An artist with a passion for telling tales in "Speaking of Stories." by Marsha Graham

IT WAS THE LOVE OF A MAN THAT BROUGHT KARIN delaPeña to Santa Barbara…but an entirely different love that caused her to stay. Having experienced a labyrinth of career changes that seemingly had no pertinent connection to one another, delaPeña has finally found something into which she can pour her heart and soul. As artistic director of "Speaking of Stories," director of "Word Up!," an outreach literacy program (in conjunction with Speaking of Stories), and producer/director of Panto Productions, she is, as only a Californian could say, "in the flow of her life." And it has taken almost half her life to get here. Born and raised in England by her stage mother and aunt, delaPeña was a stage actress from the age of eight. She was 21 when she "escaped" to the United States, where she ultimately earned her BA and master's degrees in social work/psychology from SUNY and Hunter College in New York. delaPeña opened a private practice and, ironically, while living in a city known for its theatre, she found herself completely separated from her early acting roots. Just when the isolation of private practice began taking its toll, delaPeña's significant other beckoned her to move to Santa Barbara- a move that would prove disappointing in her personal life, but fortuitous for her career. Shortly after earning her California license in social work, she was hired by Santa Barbara Mental Health. She also continued with her creative writing. Back to Top While attending a writer's conference in 1995, there was a buzz about a new happening in town. Lawyer/writer Steve Gilbar had started something called "Speaking of Stories" at a Santa Barbara theatre; a series of short stories read to a live audience by professional actors, inspired by and modeled on the well-loved National Public Radio program "Selected Shorts." Enchanted by these intimate readings, delaPeña's love of acting and performing began stirring again. That piece of her life had not gone away at all; it had only been in hibernation. Her break came when an actor dropped out and she was invited to read. It wasn't long before delaPeña discovered that she had more to give to this new endeavor and wanted a broader role in the "Speaking of Stories" organization. Since then, she has become the artistic director, and for the past six years she and Gilbar have worked closely together entertaining and enthralling ever-growing audiences, making "Speaking of Stories" an indelible part of Santa Barbara's cultural tapestry. "Karin was born to do this," Gilbar says. "She really has a passion for stories and is able to communicate that passion to others." Every performance features four short stories, including one comedy. Featured works by authors like Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Neruda, Truman Capote and Garrison Keillor are often read by celebrities. Fannie Flagg has brought her lyrical voice to the Lobero Stage, as well as Jane Seymour, Jeff Bridges, Elliot Gould and others. What used to be the best-kept secret in town is now a community hot ticket. Educational outreach is also very important to delaPeña. In service to her community she's developed a program called "Word up!," helping young people comprehend great works of literature by learning to annotate text through an intensive form of recital. And delaPeña doesn't stop there. Her excitement grows as she describes her latest endeavor...Panto. Back to Top By definition, Panto is a British holiday entertainment ritual with a special appeal for family audiences, captivating adults and children of all ages. These irreverent retellings of familiar fairy tales are complete with dancing and song, plenty of puns-visual and verbal- and lots of audience interaction. In its second season, Panto Productions, with the Lobero Theatre Foundation, has awakened Santa Barbara to a holiday tradition certain to please. delaPeña encourages local high school students to audition, creating a mix of enthusiastic beginners with seasoned professionals. It's great fun, noisy and raucous, and full of surprises. There's Dame, the comic female character, always played by a man. The principal boy? Of course, played by a woman... last year performed by delaPeña herself when she had to step in at the last moment for her ailing headliner. delaPeña's passion for literature, theatre and social work have all come together in a way she never would have imagined, and the residents of Santa Barbara are the lucky recipients of this fascinating woman's life journey. Marsha Graham is an LA-based freelance writer.

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