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I wanted to be a teacher from the first day I walked into
school. I just didn’t know what I wanted to teach. In the
third grade we got to do a play. . . I was Senorita Ro-
drigues doing a scene with Father Serra (we were studying
the missions). Father Serra looked at me but remained
speechless. After an uncomfortable silence, I uttered the
first words I ever said on stage…..” Well, it’s your
line”. I was hooked (it may have been the laughter!), but
from then on I did as many school shows as I could. I
knew what I wanted to teach and I never considered any-
thing else. I went on to major in theatre in college, got my
degrees, and loved being in the classroom until I retired. I
took a small break for a year when I was granted a sabbati-
cal to become an artist in residence at the American Con-
servatory Theatre in S.F.. At the end of my year, I was
anxious and happy to return to the classroom where I re-
mained until I retired.
THE GROUP PICTURE ABOVE
I taught at George Washington High School in S.F.and that was from the October 2013 Courier edition.
for the last several years that I worked I was Creative Rita’s caption: One of our early productions. Our guest artist,
Arts Dept. Chair. This is a very large school with a good Adam Warren, Helen Warren’s grandson, was a H S freshman.
reputation that is currently in the news because of a WPA He is now a college graduate with a degree in Theatre.
mural that shows a dead Indian. The mural was painted in
1936 by Victor Arnautoff, a student of Diego Rivera as part of the New Deal’s Public Works Program. I always thought the mural was a beau-
tiful piece of art that demonstrated a moment in Native American History that we should not ignore.
The classes I taught were Beginning Drama, (open to all students) was mostly improvisation to teach stage positions and stage terms; Interme-
diate Drama, (open to all students who had successfully completed Beg. Dr.) was a scene study class to introduce students to published play-
wrights and recognized published plays. Advanced Drama I (open to students who had successfully completed Intermediate Drama with a
grade of “B” or higher) focused on the performance and directing of one act plays. Advanced Drama II (open only to students who completed
Advanced Drama I with a grade of “B” or better and had permission of the instructor) was spent creating an original performance piece or a
Children’s Theatre production to tour some of the local elementary schools. The junior high schools were invited to be our guests at the final
dress rehearsal of most of our productions.
I never expected to act or direct again. I tried to satisfy my creative bent by working as an extra on films, but it just wasn’t the same. I was
looking for something else I complained to Shannon who basically suggested I do something about it, sooooooo in spite of everything I knew
about “actors” I started the DRAMA club and it did not disappoint….met so many talented wonderful people and had a great time. I look for-
ward to the day we meet again.

Both of my parents were born in S.F.; both were fluent in English and Italian. They spoke to me in Italian. I didn’t speak English until I start-
ed school and I have been bilingual ever since.

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