[4] Rodgers' early acting experience came in New York when she worked (using the name Sondra Arleaux)[4] in stock theater with Jessie Bonstelle.

[5] Rodgers spent time in Europe studying with playwrights, then returned to the United States, where she directed plays at the Pasadena Playhouse with Gilmour Brown as her supervisor.

[4] Later, in Los Angeles, Rodgers acted in plays, including No Time for Comedy, Heaven Can Wait, Cry Havoc, an dFamily Portrait.

[7] Rodgers portrayed Mrs. Appleby in the 1961 episode "A Doctor Comes to Town" of the television series Window on Main Street.

She played the prudish (unnamed) mother of daughters Elmira and Dodie on "Wagon Train" in S1 E18 "The Gabe Carswell Story" which aired 1/14/1958.