Susan Suntree

1223 11th Street • Santa Monica • CA 90401-2002 • 310.458.9023
ssuntree@verizon.net • www.susansuntree.com

Education
New York University , Dramaturgy and Directing course, 1990.

University of Arizona Folk Culture Institute,
post-graduate research in folk drama and ritual, 1971.

University of Kent , Canterbury , United Kingdom
Master of Arts in English and American Literature, 1970.
Dissertation: “King Lear: A Study of Two Productions”
(Productions directed by Peter Brook and Trevor Nunn)

University of Arizona , Bachelor of Arts in English, minor in Art, 1968.

Teaching Experience
East Los Angeles College , English Department, 1989-present.
Tenured Instructor: Literature (World Mythology, American Literature I & II, Introduction to Dramatic Literature), critical thinking, composition, creative writing. Committees: Literature (Chair: 1994-99), Composition. Faculty Co-advisor: Milestone, campus literary magazine.

University of Utrecht , American Studies Department , Netherlands , 1998. Visiting Lecturer: Survey of American Literature.

University of Utrecht , American Studies Department , Netherlands , 1999. Visiting Lecturer: Post World War II American Drama.

University of Judaism, 1999, English Department, Visiting Lecturer: Creative Writing.

Writers' Circle, 1987-present. Private writing workshops and consulting.

Pierce College, 1988-89. English Department, Full-time Temporary Instructor: composition, literature.

Santa Monica College, 1984-98. English Department, Adjunct Instructor: literature, beginning and advanced creative writing.

Awakening the Dreamer Creativity Workshops, 1985-86. Various locations in Northern and Southern California .

UCLA Extension, 1984-1985. Creativity in the Classroom: Performing Arts and Poetry for the Disabled.

Antelope Valley College, 1983-84. English Department, Adjunct Instructor: beginning and advanced creative writing.

Sierra College Extension (Nevada City, CA), 1979. Discovering Masks.

California State University at Sacramento Extension (Nevada City, CA), 1979. Women's Theater.

Private classes (Nevada City, CA), 1976, 1980, 1982. Women's Theater, Improvisation.

Technical University, Helsinki, Finland, 1972.
English Department, Visiting Lecturer: composition and literature.

Modesto Community College, 1970-75. English Department, Tenured Instructor: composition, literature, folklore, drama. Designed and introduced methods of using folklore in teaching composition and theater.

La Familia Continuation High School , 1970. Instructor: reading and writing.

Rita Moreno (New York: Chelsea Press, 1993).

Tulips (Santa Cruz, CA: Exiled-in-America Press, 1991). Translations of poetry by Ana Rossetti. (with Dr. Nancy Dale Nieman), A bilingual chapbook.

Eye of the Womb Poetry (Nevada City, CA: Power Press, 1981). Selected by UCLA and Yale University libraries for their Special Collections.

“Write!” The Spirit of Writing: Classic and Contemporary Essays Celebrating the Writing Life. Mark Waldman ed. (New York: Tarcher Putnam, 2001).

“Paper Whites.” Kshanti Literary Review
(On-line literary journal: www.literary.org, Spring 1999).

“Purify Me,” translation of poem by Ana Rossetti (with Nancy Dale Nieman). Prairie Schooner. (University of Nebraska Press, Winter 1999).

“Feast of the Holy Name," “ Garden of Your Delights," translations of poems by Ana Rossetti (with Nancy Dale Nieman). RE:Al (Stephen F. Austin State University Press, Summer 1998).

“Birthing Brings Me," Journey into Motherhood. Leslie Kirk Campbell, ed.
(New York: Riverhead Books, 1996).

“At the Door of the Cabaret," translation of poem by Ana Rossetti (with Nancy Dale Nieman). Community Endeavor (Nevada City, CA: Vol. 6 No. 3, Pg. 11, February 1992).

“At a Buddhist Temple in April.” Not Mixing Up Buddhism: Essays on Women and Buddhist Practice. Deborah Hopkinson, ed. (Fredonia, NY: White Pine Press, 1986).

“Dedication of a Tree.” Artists-Artistas: A Bilingual Journal (Los Angeles, 1985).

