Health Care Debate...

Do not brand me a socialist because I think everyone should have health care.

Do not call me a bleeding heart liberal, just because I think we have a moral obligation to make sure no one in this self-proclaimed, "greatest country in the world" has to choose between getting food or medical care for their children.

This is a human condition, not a political one.

We are broken. The system is broken, and damn if it isn't time to be the generation to fix it.

Those on the right yell about proposed taxes slated to fund a universal health care system, and the impact on their net income. I'd like to point out, not everyone has a net income, and yet, everyone needs medical care from time to time.

I have been on both side of the fence. I am a college-educated woman, with 10 years experience working in various facets of corporate America. When I began my career, I didn't make enough money to afford the health insurance my company offered.

I tried to purchase an independent policy, and I was denied because of a pre-existing condition, (asthma and allergies). So, during the next three years, I learned everything there was to know about homeopathic healing...ways I could feel better, without having to pay the exorbitant cost of going to the doctor. I juggled finances so I could afford the $140 inhalers I had to buy for my asthma, and cut my use of said inhalers in half, in order to save money.

I remember one time, while working, the maintenance crew at my office, dropped a ceiling tile on the edge of my desk. Clouds of 30 year old dust and plaster filled the room, and triggered an attack. I couldn't breathe. I had no medicine, and my co-workers were trying to load me into the car to go to the ER for a breathing treatment because I was turning blue...as I begged them not to take me.

They took me anyway, I had a breathing treatment, and afterward, I got some inhaler samples from the ER doc to take home with me. All for the low, low price of $1,500.00...which I didn't have.

Now, I am considered one of the fortunate, because I am lucky enough to have health insurance, and it's somewhat affordable. I can go to the doctor when I'm sick, but I rarely do. I'm conditioned not to do it. I'll tough it out, revert to my old home remedies, and only if it's really, really debilitating, will I finally break down and go.

My perspective was completely changed on a trip to Scotland two years ago, when a friend had a horrible infection in her finger, and she was treated, without charge or question, and she wasn't even a citizen of that country. Really? Other countries are willing to take care of us, for nothing, and we can't take care of our own?

At some point, we have to be willing to sacrifice for the greater good of our brothers and sisters in this country. Do I like the idea of being taxed even more than i ma, in order to cover a universal health care system? No, not particularly. But you know what? We're only as strong as our weakest link, and I'm willing to give a little of what I have so someone else doesn't have to suffer, or choose, or go without life saving medication, simply because they don't make enough money.

I could use that kind of good karma in the bank. I think we all could.

It's finally upon us...

Wow. After months of planning, and flying by the seat of my pants as a producer, The Vagina Monologues fundraiser is less than a week away!

I'm scared, excited, anxious and thrilled all at the same time.

The support behind this has been phenomenal. I am SO proud of the Austin arts community. Incredible live musicians are donating their time to play for each of the shows. BettySoo, CJ Vinson, Joanna Barbera, Peoplefood, Kari K and Kacy Crowley are all playing, and I am humbled!

Other theatre companies have been so helpful in every respect. They've offered advice, given me contacts, and even donated to my silent auction, all proceeds benefiting OperationOF. Special thanks goes out to Will Snider and Travis Bedard at Cambiare Productions, Julie Winston-Thomas and Tim Thomas with Loaded Gun Theory, Josh Meyer and Matt Hislope with Rubber Repertory. They have been a wealth of knowledge and support, and words don't cover my gratitude.

Despite the stress and supreme lack of sleep, this feels good. It's tremendous, and if we can help just one person to feel empowered, then it has been worth it.

Karen Jambon is also one of the finest directors I've ever had the privilege to worth with. She pulls from her actors what she needs. She's an actor's director, and she truly cares about us, the material and how we connect with it. Amazing.

Julie Wright and Jennie Underwood are blessings. In these monologues we go to places we aren't comfortable, places we talk about things we'd prefer not to talk about, places we will never know...and yet, these two are unyielding in their tenacity to embody this work. I am in awe of their talent, and so lucky to share their stage.

Please, please, PLEASE come see the show. 100% of our profits go directly to OperationOF.org.

Check out our site for more details and ticket info:

www.TVMAustin.com

BIG NEWS!

I know, I know! It's been forever, and I have no (good) excuse.

So, big news!

I'm producing The Vagina Monologues as a fundraiser to benefit an old high school friend's social nonprofit, www.OperationOF.org.

OperationOF helps the most marginalized members of society, women who suffer from obstetric fistula, or a tear in the birth canal.

These women are ostracized from their communities, and shunned by their families...all because the $250 surgery to fix their condition is too much to pay, or not available in their village, and no one wants to talk about it. More than two million women suffer each year as a result of fistula, and the condition is treatable.

