I worked as a professional actress in London back when I was in my twenties. After 10 years, I decided to change direction and retrained as a teacher. When I was teaching in Singapore, I started directing children’s shows with a great friend of mine, and it took off from there! When I moved here to Panama City, I decided to see if I could continue directing…

“How’s that going for you”, you ask? It’s not. Now we’re in Monterey, CA. Three moves in three years. And here I thought all of this moving around was over. I also mistakenly thought that retirement meant that I could get back to, a more full-time focus on my career. Oh boy universe… or Murphy, or whoever you are… the joke is 100% on me.

I don’t know about you all, but as we wait our turn for vaccinations, the boredom and wall-climbing in our house has reached a new level. To shake off some of that boredom, you are all invited to come and view my latest virtual theatre project – Wonder Tales: Fairies, Talking Animals & Magic. It’s an evening of six short plays (I am directing three) presented by Planet Connections Theatre Festivity.

As I sit down at my desk, I can’t help but notice a pile of journals, rehearsal schedules, and other papers that wasn’t here at this time last year. In fact, the desk wasn’t here either – in the living room, right next to our big windows that look out into our neighborhood in Madrid. The same neighborhood that for months recently was the most peaceful that it has probably ever been – ever. For more than a dozen weeks we were only interrupted by noon and eight-o-clock musical interludes, some applause and cheering. Momentary unification with unseen, unknown neighbors. 

It was surreal. I was overwhelmed with the wide-open spaces and the overflowing stores. I returned to Spain even more appreciative of the lifestyle we have here, and the opportunities for intercultural exchange.

I’m sitting on my terrace, preparing to attend a fùtbol (of the World Cup type) match between rival attaché groups (Navy/Marine v.s. Army/Airforce). At the game, I will be sitting with Las Mafiosas, a group of women that represent about fifteen different countries.