Come and par-taay with Miss July and the Girls of Relapse Calendar

Relapse Comedy Theatre has something in store for you as one of their own, Sarah Simmons Turner — who’s commonly known as the “Balls of Improv” — has been crowned “Miss July” for the Girls of Relapse Calendar. She gave me a sneak peek at some very risqué photos for the upcoming calendar and it’s definitely a lot for the guys and girls to awe over!

The bubbly Miss July was raised in Winston-Salem, N.C., and started her acting career a bit earlier than most by landing a spot in a Midwestern television kids program called “Uncle Al’s Show.” That’s quite an accomplishment for the tender age of 3.

Sarah has continued to expand her career in Atlanta, living and working here for the last 6 years. In spring of 2011, she proudly snagged the title as dean of Relapse University, which includes duties such as running and organizing the education program at Relapse, registering students, and assisting with marketing approaches that build comedic relief to the audience.

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Although improv and acting consume the majority of Sarah’s life, she adores ACC basketball, going to the movies, watching the Atlanta Braves, and attending art festivals. She may not have many family members in Georgia, but when asked what makes her heart sing, she says, “The arts community. In acting, especially at Relapse, you gain a close relationship with those amongst you who become family, and that makes me happy.”

In the process of peeling layers we also learned that Miss July isn’t just an advocate for peace but recently participated in the Occupy Atlanta protests. What would she occupy in Atlanta? Her ballsy reply was, “Kasim Reed’s office!” The Occupy Atlanta protester also believes that “people are demonstrating civil disobedience, while the politicians fight for votes it encourages the protesters to fight for a voice.”
Besides being political and basking in theatrical efforts, it’s interesting to learn that theatrics aren’t a part of Sarah’s background. Her mother, Ginny Simmons, worked in the volunteer section of a children’s hospital before becoming a stay-at-home mom. Her father, Randy Simmons, started his career in sales and management at Labcorp; eventually he landed a spot at the top, where he now holds the title of Senior VP. Witnessing the dedication of her father’s work ethic inspired Sarah to advance within the field of acting. “My father has always been a hard, incredible, and tenacious worker. I’ve learned from him that you don’t always have to be the smartest in the class, but you have to try the hardest.”