Spotlight: St. Louis Based Actress, Stage Manager and Small Business Owner

ByAmanda Myers July 26, 2026July 26, 2026

This summer, I had fun photographing Tara Laurel on our property. Tara is a Saint Louis based actress, stage manager, and small business owner. In May of 2025 she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications with a focus in Theatre as well as a “Distinguished Stage Management” award at the National Level of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for her work on John Logan’s Red at Auburn University in Montgomery. While she is fairly new to the STL theatre scene, she has been busy acting and stage managing for shows with Bread & Wine Theatre Company and Chorus of Fools.

Theatre is a tough industry to survive in, so when she is not working at the theatre she is running her small business Sophia Marie Candle Co (named after her soul dog) where she makes handmade soy candles, wax melts, lip balms, car fresheners, and soaps. She hops around STL makers markets with her handmade goodies and sells them online. You can follow her small business journey on social media at @sophiamariecandleco or shop on her website (sophia-marie-candle-co.square.site). Everyone who supports her small business is also helping her live her theatrical dreams!

Are you an actor, model, dancer, or artist in the STL area? Book your portfolio or headshot sessions with A Style Photography today!

Amanda Myers

I’m a freelance photographer with a photo studio in Troy, Missouri, specializing in pets, kids, family portraits, events, and product photography. I create white-background and lifestyle product photos for brands across the U.S. and internationally. I love to travel for photo shoots and can shoot at your home, my photo studio, or on location throughout the Greater St. Louis area and beyond.