If you have ever read an edition of the “Stall Street Journal” in the restrooms at Poly, you have most likely come across the delightful comics created by senior Sophie Ankeles. With a talent for storytelling that extends beyond the page, Ankeles has also explored theater and filmmaking, showcasing their creativity across multiple artistic realms.
Growing up, Ankeles learned to read from comics, and they frequently visited the local comic shop with their dad—a core memory from their childhood.
When they started creating their own comics, they drew inspiration from their experiences reading manga, creating a style unique to their identity as a Japanese-American. Ankeles describes, “It comes out as a fusion of Japanese, like the anime style, and American comics’ more blocky style.”
At the same time, they also enjoyed watching stand-up comedians at Largo at the Coronet, a highly regarded venue for comedy, stand-up and music shows. By observing their process of making jokes and building an interactive scene with the audience, Ankeles realized they too wanted to perform on stage and make people laugh.
Ankeles has appeared in many Poly theater productions, including Poly’s 2024 winter play “Macbeth,” Anton Chekov’s one-act play “The Proposal” from Poly’s 2024 fall performance of his collection “The Sneeze,” “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” in fall 2025 and the upcoming winter play “The Importance of Being Earnest.”
Sophie also draws inspiration from actor Kyle Maclachlan, fictional character Mr. Bean and actor and comedian Buster Keaton for their admirable attention to detail and dedication to improving their craft.
Ankeles recalls their freshman year Filmmaking class, which revolved around the process of creating short films. They chose to make a film about falling asleep in class, as well as another exploring a thought experiment called “Mary’s Room.” They had a great experience directing her friends, making storyboards and filming shots. “It felt like this really ragtag operation, but it was super fun,” they said.
Throughout their Poly career, Ankeles has taken Digital Art, Filmmaking, Studio Art, Musical Theater and AP 2D Art and Design, delving into different art media and expanding their artistic abilities.
“Sophie Ankeles is a modern-day Renaissance Artist,” Upper School Performing Arts Director Sam Robinson shared. “Across the Visual and Performing Arts, [Ankeles] has shown wit, comedic timing and dedication as well as a strong commitment to their academic studies.”
Ankeles is also a member of the Poly Arts Student Council (PASC), where they rotate with other members to draw the comics featured in the “Stall Street Journal.”
Ankeles never sees art as a burden, even if it is for homework; instead, they view it as a way to decompress and have fun. “If I have free time, I’m probably gonna be either reading a book or drawing a comic, so it doesn’t feel too much like work,” they shared.
Theater, comedy, comics and film also offer Ankeles opportunities to introspect and explore questions about human life and identity. “I like that I get to be unserious and admit how absurd teenage or childhood experiences are,” Ankeles said. “I’ve also been doing a couple of autobiographical comics to try to process and make sense of my experiences.”
From watching movies with their father, a screenwriter, to growing up in LA, a center of film culture, art has permeated Ankeles’s life from the beginning. Ankeles doesn’t plan on letting this childhood passion ever fade.
“I always want art to be a part of my life,” Ankeles said. “To me, art amplifies and clarifies what is already there. Nothing gets me more excited than talking to a crowd of people, whether that’s through a scripted persona or a snarky stick figure.”
