Presents It s Just My Life

Conceived and Directed by

Kathleen Rubin

It’s Just My Life

It’s Just My Life Productions and Shiny Shoes Limited

Presents

Producers

Kathleen Rubin

Steven Bray

Original Song “All New to Me”

(It’s Just My Life Theme Song)

and Sound Design

Phoebe Carter

Graphic Design and Promotion

Steven Bray

www.its-just-my-life.com

June 4th Storytellers in order of appearance

Jule Rotenberg …………...……… Kicks with Carla

Phoebe Carter …………………………………… Bob

Sunita Param-Olazabal …….….. Esperanza: Hope

Jacquelyn Levy ……………………...…….. I’m Here

Gaye Lowenstein ………………….Gay with an “e”

Shari Walker ……………….. Bio Mom, Heart Mom

Kathleen Rubin …………...……………….…… Fifty

Jody Vaclav ……………………….………… Beauty

June 8th Storytellers In order of appearance

Kelly Meyersfield……………….… Baby! Oh, Baby!

Nadine Khouri …………….……....……. Travelodge

Sunita Param-Olazabal ……..…. Esperanza: Hope

Jacquelyn Levy ……………………………. I’m Here

Jody Vaclav ………………..….…..……..……Beauty

Shari Walker ……….……….. Bio Mom, Heart Mom

Kathleen Rubin ……………..………...…………Fifty

Keli Daniels …………….............……… Time to Fly

MUSICAL SELECTIONS

“All New To Me” - Original Song by Phoebe Carter

Mary Coppin, vocals/Steve McCormick, guitar/Jennifer Richardson, cello

“I Won’t Mind”

Music by Jeff Blumenkrantz / Lyrics by Annie Kessler & Libby Saines

“I’m Here”

from The Color Purple by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis & Stephen Bray

“Fly Away”

Original song by Kyle Puccia / Elysa Gomez, vocals

ARTISTS

SPECIAL THANKS

www.nicktorenphotography.com Toni Tinkelman

Amber Bruegel and the Lounge Theatre Staff

Jody Vaclav is a native of Colorado; came to California after earning a Neuro-Psychology degree and worked at UCLA’s Neuro-Psychiatric Research Institute. Her other jobs: Power Engineer, Log Home Contractor, Assistant Art Director on Wheel of Fortune. She wrote and performs in her show: Inside Out, a One-Person Show in Two Persons.

Shari Walker entered the foster care system at 14. She graduated from CSU Northridge and recently entered her first year at USC in the MSW program. Her hope is to use her social work degree to write for television. Prior to USC, she worked in Social Services for the Department of Children and Family Services for Los Angeles County.

Steven Bray/Shiny Shoes Limited is proud to co-produce It’s Just My Life. I have never seen a show so unique; with such a surprising, lasting impact on audiences. When I first saw the show, I knew I had to be involved. Soul-baring storytelling is what the theater is all about. Thank you for sharing in the experience. I hope you also leave inspired.

ARTISTS

Gaye Lowenstein was born and raised in New Jersey. She moved to Napa, CA after college in the mid-80s to work in the wine industry. A couple of years later she again moved, but this time to Los Angeles to pursue a career in financial services. Her passion is educating peo-ple about wealth so they can become financially secure.

Dawn Medina began in entertainment at the age of 4 as a figure skater. She debuted as a Lollipop Kid in Wizard of Oz on Ice, where she fell, cried, and peed during the performance. Things have gotten better since then. She has been a part of many productions, both on land and ice, without an accident. Thanks to Kathy, love to AD.

Kelly Meyersfield is thrilled to be part of this cast of talented women. Recently, she was seen wooing Will Arnett on The Gong Show. She also tours with husband, comedian Evan Wecksell in their two-person original show, College The Musical: A Musical About College. But her favorite role is mom to 6-year-old Beckett Sage.

Kathleen Rubin first sang opera in NY and Italy before becoming a vocal instructor for 20+ years. After singing, she discovered a passion for directing which led to It’s Just My Life. The Downtown Women’s Center hosted a performance in May. To learn about future shows, sub-scribe to notifications at www.its-just-my-life.com.

Jule Rotenberg is a multi-talented artist. She studied dance, but a back injury forced a change to sculpture. Today, she is an exhibited, collected sculptor of figura-tive bronze sculptures with works in private collections in London, Los Angeles, and Osaka. She has a two-year-old that keeps her tired and searching for more time.

Sunita Param-Olazabal holds a degree in music from the Boston Conservatory of Music. After traveling the world and singing aboard the QEII, she worked as an actress in TV, Theatre, and Film and continues to do so. She is a private piano teacher to more than 30 students in Los Angeles.