“Birthing Brings Me,” “ Newborn,” “ Swaying.” Mother Poet Anthology. Peggy O'Mara McMahon, ed. (Albuquerque: Mothering Publications, 1983).

“For My Unborn Baby.” Hard Pressed. (Sacramento: Fall 1981).

“Gift for Ishtar,” “Gaia.” Book of the Goddess. Ann Forfreedom, ed.
(Sacramento: Temple of the Goddess Within Publications, 1980).

“A Crone's Vision.” Wise Woman Newsletter.
(Sacramento: Temple of the Goddess Within, Fall 1980).

“Passage on Highway 80.” A Rainbow Has to Do Her Work.
(Berkeley: Aldebran Review, 1980).

“A New Garden.” We Speak Anthology. (Nevada City, CA: Woman's Center, 1979).

“Berkeley Food.” City of Buds and Flowers: A Poet's Eye View of Berkeley.
(Berkeley: Aldebran Review, 1977).

“An Old Poet Discusses Dying.” Anthology of the First Annual Women's Poetry Festival of San Francisco. (San Francisco: New World Collective, 1977).

“Feet.” Journal of Cultural Transformation. (Modesto, CA, 1974).

Play
"Origins of Praise." The House of Women: Women's Art and Culture in the Eighties. Sondra Hale, ed. (Long Beach: California State University at Long Beach, 1986).

“FrogWorks in Los Angeles” (chapter). Playing Democracy: International Perspectives on
Urban Community-based Performance. Susan Haedicke and Tobin Nellhouse, eds.
(University of Michigan Press, 2001).

“Earth Water Air Los Angeles: An Urban Trek to Save the Last Open Spaces” (with Jan Williamson). Organization and Environment.
(Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, September 1999).

“Evaluation and Recommendations” and “The Storytellers Film” Edgy Storytellers: A Film Companion and Theatre Workbook. Susan Vaneta Mason and Eugene van Erven, eds. (Houghten, The Netherlands: Atalanta Publishers in collaboration with International Drama/Theatre Education Association (IDEA), 1997).

“Dynamic Exhibition: Making Theatre in Museums” (chapter). Redefining Archaeology: Feminist Perspectives. Anthea Burdock, ed. (Canberra: Australian National University Press, 1998).

“Two Successes” My Eyes All Out of Breath: Statewide Anthology of California Poets in the Schools. Gail Newman and John Oliver Simon, eds. (San Francisco: California Poets in the Schools Publications, 1981).

"Women's Theatre - Creating Our Dream Now" (chapter). Women's Culture: The Women's Renaissance of the Seventies. Gayle Kimball, ed. (Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1977).

“Europeras 3 & 4” by John Cage at the Long Beach Opera, and “The Grateful Dead” in concert at the Oakland Arena. Theatre Journal (Johns Hopkins University Press, December 1994).

“Twilight: Los Angeles ” by Anna Deavere Smith at the Mark Taper Forum. Theatre Journal (Johns Hopkins University Press, March 1994).

“The Desert Music: A Live Sho” by George Coates at Performance Works. Theatre Journal (Johns Hopkins University Press, December 1993.) Published under the name Frances C. Stout.

"Ivona: Princess of Burgundia” by Witold Gombrowicz at the Odyssey Theatre Company, and "Nonoxynol-9,” a punk band at the Anti-Club. Theatre Journal
(Johns Hopkins University Press, October 1993).

“An Evening with Adrienne Rich and Mary Daly” at the College of Marin. Poetry Flash
(San Francisco, September 1977).

“This is For the World” conceived and directed by Anita Patterson at the Oakland Ensemble Theatre. Poetry Flash (San Francisco, July 1977).

“The First Annual Women's Poetry Festival of San Francisco” (with Jana Harris). Poetry Flash (San Francisco, June 1977).

“Whale Honey: A Ritual Poem Play” by Diane di Prima at Intersection. Poetry Flash
(San Francisco, October 1975).

"Express Yourself: Writing and Speaking." Everything You Need to Know to Succeed After College. Gayle Kimball, ed. (Chico, CA: Equality Press, 1993).

