I am having a blast in rehearsals for Valerie Asbell’s short play, The Card, being produced for Chapel Theatre’s annual play festival. Portland Peeps, come to the festival if you can! https://chapeltheatremilwaukie.com/2020/12/01/chapel-theatre-co-play-festival/

This is my second rodeo with Milwaukie’s Chapel Theatre, a charming venue in an old church. The festival concept is SO cool, and all about community building. Local playwrights submit short 10-minute plays, directors apply to direct, and actors submit on-line auditions. So none of us have any idea what play we’ll be in or who we’ll be working with ahead of time. This season they accepted 10 out of 52 submitted plays.

The Card is a dark comedy about three people who work in the same office. Two blank cards are being passed around – one is a congratulatory card for a co-worker who will be leaving the office for a promotion and the other is a sympathy card for another co-worker whose mother passed away. Someone thought she was signing the congratulations card when it was actually the sympathy card, and chaos ensues.

My character, Harper, is “always happy, extremely happy, all.the.time” and therefore quite disliked. Fearless leader (and prop expert) Drew Dannhorn directs. My fellow castmates are Rhona Klein and Pam Quinlan. Rhona also wrote a play featured in the festival, and Pam is a Portland-based stand-up comedian.

The Chapel Theatre website has a full list of all the plays both evenings. If you come see The Card, hang around and say hello after the show – I’d love to see you!

After she is tragically orphaned, young Abella loses the ability to speak her truth and express herself. She is sent to live with a reclusive uncle she’s never met, and her only friend is her horse. Abella endures heartbreak, loneliness and questions who she truly is inside. Eventually, she meets friends and animals who help her not only regain her voice, but also uncover her strength and purpose. Purchase How Abella Found her Voice for $4.95 here: https://laurahandke.com/product/how-abella-found-her-voice-e-book/

Please spread the love and pass this along to a friend!

Love Your Voice & Voice Your Love,

Laura