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.
Aside from her work as a performer, Nelson has 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 Nelson Millán.
