"Leading us through the 45-minute concert is Sarah Drake, a fantastic American performer who moved to the UK in October 2020 after the loss of her father. Drake has natural fizz and joy, which ensures the viewer has a great evening from the comfort of their own home. She begins by belting out 'Don't Rain On My Parade', which suits her energy and voice perfectly."
"There Will Be Light is a fantastic concert with a diverse cast performing some of the industry's most loved songs. We really enjoyed being whisked off for 45-minutes for a joyous evening of celebrating the diamond that theatre is. Sarah Drake does a superb job in creating this evening for those who have definitely felt the void of live theatre over the past 12 months."
-West End Best Friend
"The host and first performer was Sarah Drake, a young singer full of moxie and Broadway know-how. She opened with “Don’t Rain On My Parade” from *Funny Girl* and knocked it out of the park."
"Drake sang “Can’t Make You Love Me,” a downcast ballad, a nice contrast to her show-stopping opening number. She’s a gem."
-Diva Mensch Blog
"Sarah Drake, an American performer who moved to the UK in October 2020 after the sad loss of her father brings us a magnificent online concert, There Will Be Light in aid of Acting For Others. "
"Sarah opens the concert with a lovely introduction, she's instantly likeable with her upbeat and great energy. She then belts out "Don't Rain On My Parade" from the musical Funny Girl. Sarah has a lovely vocal tone and the song fits perfectly for her voice."
"Sarah followed with a touching rendition of "I Can't Make You Love Me" which she dedicated to the number of relationships which may have not worked out during the past year. "
"Sarah did a fantastic job putting together this concert, it features a diverse cast performing a good range of songs in differing styles. It's both a lovely celebration of wonderful talent and of the theatre's re-opening which is on the horizon. I thoroughly enjoyed the concert, one of the most enjoyable online concerts that I've seen during this past year."
-Beyond the Curtain
"During the last traumatic year or so when live theatre has been taken from us there have been many online musical concerts put together by various artists to show us what we have been missing. This one stands up there with the best of them. This show is an international fundraiser in aid of the charity “Acting for others” and gives us a veritable feast of excellent singing from a number of performers from Broadway and the West End. Sarah Drake has put together a great show which is in memory of her father who died in October 2020. She has gathered together a number of her musical theatre colleagues who have contributed towards making this a wonderful evening’s entertainment."
"Opening the show herself, Sarah gave us a superb rendition of the Barbara Streisand song “Don’t rain on my parade” from “Funny girl” and this certainly set the standard for the rest to follow."
"Sarah herself then returned with a lovely version of “I can’t make you love me”, a song made famous by George Michael and Adele (and Bonnie Raitt if you are a country music fan like me!)."
"I think Sarah Drake has done a wonderful job here of pulling together an extremely talented bunch of singers, many of whom I suspect are good friends, and I can unreservedly recommend this show to anyone who is a lover of musical theatre. It was refreshing to hear some different songs and not just a collection of the most popular songs from the shows – we get enough of them. Added to which this was a fundraiser for a very worthwhile charity – so dig deep folks – and my congratulations go out to all the performers for a superb evening’s entertainment."
-North West End
"Sarah Drake’s dulcet tones open up There Will Be Light, a streamed concert celebrating the end of the pandemic. Opening with Don’t Rain On My Parade she takes us on a whirlwind with her friends..."
"A wonderful assortment of songs performed with gusto. Well done indeed for supporting the theatre community and making space for the light to shine in."
-London Theatre Reviews
Sarah Drake played this difficult role with ease and poise that was a level above the rest. I was completely enamored with her, because of the depth she brought to the character. I had never looked at Rizzo as a complex character. To me, she is kinda one of the villains in the show, and thats it. But Sarah Drake make me think again. I saw a tortured girl in love, afraid of failing, and struggling to get through high school with her head held high. When she sang the infamous “There Are Worse Things I Could Do”, I was watching a broadway performance. The entire cast blew me away, but most notably it was Sarah Drake as Rizzo. She was clearly the highlight of this production.