"Ah! Adonis" (January 1990), "On Aphrodite” (December 1989), "Gods and Goddesses-- Old Ways to New Styles” (May 1989). Sensuelle (Los Angeles: Melrose Square Publishers).

Readings

Poetry Readings at Colleges and Universities: Studio for Southern California History Symposium; Los Angeles Exhibition: The Forgotten Holocaust; UCLA-LA Poetry Festival Reading; Institute International, Madrid, Spain; Harvard University; California State University at Chico; Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley; Modesto Community College; Laney College, Oakland; California State University at Sonoma; Antelope Valley College; East Los Angeles College; Santa Monica College.

Poetry Centers and Series: Moonday: A Westside Reading, Village Books, Pacific Palisades, CA; Venice Public Library Series, Venice, CA; Intersection, San Francisco; Cody's, Berkeley; Mendocino Arts Center; Point Arena Boat House; San Francisco Women's Poetry Festival; Chico Women's Center; Weatherstone's and Poetree Series, Sacramento; Bound Together, San Francisco; Lola Montez House, Grass Valley; Grimblefinger Bookstore, Nevada City; The American Victorian Museum, Nevada City; Beat 'n Path Cafe, Hobokan, NJ; YWCA Series, Santa Cruz; cafe decadence, Modesto; Earth Day Rally, Los Angeles; Midnight Special, Santa Monica; Zachary's, Santa Cruz; Logos, Los Angeles; Moonday Series, Los Angeles, and many others.

“Art in Action for Los Angeles Wetlands.” Panel on Positive Activism: A New Approach to Saving Our Water. California Water and Waterways: Artist Intervention in Preservation, University of California at Irvine, 2000.

“FrogWorks: Saving Private Pickle Plant.” Panel on Performing Democracy: Issues Circumscribing the Theory and Practice of Community-Based Performance. American Theater in Higher Education, Washington D.C., 2000.

“Translators As Writers,” Panel on Literary Translation. PEN Salon, Los Angeles, 2000.

“Earth Water Air Los Angeles Performance Trek.” Panel on Theater As Witness. American Theater in Higher Education, San Antonio, 1998.

“FrogWorks and the Earth Water Air Los Angeles Performance Trek.” Panel on Redemption Through Nature? Notions of Authenticity and Progress in Urban and Rural Landscapes, and in the Poster Session. Second Biennial Conference of the Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment. Missoula, MT, July 1997.

“Masks in Political Street Theater.” Panel on Mask Works II: Inventive Applications of Masks in Production and Training. American Theatre In Higher Education, Chicago, 1997.

“FrogWorks In Los Angeles.” Panel on Breaking Down the Walls: Dramaturgy and Community Based Theatre. American Theatre in Higher Education. Chicago, August 1997.

“The Sacred Geography of Los Angeles.” Presentation at Knowing the Land We Live On - A Bioregional Workshop presented by The Earth Trust Foundation. Malibu, CA, 1996.

“A Bioregional Pilgrimage.” A lecture and guided tour at The Power of Place: Knowing the Land We Live On - A Bioregional Conference, presented by The Earth Trust Foundation.
Malibu, CA, 1996.

“Dynamic Exhibition: Museums, Science, Theatre.” Panel on Pictures Past and Present. Third Australian Women in Archaeology Conference. Sydney, Australia, 1995.

"Influences of Folk Drama on Modern Theatre." Panel on Folklore and the Arts at the California Folklore Society Meeting. Modesto Community College, 1986.

“The California Arts Council-National Endowment for the Arts Folk Art Residency in Oroville." Panel on Community Outreach Projects at the California Folklore Society Meeting. California State University at San Jose, 1978.

“St. Knut's Day Mumming in Finland.” Panel on European Folklore at California Folklore Society Meeting. Fresno, CA, 1975.

"Folklore in the Teaching of Drama.” Panel on Lore, The Lorist, and Turning on the Turned-Off Student at the Secondary Level at California Folklore Society Meeting. California State University at Sonoma, 1974.

