Editor’s note: singer and actress Sarah Rice died on Saturday, January 6, 2024 of cancer, at NYU Langone Hospital. In marking her sudden passing and honoring the life of this most beloved member of our community, we reached out to two people who knew her well. The following is by Janice Hall and Stuart Allyn.
Sarah was born in Okinawa, Japan, but before her first birthday, the family moved to Arizona, where she, a sister, and two brothers grew up. Rice acted in some amateur 
productions and attended college for one year before she moved to New York at age 18. She originated the role of Marianne in a musical adaptation of THE MISER called HANG ON TO YOUR RIBBONS, Off-Off Broadway. This led to being cast as Luisa in the long-running original Off-Broadway production of THE FANTASTICKS. She continued in the role for over two years.
She also played Anne in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, Cunegonde in CANDIDE, at the Guthrie, Miranda in THE TEMPEST, Zan in REGINA, Gretel in HANSEL AND GRETEL and Liesl in THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Stephen Sondheim and Harold Prince chose her to become part of musical theatre history when she was cast as the original Johanna in SWEENEY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET on Broadway, for which she won a Theatre World Award, and recorded the original cast album on RCA.
Leading soprano roles include Marie in DAUGHTER OF THE REGIMENT, Gilda in RIGOLETTO, Mabel in PIRATES OF PENZANCE, Kathy in THE STUDENT PRINCE, Lady Catherine in THE VAGABOND KING, Monica in THE MEDIUM, Madame Goldentrill in THE IMPRESARIO, Maria in WEST SIDE STORY, Marietta in NAUGHTY MARIETTA, Magnolia in SHOWBOAT, Christine Daae in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Sarah in BITTERSWEET, Margot in THE DESERT SONG, Susanna in THE SECRET OF SUSANNA, Gretel in 
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, THE MERRY WIDOW (with Dame Joan Sutherland), Tirese/Tiresias in LES MAMELLES DE TIRESIAS, Eolo in L’ORIONE, Marian Paroo in THE MUSIC MAN, Jenny Lind in BARNUM, and Sarah Brown in GUYS AND DOLLS, with theater and opera companies throughout the world, including the famed Gran Teatro la Fenice in Venice, Italy, The Santa Fe Opera, Central City Opera and the Dallas Opera.
Sarah won a 2010 Bistro Award and 2011 MAC Award (Female Vocalist) for her critically acclaimed solo cabaret debut, SCREEN GEMS: Songs of Old Hollywood, and was voted favorite female cabaret debut performer by Cabaret Hotline Online readers in 2009. Other recent shows include her Ivor Novello/Noel Coward show, GLAMOROUS NIGHTS & CARELESS RAPTURE, celebrating the music of the era of Downton Abbey, MUSIC OF THE NIGHT, in which she sang and played the Theremin, and many guest appearances in the award-winning SONDHEIM UNPLUGGED at 54 Below. She was a part of the The Mabel Mercer Foundation’s Cabaret Convention several times, including their Sondheim Evening.
In 2019, Sarah, tog
ether with fellow Broadway stars Carole Demas and Hal Robinson, created THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE, a celebration of Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, with whom they had all worked on numerous shows over many decades, including THE FANTASTICKS. The show was honored with a Bistro Award. During the Pandemic, Sarah was a guest star on a number of Live Stream concerts with her friend Carole Demas.
Sarah was attracted to, and learned to play, the Theremin, unique among musical instruments since it is played without physical contact. She captivated audiences watching Sarah playing radio waves in the air.
She produced and performed in concerts for numerous charities and worthwhile causes, especially animal-and cat-rescue organizations. On Christmas Eve, Sarah performed “O Holy Night” at St Clements Church, where she was the soprano soloist. She will be remembered for her generous heart and her golden voice.
Sarah was a loved and trusted friend to all who knew her. She will be greatly missed.
You can learn more about the incomparable Sarah Rice at www.sarahrice.com
