My career in drama started in 2nd grade, when I played a marionette in Pinocchio. Since then, I have been an actor, director, lighting designer, stage manager, board operator and playwright. After graduation from Hampshire College, I was working in a coffee shop and volunteering with the Northampton High School after-school drama program. After two years, I realized that I wanted to be teaching drama full-time not just when I had some free time.
In 1996 I went back to school, this time to Emerson College, where I got my MA in Theatre Education. I was very lucky to get a job right out graduate school at Wellesley High School, a wonderful school! I was there for four years as the only high school drama teacher. I taught three levels of acting, playwrighting, and technical theatre, I also taught classes in speech and debate. Wellesley High School was also where I directed my first musical, Oklahoma! I also directed 11 other shows over the course of my time at WHS. We did everything from Commedia dell'Arte to Agatha Christie. I left in 2002 to move to Seattle Washington, not because WHS wasn't an amazing experience full of supportive parents and administration and extremely talented kids, but because I felt I needed the change.
In Seattle I worked at a variety of schools and theatre as an independent teacher/director. I taught after school classes and directed the 4th & 5th grade production at Bryant Elementary School for 5 years. After the first show, Alice in Wonderland, the drama committee and I realized there are not enough quality scripts available for smart, talented young actors. Especially not scripts that allowed for large casts without having one lead and mostly small little parts.
That's when I pulled out my dusty playwriting hat and put it back on. Over the next three years I wrote 3 full lenght scripts for Bryant Elementary School. (You can read more about them here.) Once I realized how comfy that playwriting hat felt, I went on to write a variety of original scripts and adapt some of my longer scripts for Stone Soup Theatre. To be a paid writer is an extraordinary gift for me.
In the winter of 2006/07 my husband and I decided to move back to the East Coast to be closer to my family, and so we did. We are currently getting settled into the Cape Ann area and loving it! I am getting started on writing a new script for Bryant Elementary School's 2008 production as well getting to know the area. I am excited to continue my work as a playwright, director and youth teacher here on the East Coast. More Later...