Guest Lectures
“Sacred Sites/Los Angeles: A Prehistory of the City from the Big Bang to 1542;” Graduate Program in Education, Antioch College, Marina Del Rey, CA, 2000.

“American Women Writers: A Personal Anthology;” American Studies Department, University of Utrecht, Netherlands, 1999.

“Feminism, Buddhism, and The Beats.” American Studies Department, University of Utrecht, Netherlands, 1999.

“Multi-cultural Theatre in Los Angeles.” Theatre Department, University of Utrecht, Netherlands, 1998.

"A Sense of Place - Using Alternative Sites and Subjects.” Theater Department, Sarah Lawrence College, 1989.

"Interplay - A Performance Retrospective: 1977 - 88." Gender, Culture, and Religion Program, Harvard Divinity School, 1989.

"Alternatives: Site, Subject, Source." Theatre Department, Pomona College, 1986.

"The Ritual Use of Masks." Theater Department, University of Southern California, 1984.

"Women and the Creative Process." American Association of University Women (AAUW) Conference, (Grass Valley, CA), 1979.

Resident and Guest Artist
The Powerhouse Theatre, 2001. Kid Power Workshops: “Giant Puppet Making and Performing.”

North Columbia Culture Center, 2000. Lila Wallace-Readers Digest Guest Artist Series Workshop: “Nature, Politics, Performance.”

University of Judaism, 2000. Introduction to Theater Workshop: “Making and Using Masks.”

University College, University of Utrecht, Netherlands, 1999. Workshop: “Nature, Politics, Performance.”

Roosevelt High School, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001. PEN Writers in the Schools Residency and Sacred Sites/Los Angeles tours.

California State University Summer School for the Arts, 1998. Workshop: “Voices from the Outside.”

Archer School for Girls, 1998. Sacred Sites/Los Angeles workshop and tour.

PS1 Elementary School, 1993, 1995. Visiting Artist Programs: “Meeting the Land We Live On,” and “Masks!”

California State University at Northridge, 1986, 1987, 1989. Very Special Arts Festival Workshop Leader: storytelling, masks.

Santa Monica Schools Gifted and Talented Education Program (GATE), 1986-87. Visiting Artist: masks, drama, poetry.

South Pasadena City Schools California Arts Council Residency, 1985. Visiting Artist: “Making and Using Masks.”

Her Voice-Our Voices National Gathering on Women's Spirituality and Culture, 1985. Resident Artist: masks, creative writing.

UCLA ArtsReach, 1983-85. Theatre and Movement classes for disabled adults at service sites throughout Los Angeles.

Nevada County Community Workshop, 1981-82. Resident Artist: poetry, puppetry, theater for disabled adults.

Sunflower School, (Nevada City, CA), 1981-82. Playwriting workshop for middle school students.

California Poets in the Schools, 1977-82. Poetry workshops for students and teachers (grades 1-8) at schools throughout Nevada County, CA.

Primitive Arts Institute, 1976-83. Resident Artist: masks, ceremonies, ritual drama.

Theatre Training:
Augusto Boal: Theater of the Oppressed

Jean Shelton: Method Acting

John O'Keefe: Improvisation, Kinetics

Michael Brown: Sound and Movement, Masks, Puppets

Carlo Manzonni-Clementi: Commedia dell' arte

Kate Fitzmaurice: Voice

Weist, Barron, Hill: Television, Commercials

Scot Kelman: Sound and Movement

Spoken Word Writer/Performer and Co-creator/Producer,“Sacred Wetlands Soundscape” in ”Where The River Meets the Sea,” Playa Del Rey, CA 1999. Produced by the World Festival of Sacred Music. Also at Earth Water Air Los Angeles program at Earth Day LA 2000.

Co-playwright, Performer, Co-producer, “Saving Private Pickle Plant,”1999-present. A musical comedy and satire about saving the Ballona Wetlands. Performances on the streets of Los Angeles and New York (Jan. 2000), and at schools, colleges, rallies, meetings, and clubs. Created and presented by FrogWorks. Produced by Wetlands Action Network and Theatre Flux. Web site: www.thelyp.com/frogworks.