June 17th Storytellers in order of appearance

Kelly Meyersfield………...….…… Baby! Oh, Baby!

Phoebe Carter ………………………...….………Bob

Jody Vaclav ……………...………..….…....... Beauty

Ali Deyer/Dawn Medina ……….….… Matilda Bean

and the Clock

Kathleen Rubin …………….……………………Fifty

Shari Walker ….….......….… Bio Mom, Heart Mom

Mary Kincaid ………………..…...…...…… The Blob

Jacquelyn Levy ………………....……..….. I’m Here

June 21st Storytellers In order of appearance

Jule Rotenberg …………...……… Kicks with Carla

Nadine Khouri …………………….……. Travelodge

Jody Vaclav …………………….…………..… Beauty

Ali Deyer/Dawn Medina ……….……. Matilda Bean

and the Clock

Kathleen Rubin ……………………...…….….… Fifty

Keli Daniels ……………...........……...… Time to Fly

Mary Kincaid ……….…….……….……..….The Blob

Jacquelyn Levy ………..……...….…...…… I’m Here

FROM THE DIRECTOR

It’s Just My Life came into being because of a personal experience I

had nine years ago. I was so devastated by it that for the first time in

my life I felt compelled to write and share this story, something I’d

never done before. It was a huge risk and terrifying as an artist. But I

had just turned 50 and thought, “What the hell! If not now, when?”

I presented my piece as a personal monologue in a workshop and the

response was overwhelming. The consensus was this couldn’t just be

a “class” piece. It was more than that. Well, great in theory, but daunt-

ing in reality! How could I reach a broader audience? Did I want to? I

had no interest in doing a one-woman show, so if I was going to do

anything, it had to be collabora-

tive in nature. I began asking

friends to write about the chal-

lenges they were experiencing and

that’s how we started. The conver-

sation continues to evolve, but the

one constant is the defining mo-

ment that changes the game.

Sharing stories in this day and age is more important than ever. It’s

about the shared human experience. We spend so much time

“communicating” via our devices, that we long for face-to-face inter-

action. It’s human nature to need to look someone in the eye and con-

nect, to ask them about their life, and to talk about your own. We

NEED to get back to real human connection and conversation. It’s

Just My Life is our contribution.

Recently, my 14-year-old niece saw It’s Just My Life on YouTube.

After watching it, she said it changed how she looked at people she

knew and didn’t know. She now wonders what their stories are. You

just don’t know what people have been through. At 14, she got it!

We continue to develop stories in the IJML Workshop. If you have a

story you’d like to tell, join the next workshop in September.

We all have stories. These are ours. What’s yours?

B ut I had just turned 50 and thought,

‘What the hell! If not now, when?’ ”

ARTISTS

Keli Daniels hails from the great Dairy State of Wiscon-sin. Her background in comedy and improv comes in handy with her work in TV, commercials, and theatre. She can be seen guest starring on recent episodes of Sta-tion 19, S.W.A.T., CSI Cyber, Scorpion and as a series regular on the Emmy-award-winning Zac and Mia.

Ali Deyer, of Pasadena, has always enjoyed the art of storytelling and is excited to perform at HFF18 with such talented ladies. She recently played Catherine in Proof at The Lounge; other favorite roles: Susie Monahan, Wit, New York City Woman, I Love You, Because, and the Nurse, R&J. Thank you, Kathy, and much love to DCM.

Mary Kincaid has a relationship with story that began as a little girl reading Archie comic books and Nancy Drew mysteries. Today, she consults with Fortune 500s, small businesses, non-profits, and New York Times bestselling authors who want to strategically use story to grow their brands. More at marykincaid.com.

Jacquelyn Levy is a member of Urban Arts Theater West, Open Fist Theater, and a former member of Lafayette Players West, whose production of A Slice of Life in Black, Brown, and Beige was a nominee for the NAACP Image Award. Her cabaret act was voted “Cabaret Favorite” at Long Beach Playhouse.

Nadine Khouri was born in Lebanon in the midst of the civil war, which she learned to block out by playing chess in bomb shelters and reenacting movie scenes with her girlfriends. Her family moved to the U.S. when she was 15. She is a director and producer and her new docu-mentary on Lou Gehrig's disease is touring film festivals.

Phoebe Carter has written and recorded comedy and pop music you’ve likely heard on radio, including the Dr. Demento show. Her songs have been featured on TV shows and performed in cabarets by other artists. She's done stand-up, TV audience warm-up, and wrote the theme song for It’s Just My Life.

