Sarah was born in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, just 90 miles east of Minneapolis/Saint Paul. She is the daughter of Linda Kurath Bassak and William Bassak and the little sister Adam Bassak. She started out as a very shy girl who found her voice on the stage. At the age of 7, she performed in her first play and has been acting ever since. In high school, she continued in her creative endeavors through participation in marching band, winterguard, choir, and drama. It was then she also performed in her first touring show. After graduation she continued on to the University of Wisconsin where she received a double major in Zoology and Biological Aspects of Conservation. During college, she took a break to tour with the group "Up With People" before returning to finish her degrees. Upon graduation from university, Sarah returned home briefly before packing up her car one day and leaving the next to move to Los Angeles and focus on her acting career.