Writer, actress, and entrepreneur Sas Goldberg (Odd Mom Out, Are You Joking, The Battery's Down) makes her Broadway debut as Kiki (a fabulous if not self-absorbed NYC bride and bestie to Gideon Glick's Jordan) in the acclaimed comedy Significant Other
.Get to know Sas a bit better as we talk about the lovable Kiki, building her business, and making a movie with her real life bestie.
1. If Kiki were my friend, the thing I’d like most about her:
Oh, 100% her optimism. She is the biggest “glass-half-full” gal around. She is the ultimate cheerleader, and the #1 person you want to have around when you need a pep talk. Like if you were about to have a first date, or a job interview, or you were meeting your boyfriend's parents, it would behoove you to have a little Kiki pick me up. Her confidence is infectious and she can make you feel like a superhero for an hour. (It’s important to note, sometimes her advice is truly awful.)
2. The thing that would drive me crazy about her:
Her lack of self-awareness. She can be loud, and a little crass and say something that’s kind of offensive but she has no clue. Her intentions are always good, but honestly, get one too many dirty martinis in her and she is sharing all your secrets. I think Kiki thinks she is slick, but she is wildly mistaken.
3. Joni Mitchell song I’d use as my theme song:
"Chelsea Morning". It reminds me how much I love New York and makes me feel ready for the day. It’s like Joni’s version of “Walking on Sunshine.” That is actually a terrible analogy.
4. The line or moment from the show I think about most outside the theatre:
There are truly so many moments that pop into my head when I am not at work, but there is a really special nonverbal moment where Helene, Jordan’s Grandma, kisses a photo of her now deceased husband and then says “handsome.” The idea that this woman is still so madly in love with her husband who is no longer with her makes me hopeful.
5. The biggest thing creating and owning Name-Glo has taught me about myself:
Well, it has taught me I need more balance… however that doesn’t mean that I have learned to do that yet. I basically am always operating at a level seven anxiety wise, doesn’t that sound fun? I find I have several parts of my brain that I have to turn on or off depending on where I am. Often during lunch breaks or ten-minute breaks during rehearsal, I am speaking to a NAME GLO client who is having their neon installed or a client who has a design question. So it’s this really weird transition, and most clients at NAME GLO have zero idea that I am also an actress.
6. The idea for Name-Glo first came to me:
I have a wonderful co-owner at NAME GLO, Lena Imamura, and this has been our brain child. Basically when my nephew, Wylie, was born three years ago I really wanted to have a neon sign made for his nursery. I googled neon NYC and was shocked by the lack of options and also by the prices. I didn’t know the first thing about neon so the whole thing seemed super overwhelming, but a friend from high school had neon in her home so I asked her if she would design the piece. She did, it was amazing, and I told her that this was a market that was not cornered yet. The neon design studio that was accessible and relatively affordable. (I mean, it’s still glass and at the end of the day custom art.) So we set out on the journey together and thus, NAME GLO was created. We officially launched in April of 2016, and it’s been... a rollercoaster to say the least.
7. My key to balancing all the projects in my life:
Refer to answer five, I have no balance. If anyone has any advice, please send my way. The one thing I try to do is wake up early everyday and have a few hours where I am just in NAME GLO land, but obviously… that never happens so ummmmm, don’t listen take any balance advice from me, I’m worthless.
8. A book that has completely rocked my world recently:
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. That book really shook me to my core. I love reading, my husband doesn’t believe that I read since he says he’s never actually seen me read, but he is dead wrong. But my favorite books ever are A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers, Of Mice and Men, and The Giving Tree. As I finished writing this, I just realized the last part wasn’t part of your question.
9. The thing I like most about creating with Jake Wilson:
Well creating and working with your best friend is a goddamn blast. We laugh all day long, and when we fight it’s for a second and then we move on. He calls me out on all my nonsense, which is just great, because I am always kept in line and I do the same for him. We have fun. We have endless amounts of fun.
10. Three female comedy idols of mine include:
Cheri Oteri
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Gilda Radner
Don't miss Sas Goldberg in 'Significant Other' at Broadway's Booth Theatre beginning February 14.
