Rising Theater Star From Marshall High School To Pursue Dreams In LA

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — A breakout star in the George C. Marshall High School Statesmen Theatre program is heading to the TV and movie capital.

Saniya Desai, a 17-year-old who recently starred as Reno Sweeney in "Anything Goes," will attend Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles in the fall. Desai plans to study theatre arts and has representation from talent agency Innovative Artists Agency.

"I’ve always known storytelling was my calling," said Desai. "I want to create characters that make people feel something — whether that’s laughter, heartbreak, or hope."

Desai earned praise for her stage presence and soprano vocals in Marshall High School's "Anything Goes," a musical based on the Broadway classic by Cole Porter. She earned a Best Actress semifinalist nomination for her role at the 2025 Brandon Victor Dixon Awards, which honors excellence in high school theater in the DC region.

Desai has been part of the Fairfax Academy for Communication and the Art and the Marshall Choir Council and was a featured member of the elite Statesmen Singers. She has also played roles in "Legally Blonde," "Metamorphoses," "The Laramie Project," "Cry-Baby," "A Year with Frog & Toad," and "Once Upon a One More Time."

Outside of school, Desai trained at Juilliard Summer Voice Program, UCLA’s Camera Acting Institute, and Signature Theatre’s Signature Conservatory. In 2025, she was named a YoungArts Winner in Theatre, a national honor that has gone to emerging artists such as Timothée Chalamet and Viola Davis.

Desai will bring experience in acting, writing and directing to LA. She considered theater programs in New York and Boston but ultimately chose the West Coast for its TV and film opportunities.

"It was a tough decision, but LA was the obvious choice," said Desai. "It’s where I can grow my craft and build a future in TV and film. But, with my background in musical theatre, I intend to stay sharp with my dancing and vocals as I’d really like to perform on Broadway one day."

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