Meet Sarah Razmann | Owner of Families and Music LLC & Actor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Razmann and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Working with children has always been the “behind the scenes” world while I was making hundreds of dollars a year in stage acting. After moving to to Los Angeles in 2019, I was pushed back into nannying, while running small “parent & me” style classes around LA. The problem was, that no matter how good I was, no matter how many families came exclusively to the studio to take my class, I was just an employee.
2020 brought Covid, along with unemployment, and as my benefits started to run out, I luckily was contacted by a few old clients looking to see if I’d run classes again. It seemed impossible, but after seeing people doing socially distanced yoga in the park, I figured “let’s give it a go.”

By some miracle, people SHOWED UP. We spread out in the park, I sang and tambourine-ed at a distance, and from there, FAMILIES & MUSIC was born.
I would never say that the pandemic was a great thing, but it certainly gave me an opportunity to get in front of a lot of families that were looking for something to do.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My work has transformed over time, and in a huge way, due to moving from Chicago to Los Angeles. I have two degrees in theatre, which I am simultaneously proud of, and accutely aware that two, is too many degrees in theatre. Being brought up in the world of reperatory theatre (which is almost extinct today) gave me the opportunity to work nonstop, which taught me my work ethic.
As a woman in theatre, you’re picked apart at a very young age, so as I grew older I become very disallusioned with this version of me they wanted me to pretend to be. I felt like being a “woman” was such a small box that I had to fit in to be allowed to work, so coming to Los Angeles in my mid 30s was weirdly liberating — I was encouraged to be myself, absurdities and all. Moving to LA, the dream wasn’t “book that dog food commercial and start a music company for children”, but I’m so happy it worked out that way. The weirdest (and most honest) parts of myself, the more I’ve leaned in to them, the more people have wanted to work with me. The joy I hope I’m bringing to my classes, is the same joy I try and walk into my auditions with. Adults and children feel that, and you definitely cannot bullshit a toddler.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We are starting with buying outlandishly printed pants at Big Bud Press in Highland Park, walking up the street to Hermasillo for wine on tap, and then seeing a Bob Baker Marrionette show.
Next up is Contemporary Craft Museum, which you can walk through in under 30 minutes, driving out to Venice for bagels from Layla’s (I know it’s techincally Santa Monica, I don’t care), and then walking around the Venice Canals because they are a great way to take someone to Venice, say “look at this!” and then avoid going to the actual beach.
We are doing a REAL beach day at El Pescador State Beach in Malibu, we are bring Porto’s lunch take out and eating it on the beach. That is all we are doing that day..
SGV for Ji Rong Peking Duck, that will also be an all day activty of eating till we are sick.
Little Tokyo for brunch at Azay, followed by parking at the Little Tokyo Mall. Not the Galleria, the MALL. We walk the half empty floors and buy shlock.
I’m Valley trash forever, so one day is reserved for drinks at Tiki No, Italian (American) dinner at Barone’s or Pinnochio’s, followed by martinis at Smokehouse.
Vidiots will forever be one of my all time favorite places in Los Angeles. No where else can you see 35mm films of your childhood, with a full bar and affordable concessions.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Raffi. Children’s song creator and composer. I don’t know him personally, but as a “Beluga Grad”, his work means the world to me. It’s rare that people exist just to do good in the world, and honor children so deeply. He is the GOAT of kids music.

Website: https://www.familiesandmusic.com

Instagram: @familiesandmusic / @sarahrazmann