Sarah Gordin is expanding access, joy, and imagination across Philadelphia through inclusive, sensory-friendly theatre. As the founder of Philly Sensory Theatre, and a former Bartol Micro-Grantee, her work centers children and young people of all abilities, creating interactive experiences that value both process and play.

Recently, Sarah completed the Emerging Leaders Fellowship through TYA/USA, designing a research trip to Imagination Stage focused on early childhood arts education. What stayed with her most was seeing arts education treated not as an add-on, but as essential. “At these partnership schools, the students receive arts education every day,” she shared. “It’s an important part of the students’ day, allowing for deeper learning and engagement.” The experience prompted a guiding question that now shapes her programming: “How can I create longer and deeper opportunities for engagement in the communities that I work in?”

That commitment to depth has been central to Philly Sensory Theatre since its beginning. The Bartol Micro-Grant was one of the first grants Sarah received when launching the company, helping bring her first production, Without Wings, to life in summer 2022. “It went a long way in supporting our first production,” she said. Since then, Philly Sensory Theatre has produced six additional shows, reached more than 6,500 audience members, and built over 25 partnerships across the city.

Over the past year, Sarah’s teaching practice has evolved, particularly through new workshops for young adults (ages 16–24) with autism and a two-week arts camp for children ages 7–17. Through this work, she’s embraced flexibility as a teaching value. “I have learned the power of going with the flow,” she explained, recalling a moment when a planned theatre workshop shifted into a collaborative music video inspired by Wicked. “While this was not what I had planned, I was able to adapt and listen to the students so that we could create something together that excited them.”

When asked about the challenges she’s most passionate about solving, Sarah points to both audiences and artists. “On the audience side, I am passionate about making theatre accessible and interactive for children of all abilities,” she said, noting her focus on touring and community partnerships. “On the creation side, I strive to create an environment where creating our shows is just as much about joy as it is about the final product.”

Looking ahead, Sarah is preparing for the April tour of Light Years Away, an original show first co-produced with the Please Touch Museum in 2024. “It feels like such a gift to get this incredible team back together and to make the show even better,” she shared. She’s also directing Frozen Jr. with 44 students and Macbeth with her 8th grade drama class this spring.

For early-career teaching artists, Sarah offers a reminder rooted in care: “It’s not a race. If you need to take a pause, take a pause.” She encourages artists to remember why they started, to breathe, to take walks between classes, and to hold fast to the truth that “what you are doing matters.”

We’re grateful to continue seeing Sarah’s work grow and ripple outward—building access, care, and creativity across our city.

Photos from Light Years Away by Julia Cheresko