FROM THE DIRECTOR

It’s Just My Life came into being because of a personal experience I

had nine years ago. I was so devastated by it that for the first time in

my life I felt compelled to write and share this story, something I’d

never done before. It was a huge risk and terrifying as an artist. But I

had just turned 50 and thought, “What the hell! If not now, when?”

I presented my piece as a personal monologue in a workshop and the

response was overwhelming. The consensus was this couldn’t just be

a “class” piece. It was more than that. Well, great in theory, but daunt-

ing in reality! How could I reach a broader audience? Did I want to? I

had no interest in doing a one-woman show, so if I was going to do

anything, it had to be collabora-

tive in nature. I began asking

friends to write about the chal-

lenges they were experiencing and

that’s how we started. The conver-

sation continues to evolve, but the

one constant is the defining mo-

ment that changes the game.

Sharing stories in this day and age is more important than ever. It’s

about the shared human experience. We spend so much time

“communicating” via our devices, that we long for face-to-face inter-

action. It’s human nature to need to look someone in the eye and con-

nect, to ask them about their life, and to talk about your own. We

NEED to get back to real human connection and conversation. It’s

Just My Life is our contribution.

Recently, my 14-year-old niece saw It’s Just My Life on YouTube.

After watching it, she said it changed how she looked at people she

knew and didn’t know. She now wonders what their stories are. You

just don’t know what people have been through. At 14, she got it!

We continue to develop stories in the IJML Workshop. If you have a

story you’d like to tell, join the next workshop in September.

We all have stories. These are ours. What’s yours?

B ut I had just turned 50 and thought,

‘What the hell! If not now, when?’ ”

ARTISTS

Keli Daniels hails from the great Dairy State of Wiscon-sin. Her background in comedy and improv comes in handy with her work in TV, commercials, and theatre. She can be seen guest starring on recent episodes of Sta-tion 19, S.W.A.T., CSI Cyber, Scorpion and as a series regular on the Emmy-award-winning Zac and Mia.

Ali Deyer, of Pasadena, has always enjoyed the art of storytelling and is excited to perform at HFF18 with such talented ladies. She recently played Catherine in Proof at The Lounge; other favorite roles: Susie Monahan, Wit, New York City Woman, I Love You, Because, and the Nurse, R&J. Thank you, Kathy, and much love to DCM.

Mary Kincaid has a relationship with story that began as a little girl reading Archie comic books and Nancy Drew mysteries. Today, she consults with Fortune 500s, small businesses, non-profits, and New York Times bestselling authors who want to strategically use story to grow their brands. More at marykincaid.com.

Jacquelyn Levy is a member of Urban Arts Theater West, Open Fist Theater, and a former member of Lafayette Players West, whose production of A Slice of Life in Black, Brown, and Beige was a nominee for the NAACP Image Award. Her cabaret act was voted “Cabaret Favorite” at Long Beach Playhouse.

Nadine Khouri was born in Lebanon in the midst of the civil war, which she learned to block out by playing chess in bomb shelters and reenacting movie scenes with her girlfriends. Her family moved to the U.S. when she was 15. She is a director and producer and her new docu-mentary on Lou Gehrig's disease is touring film festivals.

Phoebe Carter has written and recorded comedy and pop music you’ve likely heard on radio, including the Dr. Demento show. Her songs have been featured on TV shows and performed in cabarets by other artists. She's done stand-up, TV audience warm-up, and wrote the theme song for It’s Just My Life.

ARTISTS

Gaye Lowenstein was born and raised in New Jersey. She moved to Napa, CA after college in the mid-80s to work in the wine industry. A couple of years later she again moved, but this time to Los Angeles to pursue a career in financial services. Her passion is educating peo-ple about wealth so they can become financially secure.

Dawn Medina began in entertainment at the age of 4 as a figure skater. She debuted as a Lollipop Kid in Wizard of Oz on Ice, where she fell, cried, and peed during the performance. Things have gotten better since then. She has been a part of many productions, both on land and ice, without an accident. Thanks to Kathy, love to AD.

Kelly Meyersfield is thrilled to be part of this cast of talented women. Recently, she was seen wooing Will Arnett on The Gong Show. She also tours with husband, comedian Evan Wecksell in their two-person original show, College The Musical: A Musical About College. But her favorite role is mom to 6-year-old Beckett Sage.

Kathleen Rubin first sang opera in NY and Italy before becoming a vocal instructor for 20+ years. After singing, she discovered a passion for directing which led to It’s Just My Life. The Downtown Women’s Center hosted a performance in May. To learn about future shows, sub-scribe to notifications at www.its-just-my-life.com.

