Iāve been sitting on this post a while but wanted to finally share a bit in remembrance about sweet, rambunctious Bella, who passed away earlier this fall.
A lover of avocados, cheese, bakery napkins, and belly rubs, she spent 12 years adventuring across 3 continents. From the Nairobi suburbs to the paw-scorching sidewalks of Hanoi to the top of Mt. Beacon, Bella won the hearts of people and puppies alike, despite inheriting from one of her moms a general anxiousness about social events.
Bella came to my mom and me via the Leakey family of archaeologists, and fully lived up to her family legacy, with her insatiable curiosity driving many notable ādiscoveriesā of long-forgotten dead things in the ground. She bounded into my life for my senior year of high school and stuck around for so many life milestones in my 20s: college, my first musical compositions, my first job, the pandemic. She was a comforting presence through tough mental health times as a teenager and adult, and a loyal sidekick through countless late-night TV and video gaming marathons, starting from her first weeks as a scared new adoptee being lulled to sleep by Battlestar Galactica.
She survived cancer, intercontinental moves, and most heroically, being dressed in silly outfits by her silly, sentimental humans. She patiently tolerated hugs while plotting the ideal moment to steal and eat entire bags of bagels off the counter (evidently a fellow New Yorker at heart, despite her Kenyan background).
Like all dogs, she loved chaotically and unreservedly.
Thanks, goofball. Iāll really miss you.
š¶ Back from the dead for one night only! š¶ Ashkenazi Seance is presented by @thetanknyc , a home for emerging artists, as part of Darkfest (w/ non-traditional lighting).
In a month full of crazy news, Iāve found some solace in working on this weird, special little show thatās not just about a Jewish seance and a piano, but a reflection on family, legacy, grief, and community. Itās been my little pocket of sanity in an uncertain time, and I hope that for one night our audience can share in that too.
āØāØThurs 7/18, 7pmāØWritten and performed by Sarah Sanders (@sanderlings_ )
Directed by Daniel Krane (@danielkrane1 )
Music by me!
Lighting Design by Jacqueline ScalettaĀ (@jacqueline.scaletta )
Scenic Consulting by Cate McCrea
Ticket link in bio!
Tomorrow (5/13) and 6/3!
Come celebrate Supreme Leader Etgar Vereznuās ascent to absolute power with an āØAbsolutelyāØ marvelous evening of cabaret at Caveat! I am music directing this show completely, 100% voluntarily out of patriotic duty to the Peopleās Republic of Mechzenia, the least corrupt and most theatrically gifted country in all real Earth history. Long live our Supreme Leader (AKA the delightful @davidrosengram ) and I promise never to be mean to him.
(Link in bio!)
š¤ Whatās your favorite sound of spring? šø
JunJunās interviewing his Treeborhood neighbors to find out in āJunJunās Brain Freezeā, my new episode for āWork It Out Wombatsā airing this week on @pbskids !
As a camera-shy musician myself, this episode was really personal for me and Iām thrilled with how it came out. Thanks to the @wombatspbs team for bringing my script to life and helping JunJun find his voice!
Check it out on your local PBS Kids channel or online: /video/work-it-out-wombats/3088926921
Happy one year anniversary to PBS Kids' "Work It Out Wombats", which premiered last February! I had a blast as one of their Scriptwriting Fellows working on the first season, and it's been so fun to see the Treeborhood and all its quirky characters come to lovingly-animated life.
The two songs I wrote for season 1 are up on YouTube and PBSKids.org - see links in my bio! My full episode hasn't aired yet, but stay tuned for when springtime rolls around ššøš¶
Last year, I had the incredible opportunity to collaborate with Sesame Workshop on a song celebrating Diwali, the Festival of Lights āØāØ
Writing for beloved characters like Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Rosita is always a delight - thanks to the Sesame team for putting together a catchy song and bringing the script and lyrics to luminous life!
Whether you celebrated Diwali or not, hopefully you were able to celebrate some moments of light, love, and knowledge this week - and maybe eat some tasty sweets š
š Watch the video here: /watch?v=eOudPTDMTLQ