Playwright, Performer, Co-Producer, “THE AMAZING Unveiling and Startling Origins of WETLANDS Land,” 1996-1999. A Commedia dell' arte-style satire about saving the Ballona Wetlands. Performances on the streets and at schools, colleges, universities, conferences and meetings throughout the city. Created by FrogWorks; produced by Wetlands Action Network and Theatre Flux. Web site: www.thelyp.com/frogworks.

Founder, Co-director, Performer, “Earth-Water-Air Los Angeles” (EWALA), 1997-present. An annual performance trek across Los Angeles with giant puppets, street theater, teach-ins, music, and poetry to educate people about the Los Angeles environment and its last open spaces. Website: www.thelyp.com/ewala.

Playwright, “Sacred Sites/Los Angeles,” 1992. Presented at sunset at outdoor locations near the Los Angeles River: East Los Angeles, Compton, Glendale, and Valley Colleges. Directed by Susan Mason. Post-performance audience discussions lead by community and indigenous leaders, and faculty from the University of Southern California's Geography and Los Angeles Studies departments. Produced as part of The Los Angeles Project through the California State University at Los Angeles Department of Theater Arts and Dance and Theatre Flux.

Co-Playwright, Mask and Puppet Maker, “4 Women and an Angel,” 1990. A collaboratively written play by members of the Los Angeles Theatre Center Women's Project. Toured and video taped for shelters serving homeless women and children.

Playwright, Director, “The Symphony of Giordano Bruno,” 1988. A multi-media play performed in the Santa Monica College Planetarium. Produced by Theatre Flux in association with the Santa Monica College Associated Students, Santa Monica College Extension, and the Santa Monica College Planetarium.

Co-creator, Director, Performer, “Talking to the Sun,” 1987. A participatory performance presented on a Santa Monica beach at dawn as the finale of the inaugural event ("24 Hours of Art”) of the First Los Angeles Open Festival; produced by Theatre Flux in association with the festival.

Playwright, Performer, “Sacred Sites/Santa Monica,” 1986-87. Performed at the Santa Monica Pier, Palisades Park, for the Santa Monica schools, and at Santa Monica College. A Theatre Flux production in association with the City of Santa Monica, the Santa Monica Schools, and the Santa Monica College Associated Students.

Playwright, Director, “SKINS: A Women's Mystery Play,” 1985. Performed in the windows of a lingerie store, Playmates of Hollywood, on Hollywood Boulevard. A Theatre Flux production with Playmates of Hollywood.

Creator, Director, “Light/Shadow Reaping,” 1985. A participatory masked performance for the Summer Solstice commissioned by Women's Alliance. Performed outdoors by participants in the Her Voice-Our Voices Women's Camp, Nevada City, CA, 1985.

Playwright, Director, Actor, “Brothers and Sisters,” a masked play for children. Performed for the Los Angeles County Schools 1983; Target LA Festival 1984; LA Street Scene, 1984. Produced by Theatre Flux.

Director, “They Say the War Ended in 1945 But it Lives on in Me,” (a performance by Sharon Kagan), 1984. Presented outdoors in Joshua Tree State Park and various Los Angeles locations.

Playwright, Performer, “Origins of Praise.” A one-woman performance premiered at the Manhattan Theatre Club's Writers' in Performance Series, 1982. Also performed at Harvard University, 1982; Northern California Tour, 1982; The House of Women: National Conference on Women's Art and Culture at California State University at Long Beach, 1983; UCLA Graduate Forum in Theater, 1984; California Institute of the Arts, 1985; Perf 4 series of Pipeline Productions, Boyd St. Theatre, 1985; Pomona College Theatre Dept., 1986. Featured on “Arts Alive,” KVIE-TV Sacramento.

Assistant Director, Storyteller, “Beauty and the Beast,” 1984. A puppet show performed by disabled adults in collaboration with women inmates of California correction facilities, at the Santa Monica Center for UCLA ArtsReach.

Director, Co-Playwright (with the performers), Storyteller, “A Love and Sad Story,” 1983. Performed outdoors and on tour by disabled adults, at the Pacoima Center for UCLA ArtsReach. Featured on the CBS Evening News.