-Manhattan Shuffle, Van Amerongen
Today on Celebrating Simple Life the Podcast, I’m chatting with professional Actress & Singer, Sarah Drake. Sarah and I met on the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas Cruise Ship back in February, right before the Covid pandemic hit, when we were all still allowed to travel and leave our homes. The thrills are multiplyin’. Slick back your hair and pack your poodle skirt for our fun conversation about her role as Rizzo in the larger than life take on Broadway's hit musical, Grease. Sarah was incredible in her role and I was lucky enough to be able to get a behind the scenes interview with her on board the ship! Sarah is a graduate of The Boston Conservatory at Berklee as well as a Theatre Major from The Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts. She has had roles in a variety of incredible productions and has been pursuing her dream as an Actress for a number of years. She is such a determined and inspiring woman who is courageously following her dream in an industry that is not for the weak of heart. Join us today as we chat about life on a cruise ship, how to overcome adversity and staying true to your passion. You are going to love our conversation today and it might even get you excited as you anticipate finally being able to book your next getaway! So tune in!
Finding the right people for the show was tough and this is what it's [Olivier Award-winning] choreographer, Karen Bruce had to say about the process - “It was more than just finding great singers, dancers and actors – our cast have to be able to do all three at the highest level with presence worthy of the Harmony of the Seas stage.”
- Express.co.uk
It's fitting that the largest ship in the world has one of Broadway’s biggest hits on board. Harmony of the Seas is showing “Grease,” in an adaptation by the team at Royal Caribbean that blends together the movie and the stage show. The high-energy cast, imaginative costumes, and intricate set and props (there's a full-size car on stage!) of the sing-along-friendly production also bring it to a level not usually seen in cruise ship theaters.
-Sherman’s Travel
Carrie the Musical. Photo Courtesy of the Speakeasy Stage Company Facebook page.
“Sarah Drake, who played Natalie in SpeakEasy’s Next to Normal, skillfully traverses the minefield of adolescent angst, being part of the crowd while trying to be true to herself, and her reactions to the events going on around her are genuine. She has a voice that can be strong or sweet, whichever the song calls for, and blends well musically...”
“Sue is very well played and sung by Sarah Drake, who beautifully communicates the awakening of Sue’s conscience in “Once You See.’’”
“Performing with emotion and depth, Sarah Drake is spot-on as the consciously troubled Sue Snell.”
“[Sarah Drake] brings to her solo “Once You See” and her other songs the same gorgeous voice and strong stage presence I have come to expect from this gifted actor.”
Drake delivers a searing, all-out performance as Natalie, who is driven to overachieve to compensate for the chaos on the homefront, and is fearful about pursuing a romantic relationship. Every ounce of adolescent hurt is there to see in Drake’s face and her self protective body language, and to hear in [her] songs.
- The Boston Globe
Drake ignites her Natalie with a fire so keen that we see in her the danger that could be lurking should her inherited predisposition toward mental illness be tripped out of dormancy into full-blown action. Drake's is a remark able performance - as intuitive and potent and well sung as any that has been seen on the Boston stage this season.
- Broadway World
"The real memorable star of this show is Natalie, smartly played and beautifully acted by Sarah Drake. From her first entrance in a caffeine-induced haze to her transformation into a pill-popping narcotic to her evolution as an adjusted young woman, Drake takes the audience on an emotional journey. She makes Next to Normal her story, a quality that I always respect in any actor. To tell the story from the perspective of someone who worries about her own emotional stability while watching her mother suffer is so dynamically rich that I was brought to tears on numerous occasions during her scenes. Her singing is remarkably strong for someone so young and she sings with exceptional emotions, especially during "Superboy and the Invisible Girl.” ... The strength of the production rests largely on the fact that Drake [is] such a powerhouse performer."
- My Entertainment World, Balduzzi