From how to be an excellent actor or direct a riveting show, how to produce comedy or add depth to drama, great theatre has to begin with great stories. I’ve worked in theatre for over 45 years, learning from talented actors and directors and sharing this knowledge while Managing Director of the former Run Rabbit Run Theatre. Got my start when, just out of William and Mary, I was asked to create a public program for the Dranesville Tavern Museum. Soon found myself serving on the Board of Directors of the Loudoun Museum giving public presentations and programs. Then came writing columns and full historic fiction novels. But fellow Loudoun Museum Board Member Joni Lynn Crane and I started talking about getting the public to know previously unknown Loudoun County history. I was planning a living history presentation as part of the Elizabeth Carter Lecture Series at Oatlands Plantation in Leesburg, Virginia, and I was writing the script, collecting and creating the costumes and prepping the living history performers, Joni said, "Why don't we create a documentary?" Well, you'll need a company for that, so we founded Run Rabbit Run Productions, Inc. We edited Joni's film of the Oatlands presentation for our first documentary: "Having A Ball: Ballroom Costume Equiette and Dance in the Midst of the Rebellion”. Ken Burns’ Civil War Series had just come out, so we said, "Sure. Let's submit it!" Next thing you know, they'd accepted it. We were thrilled to see the History Channel air it several times in 1996. Our second documentary, "Southern Courage: Civil War Women of Loudoun County, Virginia", can be seen here. Researching for all of the above led me to begin writing plays in earnest, and my works now include original modern and historical plays, dramedies and comedies, and the books and librettos for musicals and operas. I've also become a prize-winning playwright, an award-winning historian, stage director and speaker. "One passion kept leading to another. I'm deeply grateful for the talented people I've worked with and for all the opportunities I've been given, but I do wish writers and directors were paid a little more..."
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