Sara Chase
American actress
Sara Chase is an American actress and singer. She is best known for playing Cyndee Pokorny on the Netflix original series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. She is also known for her Broadway roles of Myrtle in The Great Gatsby in 2023 and Melissa in Schmigadoon! in 2026, earning a Tony nomination for the latter.
Sara Chase | |
|---|---|
Chase in 2026 | |
| Born | August 3, 1983 Hartford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Education | Boston University (BFA) |
| Occupations |
|
| Spouse |
Elliot Stieglitz
(m. 2012; div. 2013) |
Sara Chase (born August 3, 1983[1]) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for playing Cyndee Pokorny on the Netflix original series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.[2] She is also known for her Broadway roles of Myrtle in The Great Gatsby in 2023 and Melissa in Schmigadoon! in 2026, earning a Tony nomination for the latter.[1]
Early life and education
Chase was born in Hartford, Connecticut,[1] the daughter of Arnold and Sandy Chase.[3] She graduated from Boston University.[4]
Career
After graduation, Chase performed the two-woman sketch comedy show Jen & Angie at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York and Los Angeles. Chase starred in the pre-Broadway production of Roman Holiday. She created the role of Principal Rosalie Mullins for Andrew Lloyd Webber and Julian Fellowes' School of Rock off-Broadway production at the Gramercy Theatre.[citation needed]
Chase performed in Broadway's First Date and off-Broadway in The Toxic Avenger and can be heard on their original cast albums. She also won the Best Supporting Actress award from the San Diego Theatre Critics for playing all three mistresses in First Wives Club in its pre-Broadway run.[citation needed]
On television, Chase appeared as a regular on Comedy Central's Michael & Michael Have Issues. Other appearances include The Office, Mercy, Arrested Development, and in the films The Other Guys, Arthur, Hello I Must Be Going, and Little Black Book.[5] Her comedy sketches have been seen in the Women in Comedy Festival, New York Comedy Festival, and UsWeekly.com.
In 2021, Chase voiced the character of Sasha Reed in the episode "The Star of the Backstage" from season 33 of The Simpsons. On Broadway, she originated the roles of Myrtle in The Great Gatsby in 2023 and Melissa in Schmigadoon! in 2026.[1]
Personal life
Chase married Elliot Stieglitz in June 2012.[6][7] In April 2013, Chase filed for divorce.[8]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Little Black Book | Colleen | |
| 2008 | Uncertainty | Alex | Uncredited |
| 2009 | The Winning Season | Outback Waitress | |
| Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg | Laura | ||
| 2010 | The Other Guys | Press Conference Reporter | |
| 2011 | Arthur | Journalist #1 | |
| 2012 | Hello I Must Be Going | Missy | |
| The Normals | Nurse | ||
| 2014 | Worst Friends | Sara | |
| 2015 | The Shells | Lizzy |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | As the World Turns | Judy Gottschalk | 2 episodes |
| 2008 | Law & Order | Sarah Walsh | Episode: "Falling" |
| 2009 | Michael & Michael Have Issues | Female Sketch Player | 3 episodes |
| Mercy | Kim Kowalick | Episode: "Destiny, Meet My Daughter, Veronica" | |
| 2011 | Then We Got Help! | Ashley 2 | 3 episodes |
| 2012 | The Office | Laura | Episode: "Roy's Wedding" |
| 2013 | Arrested Development | Receptionist | Episode: "The B. Team" |
| 2015–2019 | Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt | Cyndee Pokorny / C.H.E.R.Y / L | 28 episodes |
| 2016 | Brooklyn Sound | Janice | Episode: "Kookie and Milano" |
| 2020 | Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs the Reverend | Cyndee Pokorny | Television film |
| 2021 | The Simpsons | Sasha Reed | Episode: "The Star of the Backstage" |
| 2022 | Blue Bloods | Tina | Episode: "Allegiance" |
Theatre
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002–2003 | Bat Boy: The Musical | Shelly Parker | Boston Center for the Arts |
| 2006 | Godspell | "Bless the Lord" | Paper Mill Playhouse |
| 2009 | The Toxic Avenger | Sarah | Off-Broadway |
| First Wives Club | Feebee LaVelle / Shelley Stewart / Leslie Rosen | Old Globe Theatre | |
| 2013 | First Date | Ensemble | Broadway |
| 2017 | Roman Holiday | Francesca Cervelli | Golden Gate Theatre |
| 2023–2025 | The Great Gatsby | Myrtle Wilson | Paper Mill Playhouse & Broadway |
| 2025–2026 | Schmigadoon! | Melissa Gimble | Kennedy Center & Broadway |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Musical | Schmigadoon! | Nominated | [9][10] |
| Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance | Nominated | [11][12] | ||
| Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards | Favorite Leading Actress in a Musical | Nominated | [13] | ||
| Favorite Funny Performance | Nominated | ||||
| Favorite Onstage Pair (with Alex Brightman) | Nominated | ||||
| Dorian Awards | Outstanding Lead Performance in a Broadway Musical | Nominated | [14] | ||
| Tony Award | Best Actress in a Musical | Nominated | [15] |
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Sara Chase". Playbill. Retrieved May 5, 2026.
- ↑ "Sara Chase & Lauren Adams Board NBC's 'Tooken'; Debra Monk In 'Feed Me'". Deadline. 19 March 2014.
- ↑ "Come See Sara Chase In 'Little Black Book,' But Got To Stay Till The End". The Hartford Courant. August 5, 2004. p. D 2. Retrieved January 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Sara Chases A Golf Ball, Then Chases A Dream". The Hartford Courant. May 20, 2004. p. D 2. Retrieved January 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Blank, Matthew (August 6, 2013). "PLAYBILL.COM'S CUE & A: First Date's Sara Chase". Playbill. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
- ↑ "Sara Chase, Elliot Stieglitz - Weddings". x.com.
- ↑ "Sara Chase and Elliot Stieglitz". www.nytimes.com.
- ↑ "Sara Chase Vs. Elliot Stieglitz (2013)". trellis.law.
- ↑ "Outer Critics Circle Award 2026 Nominations". New York Theater. April 21, 2026. Retrieved April 25, 2026.
- ↑ Culwell-Block, Logan (May 11, 2026). "Schmigadoon!, Ragtime Win Big at 2026 Outer Critics Circle Awards; Read the Full List of Winners". Playbill.
- ↑ Gans, Andrew (April 25, 2026). "2026 Drama League Awards Nominations Are Out; Read the Full List". Playbill. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
- ↑ Hipes, Patrick (April 20, 2026). "Daniel Radcliffe, Luke Evans Among Drama League Award Nominees". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
- ↑ "Chess, Schmigadoon! & Two Strangers Lead 2026 Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards Nominations—Vote Now". May 4, 2026.
- ↑ and Lee D'Amato (2026-05-13). "Dorian Theater Awards announces 2026 nominees". Broadway News. Retrieved 2026-05-14.
- ↑ "The Tony Award Nominations". www.tonyawards.com. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
External links
- Sara Chase at IMDb