Literary Associate Joan Cummins on the woman who inspires her:
The woman who inspires me most right now in the theatre field is Monica Payne, a graduate student in directing here at UCLA. Intelligent, unafraid to stand up for herself, driven, and downright fiery, Monica makes me wish I had such steel in me. I really admire her ability to continue working until she gets what she needs, whether it's out of a curriculum that can be overly rigid, out of the production manager who insists there isn't space to do a pre-show warmup, or out of actors who are young and struggling. But within all that strength, there is a beautiful glowing heart, which leaves tendrils of light on those she connects to. She cares deeply for her actors, for her show, and for those around her. She offered to help me through difficulties I'm currently having with the curriculum, extending a hand of care and friendship which has been extremely valuable to my psyche, if nothing else.There is such grace within her, accompanied with such strength. She is also immeasurably talented as an artist, and I look up to her as a model for being a woman in the arts who can create, and do so successfully, with passion, confidence, and drive. Monica is the kind of woman that makes womanhood worth celebrating.
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