Director, Co-creator (with the performers), Mistress of Ceremonies, “Lillian: The Story of my Life--A Masked Cabaret,” 1982. Performed in the cabaret of the Holbrooke Hotel by able and disabled adults from The Nevada County Community Workshop, and the community. Featured on “Arts Alive,” KVIE-TV, Sacramento.

Director, Co-Creator (with the performers), Ringmaster, “The Barney Go Bill Whirling Circus,” 1981. Created and performed by able and disabled adults at the Nevada County Community Workshop.

Co-Playwright, Performer, “Bawdy Suite-Sweet Body,” 1978. A collaboratively createdmulti-media performance piece, produced in Santa Cruz, CA, by Broken Angel Revue.

Playwright, Co-Director, Actor, “Seed to Snow - Plays for the Seasons,” 1978-1981. A four-part cycle of plays performed at outdoor sites (bars, streets, apple orchards, colleges, hilltops) at specific times of day: "Old Woman in the Snow," "Marriage of the Blue Planet,” “Play for the Moon,” "Seed Pulse." Nevada City and Northern CA tours. Produced by DramaWing.

Co-Creator, Actor, “Street Play,” 1982. Masked street theater. Nevada City, CA. Produced by DramaWing.

Co-playwright/Adapter (with the ensemble), Performer, “Antigone Prism,” 1977. One of the first women's theater pieces presented in the San Francisco Bay area. Produced by the Berkeley Stage Company.

Stage:
Numerous roles including: Rossignol, “Marat/ Sade” (Modesto, CA, 1973); Hayakuma Yamamba, “Yamamba” (Nevada City, CA, 1982); Marianna Splendorek, “They” (Los Angeles 1987).

Voice Over:
“The Stage is A Village” documentary film in conjunction with Community Theatre: Global Perspectives by Eugene van Erven. (London: Routledge, 2001).

“A Love and Sad Story” documentary, produced by UCLA ArtsReach.

“The El Camino Ranch" and others for Mercedes Maharis Productions, Los Angeles.

Film and Video :
Cindy, "Pauline and the Mysterious Pervert” Shameless Hussy Films. Alta, Director.

Malika, “Lakme," Objectif Productions, Jean Claude Dercle, Director.

Eva, “Witch and Prostitute" Dream Vision Productions, Ana Penido, Director.

Radio Interviews, Readings, Performances:
Interview (Wisdom of the East chosen as a premium) on “The Morning Show.” 2002, KPFA.

Interview about Wisdom of the East on “Book Town.” 2002. KVMR.

Interviews about EWALA on “Up for Air.” 1998, 1999. KPFK.

Interview and excerpts, "Talking to the Sun.” KCRW.

Interview and excerpts, “Sacred Sites/Santa Monica.” KCRW.

Broadcast with interview, "Origins of Praise.” WNYC, WBAI, NPR.

Broadcast lecture, "What is a Ritual?" KUSP.

Poetry Readings: KPFK, KVMR, KJAZ, KUSP.

Director, adaptation of American Buffalo by D. Mamet. KVMR.

Host, "A Woman's Place Radio Hour." Interviews, radio drama, news, readings. KVMR, 1979-80.

Actor, “The Diaries of Anais Nin.” I-Thou Theatre. NPR.

Co-director (with Gillian Hodge), Simple Path--Arts for the Disabled, 1982-89. Designed, scheduled, and presented workshops in performing arts and poetry for the disabled to hospitals, schools, colleges, and centers serving the disabled. Clients included Orange County School District; Los Angeles County School District; California State University at Northridge; Lanterman State Hospital.

Co-Producer, Nevada County Community Workshop Theatre Projects, 1981-82. Conceived, created, and directed productions involving 20-30 client performers, 10-18 staff and volunteers. Coordinated documentation.

Production Associate, Original Face Video, 1981-82. Text preparation for video scripts and publicity.

Artistic Director, DramaWing of the Primitive Arts Institute, 1978-1982. Produced experimental theater and poetry programs, radio shows, workshops, and presented touring groups.

