As actor, educator and writer Arlene views solo work as an artistic extension of the social justice work she has been doing for the last twenty five years. Her five solo plays including What Does the Sun Sound Like & Aiming for Sainthood have been produced and performed in venues nationwide including St Louis Center of Contemporary Art, 16th Street Theater, Chicago, Los Angeles Women's Theatre Festival, HBO Workspace, NoHo Theatre Festival, Ojai Solo Series, National Center on Deafness, West Coast Ensemble, Blue Sphere Alliance as well as at numerous colleges throughout the country.  Most recently she performed a new piece which was named one of the 5 best solo shows by Windy City.

 

Her solo work has been honored with an LA Garland Award, and  nominations for an LA Weekly Award and Los Angeles Theatre Ovation Award.  As an actor she has appeared in numerous theatre productions including the world premiere of "By theMusic of the Spheres" at the Goodman theatre in Chicago. Other favorite roles include "Lovers and Other Strangers", "Labor pains", "Chapter Two", "One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest" with Deaf West and the critically acclaimed "In A Different Voice" and "Faith, Hope & Clarity".

 

Arlene is also a writer and performer with the nationally touring, multicultural show "A Slice of Rice, Frijoles & Greens" which was honored with the White House Award for the Initiative on Race. Recent TV credits include CBS Movie Sweet Nothing in My Ear, CSI, ER, The Division, The Practice, The Division, Any Day Now, 12 segments of Fit Spa & Resort and The X Files.

 

She teaches solo writing and performing in LA, SF and Chicago and coaches individual artists.  Her numerous solo students have been honored with Garland Awards, special recognition at the Edinburg frinfe, LA Weekly Awards, FEM Finalists, Windy City Chicago best solo show, and numerous critics pick.  She is a contributing writer for the Week Behind and Selling Lemonade for Free and is a Resident Playwright at Chicago Dramatists and Artist in Residence at 16th Street Theater.  Her newest play "Anonymous Donor" about sperm banks, technology and mean girls will have a Chicago reading in 2009.