I was born in Minnesota, and moved to Oregon when I was eight. This is where I grew up. I lived in many places all over the U.S. as a young adult as my engineer husband traveled with his work. We raised two children. In 1976 we divorced and I returned to Oregon and have lived here ever since.

I have minimal theater experience, but singing has always been one of my passions. Another is painting. As an artist on canvas and paper, I've also taught painting for a number of years. Spiritual counseling is my profession. Encore is the newest adventure in my life and I thoroughly enjoy it.

The gorgeous hand-painted screens that form Encore's distinctive backdrop were designed and painted by Claudia. They present several landmarks of downtown Eugene, Oregon, our hometown: the Hult Center for the Performing Arts, the historic Shelton-McMurphy-Johnson House, the train station, and Skinneršs Butte, among others.

School kids invariably ask who painted the screens and point out features they recognize, and young audience members who look closely have noticed that Encore Theatre is featured on the Hult Centeršs billboard, and that our director, Eliza Roaring Springs, can be seen walking her dog!