Artistic Statement

Artistic Statement

I am a champion of the underdog - those that could have/did not quite/wanted to/ but... I want to give voice to the marginalized, the losers. I want to shine a light on those who have had their dreams and desires crushed and are still slogging through. I speak for those who, like myself, struggle to make sense of the yin/yang of existence; to accept the bitter unfairness of the world, to make peace with the staggering beauty and appalling cruelty that is mankind, and to make a mark upon the world, however ephemeral and insignificant, in an imperfect, tentative, fumbling way.

My work ranges from highly comedic to bitterly dramatic and I am at my best when I find that delicate balance between dark, sardonic humor and honest, naked emotion.

I write from a strong and unapologetic female perspective. While my protagonists are women, they do not face so called womens issues, rather a large swath of all-encompassing concerns like love, acceptance, religion, regret, jealousy, rage, life vs. death, fate vs. free will; a fear and inability to connect coupled with a visceral yearning to do so.

My work often deals with large, abstract themes in small, mostly realistic settings. Regardless of genre, I find the comedy in and around the edges of it all, from the bitter sweetly poignant to the savagely tragic. I am often drawn to the Family Drama as I see the family (in its various forms) as a universal construct. I am also drawn to notions of justice (either seeking it or exposing the lack thereof), specifically in terms of racism, income disparity, religion, and gender.

While I believe Theater should challenge us to discover truths about ourselves and the world around us, I am also a fan of comedy for purely entertainment (and escapism) purposes. I find true joy in crafting comedies that serve each actor well and leave the audience grinning, if only for that evening.

Personally, I came to play writing a bit late in the game. No MFA program for me - I was busy acting until I pushed past the employable age for women in Hollywood (which I think now is 12), after which I threw in the acting towel. (There is such a thing. It’s very absorbent.)

I am a curious sort and what I may lack in academic pedigree, I make up for in life experience. I have taught public school in New York’s South Bronx and LA’s South Central. I have worked as a Private Investigator on the mean streets of Los Angeles (and the not so mean streets of Sherman Oaks), I have been a pelvic model, climbed Machu Picchu, used hot coffee as a defensive weapon, had a gun pressed to my forehead, spied on thieving bartenders, built a house along side Jimmy Carter, eaten a ghost chili, traveled in a horse drawn Gypsy caravan and have never, ever believed in Santa.