I have always felt at home on a cabaret stage. I arrived in New York as a mere babe in the woods originally from Homer, New York. After graduating from college with a BFA in Acting, I played most of the New York cabaret clubs in the 70's and early 80's, including The Grand Finale, Reno Sweeney's, Trax, The Copa, and my favorite room, Les Mouches, where I debuted my acclaimed act, 'The Heat Is On', opening for Gloria Gaynor. I sang with the San Diego Symphony in a salute to Cole Porter and, as a professional actress, performed in regional theaters throughout the country.  

 

Many moons later, after receiving my MFA as a playwright, I returned to the New York cabaret scene and brought my skills as actor and writer to  the Cabaret stage tackling topics that interested me -- such as how woman depicted in film noir cinema sett the tone for the country then and now.  (Dangerous Women: L ife in Film Noir) The show was awarded by the NY critics, a 2012 Bistro Award for Best Theme Show,   In 2013, I won the Metropolitan Room's singing competition and  used my winnings to produce an act exploring the music of my favorite musical artist, Tom Waits (1978 NYC Underground,)  where I wrote about “life in the dirty, and  dangerous city of the seventies." I received a second Bistro Award for Tribute Show  and my first MAC Award for best female vocalist in that same year. Then in 2017, I received my second  MAC Award for Best Musical Comedy performance for "Monopoly". In this act I wrote and performed  controversial political characters  from the Monopoly game board tackling such topics as affordable housing, the  priviledged 1%, and homelessness.  Working for the NYS Affordable Housing Agency inspired me. Art imatating life.  One day, ​I'd like to bring back the music of 'Ole Tom cat', only this time I'm envisioning a show with a distinctive Brechtian flare to fit these troubled times we live in.