Some New York City/Chicago/Los Angeles come to mind moments! At Playwrights Horizons: The talking and tapping away, Psyche, of Sigmund Freud, in of course, Sigmund. Surviving on stage with comic Jackie Mason In The Last of the Red Hot Lovers and Huntz Hall/Gabe Dell in Luv, Eunice in A Streetcar Named Desire, on stage with Gerry Paige and Rip Torn. A member of David Mamet's, St. Nicholas Theatre Co. Winning the Joseph Jefferson Award on CBS Television for Principal Actress as Bea in, View From the Bridge. The joy of being stage mom to Andy Hawkes and Johnny Clark in the VS. Theatre  Company production of True West. Television pilots and guest stars on (a lot) of comedies (ask me) and episodics. Principal role of real mom to three loving children and painter of people who are mostly naked. Looking forward to the airing of the 2nd season of Smothered playing formidable, Gena, a mafia mom. 

P.S. "Against the assault of laughter, nothing can stand." -Mark Twain

Sasha Hawkes is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California. She has been in private practice for many years and has focused on working with parents. Not too long ago Sasha decided to take a leap and sign up for a Solo Show Writing Workshop last year. Over the course of six months, Sasha wrote a complete solo show. In that time she met the wonderful Amy Marcs and they decided to create Gladiolus Media, where they will showcase true storytelling events. Sasha wants to thank her fellow women writers, for their courage and brilliance, Paul Stein for his guidance throughout this journey, Johnny Clark at VS. Theatre for his continued support and friendship, her children, Emma and Jackson, for their patience and love while their Mama decided to produce a show! Her parents and brothers for always showing up and asking how they can help, and last, but not least, to her husband, Andy, who has been her backbone and greatest supporter. 

Amy Marcs is an actress, writer, producer, and voice over artist. She is the writer and producer of the critically acclaimed autobiographical show “Nice T!ts.” which she has performed to sold out crowds at The PIT in NYC, The Project Y’s Women in theatre Festival, The Alliance for the Arts Theater Conspiracy in Fort Myers Florida, and Cape May Playhouse. In Feb 2020 right before the shutdown the Women of “Broadway’s Hadestown “performed her show to a sold-out house at The Triad Theater in NYC. Nice T!ts has partnered with Avon 39 charity, the walk to end breast cancer, Hadassah of Boston, and Breast Cancer Resource Center of Princeton. Amy has performed at regional theaters across the country, some of her favorite roles include: Gorgeous in “The Sisters Rosensweig”, Myrtle in “Kingdom of Earth”, and Lucille in ‘Gemini”. Amy was part of an iconic “Harold team” at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater In NYC. Her voice can be heard on numerous national network television, radio, and political campaigns. You can currently hear her on “Unsung,” the scripted rock and roll comedy podcast. She was a Professor of Acting at The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, for the past 14 years and recently began teaching acting at TOA in Hollywood. Amy moved to LA a year ago and is thrilled to have met Sasha Hawkes and to have created Gladiolus Media with her. Amy is so thankful to these fabulous and brave women who said yes to sharing their stories. She is also so grateful to her new LA friends, and Station House and VS. community who have helped make her feel so welcome and at home.

Robin McDonald is an actress and writer whose television credits include guest stars on Curb Your Enthusiasm, NCIS, Two Broke Girls, and Home Economics. Film credits include Lemon, directed by Janicza Bravo, and Finding Steve McQueen directed by Mark Steven Johnson. She wrote and acted in the short films, The Candidate and Smoking Wet, both earning film festival awards including Best Actress and Best Screenplay. She is honored to be appearing tonight with IRON SKIRT STORIES and dedicates her performance to her father, Bob.

Cara has been juggling motherhood, acting, certified Pilates Instructor, property management and writing in recent years. A transplanted Chicago actor she was most recently seen in the last two weekends of Vs. Theatre’s, True West and with Expressing Motherhood L.A. performing a solo piece she wrote. Other recent L.A. credits include Is He Dead? at Glendale Centre Theatre, the Ovation award winning The Boy from Oz at Celebration Theatre and at PlayGround L.A. in Hollywood. A smattering of favorite credits include: The National Tour of Into The Woods, Sight Unseen (Patricia), Three Tall Women (C), On The Verge (Fanny), Quilters, Sweeney Todd (Mrs. Lovett) & Cabaret (Frau Schneider). Cara studied at RADA, The College of William & Mary and earned an MFA in Acting from The Theatre School of DePaul University. So much gratitude for my team at home! Richard is a saint whose arms hold me, our 4 kids (from College to TK) and our doggies and kitty too! 

