Sara Farb (born 1987) is a Canadian actress, playwright, and singer.

Sara Farb
Born1987 (age 36–37)
NationalityCanadian
EducationUniversity of Toronto (BA)
Occupation(s)Actress, playwright, singer
Years active1996–present

She originated the role of Delphi Diggory in the Canadian premiere production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which played at the Ed Mirvish Theatre between May 2022 and July 2023.[1]

Early life

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Farb grew up in Toronto, Ontario, and has a younger sister, Rebecca. She is of Lithuanian-Jewish heritage, and her grandmother and great-grandmother were Holocaust survivors who endured the Stutthof concentration camp.[2]

She attended Earl Haig Secondary School, where she was involved in the school's drama program and in various social climate initiatives.[3] Farb has a degree in English literature from the University of Toronto.[3][4] Although she was interested in pursuing acting, Farb experienced difficulty getting cast in projects that interested her. This led to her taking a copywriting course at George Brown College while performing in small theatre gigs across Toronto.[4]

Career

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At nine years old, Farb made her stage debut as Young Jane Eyre in the world premiere production of Jane Eyre.[5] The musical opened at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto on December 3, 1996, and closed on February 1, 1997.

Farb made her Stratford Festival debut in 2013, where she was a member of the ensemble in that season's production of Romeo and Juliet. Between 2013 and 2017, Farb appeared in eight other Stratford Festival productions. In 2015, she starred as Cordelia in Stratford's production of King Lear opposite Colm Feore, which was filmed by CBC and later had a limited theatrical release throughout Canada.[6] In 2017, Farb starred as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet which was also professionally filmed and had a limited theatrical release across Canada.[7]

In 2015, Farb performed her one-woman play, R-E-B-E-C-C-A, at the Theatre Passe Muraille. It is a story about her younger sister and the challenges of growing up with a developmental disability.[8]

Farb also starred as Anne Frank in a production of The Secret Annex, a play that hypothesizes what would have happened if Anne survived World War II.[2] The play was performed at the Segal Centre for Performing Arts in February 2016.[9]

In 2016, the Art Gallery of Ontario partnered with The Musical Stage Company and Acting Up Stage Company to present three short musicals based on art exhibits on display at the museum. Farb and Britta Johnson chose He Is Coming by Otto Willem Albertus Roelofs, which was performed in April 2016.[10]

Farb starred as Medium Allison in a Canadian production of Fun Home.[11] The musical played at the CAA Theatre between April 13 and May 16, 2018. At the 2018 Dora Awards, Farb was nominated for Outstanding Female Performance in a Musical.[12]

In 2019, Farb made her Broadway debut in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, where she played Delphi Diggory.[13] In 2022, Farb reprised her role of Delphi Diggory in the Canadian premiere production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.[1] The play began performances at the Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto on May 31, 2022, and closed on July 2, 2023.

Farb again collaborated with Johnson, when they co-created the musical Kelly v. Kelly.[14] The musical had its world premiere at the Berkeley Street Theatre in Toronto, where it played between May 26 and June 18, 2023. At the 2024 Dora Awards, it was nominated for six awards including Outstanding New Musical and Outstanding Musical Theatre Production.[15]

Theatre credits

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As performer

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Year Production Role Theatre Category Ref.
1996–1997 Jane Eyre Young Jane Eyre Royal Alexandra Theatre World premiere: Toronto / Mirvish Productions [5]
2013 Romeo and Juliet Ensemble, understudy Juliet Festival Theatre Stratford Festival
The Three Musketeers Dona Estefania Festival Theatre
2014 King Lear Cordelia Festival Theatre [6]
The Beaux' Stratagem Cherry Festival Theatre
2015 R-E-B-E-C-C-A Herself Regional / Theatre Passe Muraille [8]
The Diary of Anne Frank Anne Frank Avon Theatre Stratford Festival [2]
She Stoops to Conquer Miss Constance Neville Avon Theatre
The Last Wife Mary Studio Theatre
2016 The Secret Annex Anne Frank Segal Centre for Performing Arts [9]
A Little Night Music Petra Avon Theatre Stratford Festival
2017 The Last Wife Mary Arts Baillie Theatre Regional / Soulpepper Theatre Company
Romeo and Juliet Juliet Festival Theatre Stratford Festival [7]
2018 Fun Home Medium Alison CAA Theatre Toronto / Mirvish Productions
2019–2020 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Delphi Diggory Lyric Theatre Broadway [13]
2022 Light Willow Tarragon Theatre Regional / Toronto
2022–2023 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Delphi Diggory Ed Mirvish Theatre Toronto / Mirvish Productions [1]
2024 The Last Timbit Chloe Elgin Theatre Regional / Toronto [16]

