Press and Reviews
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Interview with Sarah Young and Film Obsessive
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"I find myself drawn to subjects that are very real and subjects that are going to explore our shared humanity in complicated ways. I do think that I’ve been very fortunate that people seek me out for those kind of stories because I think that my training in theater and my background in working with new playwrights allows me to really listen to the writers and really listen to the story. So I definitely seek out stories that have, I call it radical empathy when I’m describing myself in cover letters. That’s the sort of story that appeals most to me."
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GhMovieFreak Review of "Not Him" April 2024
“Not Him”: A Gripping Exploration of Domestic Struggle and Survival.
"(the film) succeeds in delivering a powerful message about the complexities of domestic violence and the importance of believing survivors. It also highlights the importance of female friendships as a vital support system in the battle against and exposure of cycles of abuse... If Sarah Young chooses to expand this short into a feature film, it has the potential to captivate audiences on an even larger scale, cementing its status as a standout entry in the psychological thriller genre." |
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Overly Honest Reviews May 2024
"As much as NOT HIM is a journey into the depths of horror, it is also a poignant conversation starter on the often-overlooked horrors of domestic violence. It challenges viewers to confront uncomfortable realities within the guise of entertainment, a testament to Young's ability to weave social commentary into engaging storytelling."
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Episode 16 of The Film Fund Podcast.
Hosted by: Thomas Verdi |
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Opening Night Interview with Sarah Young at McMinnville Short Film Festival for her film In Case We Get Found
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"A ravishing performance"
"The dancing (choreographed by Sarah Young) within the Dell’Arte production was entrancing. The choreography gave the entire production an ethereal and magical essence."
"The love scene ... was a magnificent, sensual ballet"
Chris Ruel - Opera Wire - La Libberazione di Ruggiero La Mama Theatre NYC
"The dancing (choreographed by Sarah Young) within the Dell’Arte production was entrancing. The choreography gave the entire production an ethereal and magical essence."
"The love scene ... was a magnificent, sensual ballet"
Chris Ruel - Opera Wire - La Libberazione di Ruggiero La Mama Theatre NYC
" Hunter...rivets attention over three acts, owing to the clear stage direction of OTU founder Sarah Young and equally committed portrayals by a talented cast"
Bay Area Reporter
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"Young company shines with bare-bones Monteverdi"
"This wonderful shoestring endeavor was the work of Opera Theater Unlimited, a scrappy startup co-founded by Sarah Young, who also directed the show...what was just as exciting as the musical values on display at Friday's opening performance was the sense of entrepreneurial energy surrounding the project."
Joshua Kosman- San Francisco Chronicle, L'incoronazione di Poppea
One of the top 10 classical music productions of 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle Year End Picks
"This wonderful shoestring endeavor was the work of Opera Theater Unlimited, a scrappy startup co-founded by Sarah Young, who also directed the show...what was just as exciting as the musical values on display at Friday's opening performance was the sense of entrepreneurial energy surrounding the project."
Joshua Kosman- San Francisco Chronicle, L'incoronazione di Poppea
One of the top 10 classical music productions of 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle Year End Picks
"The treatment of the ghosts is a prominent case in point. Without the wizardry of projections, stage fog, or elaborate scenery that a larger company might employ, Young is emphasizing actor-centered values. She sees the two ghosts in James’ spooky, psychosexual tale as “distinct characters.” The dead move more slowly and “abstractly “ than the living, whom they can approach but never touch. Young’s “naturalistic” direction is meant to portray Peter Quint and the ex-governess Miss Jessel as “humanly as possible” on their own post-mortem terms."
San Francisco Classical Voice- Steven Winn, The Turn of the Screw
San Francisco Classical Voice- Steven Winn, The Turn of the Screw
"Black Box Baroque’s production cast a spell..."
"Director Sarah Young’s setting for the opera was minimal and modern..."
"Black Box Baroque created an Alcina that was both musically strong and dramatically engaging."
San Francisco Classical Voice- ILANA WALDER-BIESANZ, Alcina
"Director Sarah Young’s setting for the opera was minimal and modern..."
"Black Box Baroque created an Alcina that was both musically strong and dramatically engaging."
San Francisco Classical Voice- ILANA WALDER-BIESANZ, Alcina
"Director Sarah Young and the young-adult artists of this up-and-coming company focus on the essentials of Mozart’s take on the legendary libertine Don Juan: acting, singing and passion. "
San Jose Mercury News- Martha Ross, Don Giovanni
San Jose Mercury News- Martha Ross, Don Giovanni
"First and foremost, I have to commend the director of both works, Sarah Young. A perennial, very scary, and very legitimate concern that haunts opera directors is how to make a da capo aria interesting. Young found her answers time and again in this production and each returning melody yielded a new solution. Another directorial conundrum that she solved was what to do with those long orchestral interludes that Bach loved so much; she staged them. Young used the music to her advantage and furthered the story. Furthermore, she used the space very well; the performers entered and exited from all sides of the audience in both works and the minimal stage contours and set pieces were used very effectively. She also smashed the fourth wall multiple times in the Bach, which was a fabulous way to reel in the audience. Massive props to her for staging baroque works in an original and engaging way."
Maayan: The Blog- Maayan, The Coffee Cantata and La Serva Padrona
Maayan: The Blog- Maayan, The Coffee Cantata and La Serva Padrona