One-woman Play, "Coming to America"

Playwright and performance artist Stephanie Satie will perform her one-woman play, "Coming to America," at the South Pasadena Public Library Community Room.

The play takes the audience on a journey into the lives of nine women of different ages, religions, and countries of origin. Satie moves seamlessly from one character to another with accurate accents and physical demeanors. The one-woman show reveals a group of women who become transformed, first by extraordinary events in their countries of birth, and then by their responses to America. In the play, Satie creates portraits of women from El Salvador, Afghanistan, Cambodia, India, Iran, Iraq, Russia, and Serbia –and then reveals the reinvention of their lives in Southern California, their adopted home. 

Stephanie teaches literature and writing at Cal State, Northridge, and her experience teaching ESL (English-As-A-Second-Language) inspired her to write the play.

"The current issues facing immigrants coming to America have such importance and relevance for all of us living in the U.S.," Satie said. "The play reveals the struggles of immigrants to fit in and live peaceably here. Many audience members have shed tears but still a lot of laughter has been heard during the performances."

The free program is presented by the South Pasadena Public Library, the Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library, and the Woman's Club of South Pasadena.