As creative

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Year Title Music Lyrics Book Notes Ref.
2015 R-E-B-E-C-C-A Sara Farb Also performer [8]
2016 Reframed: He Is Coming Britta Johnson Sara Farb [10]
2023 Kelly v. Kelly Britta Johnson Sara Farb [14]

Filmography

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Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2003 Radio Free Roscoe Jennifer Peoples S1.E7: "Political in Pink"
2004 Crown Heights Devorah Lazerson TV movie
2006 Instant Star Girl Fan S2.E13: "Date with the Night"
2006 11 Cameras Nicole 2 episodes: S1.E1, S1.E22
2006 Life with Derek Poetry Girl S2.E7: "Crushing the Coach"
2008 Céline Daughter #6 TV movie
2010–2011 Covert Affairs Barista 2 episodes: S1.E4: "No Quarter", S2.E5: "Around the Sun"
2011 The Listener Computer Nerd Girl S2.E9: "Jericho"
2012 The Firm Female Clerk S1.E20: "Chapter Twenty"
2017 Murdoch Mysteries Emily Dobbs S10.E18: "Hell to Pay"
2021 Frankie Drake Mysteries Henrietta Collins S4.E7: "Life Is a Cabaret"
2021 Nurses Jonie S2.E5: "Code Orange"
2021 Departure Beth 2 episodes: S2.E1: "Runaway", S2.E2: "Fugitive"
2024 Hudson & Rex Wanda Loring S6.E16: "Rex, Drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll"

Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2015 King Lear Cordelia
2018 Romeo and Juliet Juliet

Awards and nominations

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In 2023, the Playwrights Guild of Canada awarded Farb and Britta Johnson the Playwrights Guild Musical Award for creating Kelly v. Kelly.[17]

Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2018 Dora Awards Outstanding Female Performance in a Musical Fun Home Nominated [12]
2024 Dora Awards Outstanding Musical Theatre Production Kelly v. Kelly Nominated [15]
Outstanding New Musical Nominated

References

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  1. ^ a b c Maga, Carly (March 11, 2020). "Canadian stars of 'Harry Potter' on Broadway come home for Toronto production". Toronto Star. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Adler, Jordan (May 24, 2015). "Actress says playing Anne Frank is 'a rite of passage'". Canadian Jewish News. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Streitenfeld, Darcy (March 28, 2018). "Sara Farb on getting her big break at the Stratford Festival". Streets of Toronto. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "5 Questions with Sara Farb". Hye's Musings. December 3, 2021. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Stratford newbie already feels at home on the big stage". Canadian Jewish News. November 12, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Colm Feore's King Lear performance in Stratford Festival to premiere on the big screen". CBC. February 18, 2015. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Maga, Carly (March 1, 2018). "Stratford Festival's bid for big-screen success pays off with Romeo and Juliet". Toronto Star. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c Crew, Robert (February 10, 2015). "R-E-B-E-C-C-A a one-person show that's wise and wonderful: Review". Toronto Star. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  9. ^ a b Kerr, Peter (February 11, 2016). "The Secret Annex at The Segal". The Montrealer. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  10. ^ a b Murillo, Nick (April 9, 2020). "A look back at Reframed". Musical Stage Company. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  11. ^ Schwartz, Michelle (April 26, 2018). "Fun Home: A conversation with Sara Farb". Shameless Magazine. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Leung, Wayne (June 26, 2018). "2018 Dora Mavor Moore Award Winners". Mooney on Theatre. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  13. ^ a b Yeo, Debra (December 21, 2018). "Fiona Reid, Sara Farb to take flight with Harry Potter on Broadway". Toronto Star. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  14. ^ a b Citron, Paula (May 30, 2023). "Britta Johnson And Sara Farb Talk About Kelly V. Kelly". Ludwig-Van. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  15. ^ a b Murphy, Aisling (May 28, 2024). "TAPA announces 2024 Dora Award nominees". Intermission Magazine. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  16. ^ Weaver, Jackson (June 26, 2024). "Wait, why does Tim Hortons have a musical?". CBC. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  17. ^ "PGC announces the winners of the 2020 Tom Hendry Awards". Playwrights Guild of Canada. November 2, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
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