​Summer has always been my time to breathe. I’ve always treated summer as my built-in intermission. A pause between seasons. A chance to rest, reset, and maybe sneak in a few trips to the pool before the acting class curtain rises again.

But this summer felt different.

​Maybe it was all the milestones happening at once.

• I watched my only daughter graduate from high school, take on a new job, and find herself in negotiations for the use of the car.
• Schedules confined us, and we only took a one-week summer family vacation to Tahoe (less one child), instead of our traditional family three-week cross-country trip.
• And we had an unexpected loss with the passing of our sweet Leo.

​And while the kids were off at their summer camps and the husband was traveling for work, I found myself in an unfamiliar state of stillness. It was quiet. A little too quiet. But in that space, I reflected. I grieved as chapters ended and sat with the silence, trying to let it teach me something.

With every ending chapter, another one begins, too, and I tried to find joy in the changes. We celebrated my youngest son’s 15th birthday and prepared for my daughter’s transition to college away from home. I shopped for smaller clothes, having lost 70 pounds on my weight loss journey.

And now, as fall approaches, I feel like I’ve recharged—not just physically, but creatively and emotionally, too. The season ahead is full of plans: new classes, new stories, and new possibilities. But I’m carrying this quiet summer with me as a reminder that stepping offstage doesn’t mean stepping away from life.
​
Sometimes the best stories unfold when the spotlight fades, and real life takes center stage.

It's official the new dates for fall classes begin September 9th until October 14th from 6-8pm at the Cultural Arts Rehearsal Hall. A showcase will be held on  October 14th at 7pm.  

Following that classes will be November 4th -December 16th from 6-8pm at the Cultural Arts Rehearsal Hall. A showcase will be held on December 16th at 7pm. 

 Registration will open in September. 

​The next two session classes will be focused on Acting, featuring a play for showcase rather than a mini-musical. Hazel our beloved musical director is going back to school and will be missed. We appreciate her and her musical talents. Her contribution made it possible to do 4 mini-musicals. In time they will add a nice addition to our published 10 MINUTE PLAYBOOKS as THE MINI MUSICAL edition. 

This Showcase marked the 4th mini-musical Griffith Playhouse produced. The kids did a great job for learning a show in such a short time span of 1 week classes for 6 weeks.  ​It is the last class before summer break.  Classes start up again in September when school begins again. 

We are so blessed to have the most talented artist in our region who share their works with us. 

​I'm so proud of it, I just had to share. Here's the cover and a link to the website where you can read it. I hope you take a minute and enjoy it. ​

In addition to rubbing elbows with some of the most talented writers I've ever met, we have four special guest agents/editors from the publishing industry who serve as faculty and  sit in on these session. Their input on our manuscripts is always so insightful and phenomenal. Many have ended up getting agents and book deals after the weekend, although that's not the main focus. The idea is that you're able to get insider eyes on your work, in a relaxed non-intimidating environment, so you can produce the most publishable work possible. 

I had a blast. I shared yummy meals, laughed while playing games, worked on our stories, socialized with like-minded colleagues for hours about creating story, and made some new friends.  It was a fantastic memory making weekend. ​