Karen Gutierrez is a graduate of the University of Southern California and has been working in the cultural arts for over 20 years. In addition as her role as the Director of Advertising & Audience Development at The Geffen Playhouse, Karen serves as a Board Member for VS. Theatre Company, an Advisory Board Member for Black Rebirth Collective, a Branding and Strategy Consultant for LAArtsOnline.com and an adjunct professor at CalArts for the Theatre Producing Masters Program. In 2014 Karen was recognized as a Latina in the Arts by the City of Los Angeles and councilmember 5th District, Paul Koretz and councilmember 6th District, Nury Martinez. Karen would like to express her gratitude to her husband, Andy Gutierrez, Johnny Clark, Paul Stein, the Solo Squad and motley crew of VS. Tuesday night zoom friends, every writer in each of the solo collective Saturday zoom sessions, for all of their valuable feedback, all the Geffen alums who have inspired her over the years and to her fellow, female storytellers this evening and Sasha and Amy...You're all warriors and thank you so much for inviting me to share this stage with you tonight!

Madelynn Fattibene is trying new things this year: Kohlrabi noodles (pretty good!); singing in public (did not burst into flames as anticipated) and now this. She is very grateful to Sasha & Amy for inviting her to tell her story tonight along with these remarkable women. As an actor, Madelynn played the coveted role of “Nurse” in the Untold Stories from the ER episode entitled Leg Severed by Car. (Jealous?  Don’t be – everyone knows the best episode is “Woman Stuck In Toilet.” You’ll never forget the ending.) Madelynn has also enjoyed appearing in productions through LA, most recently The Inkwell Theatre Development Lab’s, here comes the night, by Lisa Kenner Grissom. Madelynn is a member of VS Theatre Company. Many thanks to Paul for his guidance and support

After graduating from The Juilliard School of Drama, Martha performed at The O’Neill Playwrights Conference, The Public Theatre, Playwrights Horizons, The North Carolina Shakespeare Festival and The Fulton Opera House. She also did a national tour with John Houseman’s The Acting Company. In Los Angeles she appeared in some commercials and sit-coms. Martha also worked for the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association as the Coordinator of Volunteers.She has written two books, The Oxygen Mask Rule and Giving Paws, and is currently working on a third. Martha lives in Los Angeles with her husband Don, their two dogs and four quail.

Paul Stein has directed and produced world premiere plays, comedy events and solo shows in theaters and festivals across the United States, Canada, and Europe.  Mr. Stein’s staging of Leonard Nimoy’s solo play Vincent starring Jean-Michel Richaud has appeared around the world including performances at Symphony Space in New York City, Cine’ XIII in Paris, France and for UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance.  Paul directed W. Kamau Bell’s The Bell Curve: Ending Racism in About an Hour at P.S. 122 in New York and venues across the country.  He has collaborated with bilingual storyteller Antonio Sacre on five solo shows, winning festival awards in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Formerly the Executive Producer of the Comedy Central Stage, a talent development venue for Comedy Central and Viacom, Mr. Stein produced over 1,600 live shows during his tenure.  From first look showcases to in-house pilot presentations, Paul worked with such noted performers as Russell Brand, Chris Garcia, Nikki Glaser, Marc Evan Jackson, Marc Maron, Randall Park, Jill Soloway, Sarah Silverman, Daniel Tosh, Reggie Watts, and Kristina Wong, to name a few.  Additionally, Paul was a Venue Producer for HBO at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, The Comedy Festival at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, and the HBO Workspace in Hollywood.He is the creator and artistic producer of The Car Plays, an immersive site-specific event where shorts plays are performed to patrons in parked cars.  For ten years, Car Play productions have presented over 100 world premiere plays throughout Southern California. The Car Plays have been produced at the La Jolla Playhouse for WoW (Without Walls) Festivals; at Segerstrom Center’s Off-Center Festivals; and with Theatre Communications Group’s National Conference. As an instructor, he teaches playwriting, sketch comedy writing, solo performance, and technical theater production.  He has been on faculty or a guest teacher with several training programs including: The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, I.O. West, Second City Hollywood, UCB Theatre, VS. Studio, and recently with The Actors Conservatory and Kickstand Comedy

Dana Schwartz is an award winning los Angeles writer, director, actress and producer. She has directed plays around the country. As an actress she has performed all over the world. She currently Produces the MADlab New Play Development Program at Moving Arts, where she is also the Director of Programming and a company member. Her plays can be found at http://newplayexchange.org/users/19341/dana-schwartz and www.danawritesplays.com

(Lighting Designer/Technical Director) is an award winning actor/director/designer who has worked in Film, Television and Theaters across the country.