Co-founder and Director of the Primitive Arts Institute, Nevada City, CA, 1976-1982. Recipient of three California Arts Council grants. Designed and administered weeklong camps, workshops, and other programs about primitive arts and culture. Grant writing. Created audio-visual and written documentation for the California Arts Council.

North Sierra Regional Coordinator, California Poets in the Schools, 1978-82. Raised matching funds locally; expanded program from one school to eight; organized student readings for the public in conjunction with local organizations; published student anthology; publicity; public relations.

Founding Director, Nevada County Arts Council, Grass Valley, CA, 1978. Program development, public relations, publicity, grant writing, site development.

Director, Folk Art Week, Pleasant Ridge School, Grass Valley, CA, 1978. Designed and administered a ten-day model program for over two hundred students, involving twenty-one teachers, plus parents and volunteers, and six guest artists. Prepared visual and written documentation for the school district.

Folklorist, Folk Artists in the Schools Model Residency, Oroville Joint Union High School District, 1975-77. A joint California Arts Council-National Endowment for the Arts Folk Art Program designed as a national model. Administered a Visiting Folk Artists Series featuring artists from the major ethnic groups in the area; served as liaison and created and presented written and audio-visual documentation to the California Arts Council.

Fund for the Environment, Excellence Award for FrogWorks, 2003

The Puffin Foundation, for work with FrogWorks, 2000.

Co-director of EWALA: Grants from the Nathan Cummings Foundation, Southern California War Resisters League, the Sierra Club, Save Open Space Foundation, Earthways Foundation, 1998-2000.

International Exchange Artist Award and residency in the Netherlands, for “Sacred Sites/Los Angeles” from the 18th Street Arts Complex, Santa Monica, CA, 1998.

Commission, through the Ford Foundation as part of California State University at Los Angeles' Los Angeles Project for “Sacred Sites/Los Angeles,” 1995.

Member, Los Angeles Theatre Center's Women's Project, 1986-1991.

The Santa Monica Art Commission and Santa Monica Art Foundation as well as private funding, for “Sacred Sites/Santa Monica,” 1986.

California Arts Council as resident artist, mask maker (part of a multi-artist program), South Pasadena Schools, 1985.

The California Arts Council as resident artist, as part of the UCLA ArtsReach multi-artist program, 1983-85.

Commission, Manhattan Theater Project's Writers-In-Performance series
for “Origins of Praise,” 1982.

Mortimer Fleishhacker Foundation grant, for work as North Sierra Regional Coordinator, California Poets in the Schools, 1981.

The California Arts Council as artist and co-director of the Primitive Arts Institute,
1976, 1979, 1980.

The California Arts Council, as poet/playwright for the inter-disciplinary, multi-media performance, “Bawdy Suite-Sweet Body,” 1978.

The California Arts Council/National Endowment for the Arts Folk Art Program, to create a Visiting Folk Artist Series for the Folk Artists in the Schools State and National Model Residency in the Oroville High School District, to serve as project liaison to the California Arts Council, and to produce audio-visual documentation of the project.

Finnish Government Research Grant: Finnish Mumming Plays, 1972-73.

University of Arizona Folk Culture Institute/National Endowment for the Humanities Grant, 1971.

University of Kent Research Grant, 1970.

Professional Associations
PEN

Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment

American Theater in Higher Education

Public Service
Board member, Buddhist Peace Fellowship, 2007-2010.

Management Committee, Sierra Club Wetlands Restoration Task Force, 2005-present.

Treasurer, Sierra Club Ballona Wetlands Taskforce, 2002-2005.

Board of Directors, Wetlands Action Network, 1999-present.

Member, (Theatre Flux) Citizens United to Save ALL of Ballona (CUSAB), 1997-2002.

Co-Founder and Co-chair: Friends of 11th Street Neighborhood Association, 1999-2004.

Member, Board of Directors, Mid-City Neighbors, a non-profit neighborhood organization,

1989-1991.

Founding Member, Santa Monica Preservation Alliance, 1989-1991.

Member, Committee to Save Sa'anga (a Native American archeological site), 1988-90.