OperationOF finds these women, gets them the surgery they need, but goes one step further...they train them, with a particular skill useful within their region, and provide them with micro-finance in order to help them start a business of their own.

They return to their lives with a sense of empowerment, and a means to support themselves. A-mazing, in my opinion.

Visit www.TVMAustin.com for all the details of the show. It's an abbreviated run (6 shows in 5 days), and we've got some of Austin's hottest musical artists lined up to play for each show.

In addition to the Monologues, I'm performing in The Frog Prince at Scottish Rite Children's theatre, through August 2. The show is so much fun, for both children and adults, and I encourage anyone with a kiddo to come see it. The cast it top notch, and I guarantee you'll have a lot of fun!



I was also cast in Medieval Macabre, with the Baron's Men, who perform at Richard Garriot's replica of The Globe Theatre on Lake Austin. The show is a clever compilation of Shakespeare's scariest scenes, and it will run from the end of September through October, so check it out, too!

I also recommend seeing The Georgetown Palace's current production of Big River. The show is an incredible re-telling of Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and I was fortunate enough to be a part of the production team, along with director David Sray, and musical director, Kyle Evans. It runs through August, and I promise you'll go home humming a tune, with your soul a little lighter from watching.

I'll try and stay on top of this better, and I hope to see some of you in person at the theatre!

Projects...

I am fortunate to be incredibly busy with stuff I love right now.

I've started rehearsals for a musical version of The Frog Prince, due to open in mid-June at Scottish Rite Children's Theatre, downtown.

We had our first read through over the weekend, and laughed ourselves silly...which is always a good sign of things to come.

We also have our first read through for Big River tonight, and I am ecstatic about doing the choreography for the show! It's only while I'm choreographing, or while I'm watching So You Think You Can Dance, that I realize how much I miss dancing on a regular basis.

In high school, I did it every day, several hours a day, for four years.

It's something you miss.

The biggest, and MOST exciting project in the works, is a show I'm producing in August. It's a fundraiser for an old friend's non-profit, and 100% of the proceeds from the run will go directly to charity.

It's the kind of work that makes you feel really good. Like what you're doing makes a difference, and isn't just "acting".

The show is cast, the director and venue in place, and I'm already beginning the marketing legwork...it's going to be something really special.

More to come on all these adventures!

Keep Fine Arts in Texas!!!

If you haven't already heard about it, there is a bill in the Texas Senate and in the Texas House that would remove the Fine Arts as a requirement for graduation in Texas public schools. I believe this sends the school districts a negative message about what is important in general education. If you believe that participation and understanding of the Fine Arts is an important part of our state's general education, please contact your State Congress Persons right away. This will come up for a vote within the next week.

If you don't know who your Senators and Represenatives are, you can find out really easily. Just go to www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us

If you believe that the arts are important, please encourage your legislators to keep the Fine Arts as a graduation requirement.

Vacate...

It's been 18 months since I've had a proper vacation...

Next week, my best friend and I are going to take one, and I could not be more ready.

Boston/Salem, and possibly a day trip to Cape Cod...but only if we feel like it.

Oh, and the seafood. Soooooo looking forward to the oysters and lobster, and dipping my toes in the Atlantic.

I am in desperate need of a complete "re-set", and I think this will do the trick. Plus, I get some serious hang out time with my best friend...which is always at a premium.

Ready to vacate...just four more days...

Sex and Relationships...

In the past few weeks, the topic of relationships has been a constant subject of discussion.

I've had drinks with friends and family, and it keeps coming up; not for me, personally, but for the people in my life.

Spring is one of those transition seasons, and it seems to proliferate the human realm as well...perhaps, it's the rest of the world transitioning around us, or the directionality of the sun to the earth in the sign of Aries, or some other such nonsense. Regardless, I've been raising many a glass to the celebration of life moving on after a failed marriage, or a failed boyfriend or girlfriend.

It made me wonder, what makes them stick? And does/can it, really last forever?

I'm inherently a cynic when it comes to love. I used to be incredibly idealistic about relationships, but time, age, and an inordinate amount of hurt and disappointment have truly changed my perspective. It's not that I don't wish it could happen, but the more rational side of me, tends to believe it won't.

However, my interest was sparked, and just today, I found the following article on CNN.com, that explains why it sometimes does and doesn't work for some couples. The science behind it is interesting, even if you think the hypotheses are crap.

I am convinced there's more to attraction than we are consciously aware. I think, as a species, so much of our behaviour is inherent because it's been that way for thousands of years...and that doesn't change just because you dress it up and drive it around in a beamer.

I could give you dozens of examples, (and might), but this is a great article which scratches the surface, and outlines the basics...

And for those who are so inclined, there's a great documentary on NatGeo, from which this was extrapolated.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/personal/04/13/o.laws.of.sex.attraction/index.html