, Sarah Jane played the role of Michelle Philips appearing opposite the original “Papa Denny Doherty.” She also received critical acclaim in the Prince Music Theater’s Production of “It Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues” directed by Doug Wager.
Other theatre credits include: Sally Simpson in The Who’s TOMMY at North Shore Music Theatre, Della in The Gifts of the Magi at Capitol Repertory Theatre, Sheila in the 30th Anniversary production of HAIR in Amsterdam, Holland, and her first job after arriving in New York City, the role of Beth Finnegan in Jack Neary’s play, Jerry Finnegan’s Sister at Penguin Rep directed by Joe Brancato.
On camera, Nelson played the role of con artist/murderer, Lori King in an episode of The District starring Craig T. Nelson on CBS. She was seen at film festivals across the country co-starring as “Sam” in Nicky Akmal’s award winning short, Arff, and she played the role of Rachel in the independent feature film, Friends First and Foremost produced by Green Grass Productions. Nelson is also frequently recognized on the streets on New York City for her work as a writer/performer on the hit Manhattan Cable Access sketch comedy program, The What’s Up Show.
As a songwriter and recording artist, Nelson has written and performed original music covering a wide variety of genres including country, rock, R&B, pop, blues, and jazz. She was recently in Nashville working with publishing companies and record companies on a country music project. On The Next Big Star hosted by Ed McMahon on PAX-TV, she won the first episode of the Female Vocalist category with her original song, “Water Under the Bridge.” She has also been heard on commercial voice-overs for Pantene, H&R Block, The Oxygen Network, The Game Show Network, and many more.
Nelson has also dabbled in playwriting, screenwriting, and producing. She co-produced and starred in the world premiere reading of Sold Out, a new rock musical by J. Robert Spencer, and her first one act play, Cyn and Jack, had a workshop at Fordham University. Nelson, her husband (René Millán), and director Tlaloc Rivas co-produced the premiere New York reading of "El Paso Blue" by Octavio Solis, which has been picked up by Wonderland Pictures to be made into a feature film. Both Nelson and Millán are set to star.
On a personal note, Nelson and her husband, René Millán, are the proud parents of daughter Rosalee and son Mateo.