Jule Rotenberg is a multi-talented artist. She studied dance, but a back injury forced a change to sculpture. Today, she is an exhibited, collected sculptor of figura-tive bronze sculptures with works in private collections in London, Los Angeles, and Osaka. She has a two-year-old that keeps her tired and searching for more time.

Sunita Param-Olazabal holds a degree in music from the Boston Conservatory of Music. After traveling the world and singing aboard the QEII, she worked as an actress in TV, Theatre, and Film and continues to do so. She is a private piano teacher to more than 30 students in Los Angeles.

June 17th Storytellers in order of appearance

Kelly Meyersfield………...….…… Baby! Oh, Baby!

Phoebe Carter ………………………...….………Bob

Jody Vaclav ……………...………..….…....... Beauty

Ali Deyer/Dawn Medina ……….….… Matilda Bean

and the Clock

Kathleen Rubin …………….……………………Fifty

Shari Walker ….….......….… Bio Mom, Heart Mom

Mary Kincaid ………………..…...…...…… The Blob

Jacquelyn Levy ………………....……..….. I’m Here

June 21st Storytellers In order of appearance

Jule Rotenberg …………...……… Kicks with Carla

Nadine Khouri …………………….……. Travelodge

Jody Vaclav …………………….…………..… Beauty

Ali Deyer/Dawn Medina ……….……. Matilda Bean

and the Clock

Kathleen Rubin ……………………...…….….… Fifty

Keli Daniels ……………...........……...… Time to Fly

Mary Kincaid ……….…….……….……..….The Blob

Jacquelyn Levy ………..……...….…...…… I’m Here

June 4th Storytellers in order of appearance

Jule Rotenberg …………...……… Kicks with Carla

Phoebe Carter …………………………………… Bob

Sunita Param-Olazabal …….….. Esperanza: Hope

Jacquelyn Levy ……………………...…….. I’m Here

Gaye Lowenstein ………………….Gay with an “e”

Shari Walker ……………….. Bio Mom, Heart Mom

Kathleen Rubin …………...……………….…… Fifty

Jody Vaclav ……………………….………… Beauty

June 8th Storytellers In order of appearance

Kelly Meyersfield……………….… Baby! Oh, Baby!

Nadine Khouri …………….……....……. Travelodge

Sunita Param-Olazabal ……..…. Esperanza: Hope

Jacquelyn Levy ……………………………. I’m Here

Jody Vaclav ………………..….…..……..……Beauty

Shari Walker ……….……….. Bio Mom, Heart Mom

Kathleen Rubin ……………..………...…………Fifty

Keli Daniels …………….............……… Time to Fly

MUSICAL SELECTIONS

“All New To Me” - Original Song by Phoebe Carter

Mary Coppin, vocals/Steve McCormick, guitar/Jennifer Richardson, cello

“I Won’t Mind”

Music by Jeff Blumenkrantz / Lyrics by Annie Kessler & Libby Saines

“I’m Here”

from The Color Purple by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis & Stephen Bray

“Fly Away”

Original song by Kyle Puccia / Elysa Gomez, vocals

ARTISTS

SPECIAL THANKS

www.nicktorenphotography.com Toni Tinkelman

Amber Bruegel and the Lounge Theatre Staff

Jody Vaclav is a native of Colorado; came to California after earning a Neuro-Psychology degree and worked at UCLA’s Neuro-Psychiatric Research Institute. Her other jobs: Power Engineer, Log Home Contractor, Assistant Art Director on Wheel of Fortune. She wrote and performs in her show: Inside Out, a One-Person Show in Two Persons.

Shari Walker entered the foster care system at 14. She graduated from CSU Northridge and recently entered her first year at USC in the MSW program. Her hope is to use her social work degree to write for television. Prior to USC, she worked in Social Services for the Department of Children and Family Services for Los Angeles County.

Steven Bray/Shiny Shoes Limited is proud to co-produce It’s Just My Life. I have never seen a show so unique; with such a surprising, lasting impact on audiences. When I first saw the show, I knew I had to be involved. Soul-baring storytelling is what the theater is all about. Thank you for sharing in the experience. I hope you also leave inspired.

Conceived and Directed by

Kathleen Rubin

It’s Just My Life

It’s Just My Life Productions and Shiny Shoes Limited

Presents

Producers

Kathleen Rubin

Steven Bray

Original Song “All New to Me”

(It’s Just My Life Theme Song)

and Sound Design

Phoebe Carter

Graphic Design and Promotion

Steven Bray

www.its-just-my-life.com