Los Angeles, CA | May 19, 2023. On Thursday March 9^th, author Esther Pearlman's first play Re-Inventing Me premiered at the WhiteFire Theatre to a full audience. After writing 11 books by the age of 83, Pearlman decided to turn to playwriting as her next creative challenge. She was thrilled when her show was accepted as part of SoloFest, one of the largest one-person play festivals in the country. Now the theatre has made the play available to stream On Demand on its website, www.whitefirethreare.com.

"How beautiful it is to be any human at any age to have your life story up there on the stage," commented Lisa Gold, a business coach who had encouraged Pearlman to try playwrighting. "I was a little worried whether it would really happen, but Esther did it all."

The play starts with Esther's early life. She grew up poor in Southwest Los Angeles, wearing homemade clothes classmates made fun of, while her family struggled to live on limited funds. The "No Jews or Blacks" sign posted on the front yard of her neighbor's boarding house didn't help this little Jewish girl's self-esteem. But friendship did… Enter Kelly, whose adventurous spirit and courage helped Esther find her way to a life of Re-invention. As the play progresses, we experience the various identities Esther moves through in an attempt to find herself.

In interviews with attendees after the show, time and time again there was praise for the play and for the performance of actress Laurie Wardell. "I was amazed," said Phillip Erasin. "To be able to remember all those lines, and to make it look so effortless for over an hour. I think she really captured the essence of Esther and her life."

A word that came up about Esther's story repeatedly was "Inspiring." Here's how Gold described the takeaway: "I've got a lot of 80s ladies that I am coaching, who want something more in life," she noted. "The fact that I sat in the audience tonight and watched the culmination of Esther's work, her writing, her casting, her life, her enthusiasm, it just makes me want to be her when I grow up."

One of Esther's successful Re-inventions is as a visual artist. The playful and colorful artwork of Esther Pearlman is featured in many of the backdrops in the play.

To stream the touching and amusing play "Re-Inventing Me," go to www.whitefiretheatre.com, click on "On Demand Viewing" from the menu on the main page, then on the icon for the show on the lower right on the next page.  

"Regarding the play's theme of Re-invention, I can see that I learned something from every evolution," remarked Esther. "It's never too late, or too early, to re-invent yourself."

Playwright / Co-Director / Producer Esther Pearlman

Esther Pearlman enjoys art and finds it to be fun. In addition to oils, watercolor and collage, she has been very involved in doing black ink and Japanese Washi tape artwork. She has produced over 1200 pictures with this process. Venues where her art has been shown include the Lark Gallery, Izen Miller Gallery, Neutra Institute Gallery, Loveland Museum Gallery, Blue 7 Art Gallery, and bG Gallery. She also loves to write. Her latest book is Looking at the Bright Side, Mostly. Three of her earlier works are It's Not Easy Being a Woman, Volumes I, II and III. Her book, A Face Is a Face Is a Face, features her Japanese Washi tape portraits. Esther has been happily married to a highly successful pharmacist for many years. He is now retired. She and her husband, Marty, have three children – two sons and a daughter – and two grandchildren, a boy and a girl. She loves being a wife, mother and grandmother too. See A Face Is a Face Is a Face for a book of her art. www.estherpearlman.com

Actress Laurie Wardell

Laurie Wardell is a native of Fort Worth, Texas, currently residing in Crestline, California. She has always been driven to the fine art of storytelling. Laurie studied acting with actor Grant James (Tombstone) and she has an extensive dance background with an emphasis in ballet in which she studied at Gayle Corkery School of Ballet. She has thrived in the roles of Libby Ruth in Always a Bridesmaid, Mrs. Starr in A Laura Ingalls Wilder Christmas, Anne Boleyn in Henry VIII, and Pam McHugh in A Gift to Remember. She is an accomplished singer/songwriter of folk, jazz and rock music, who is currently performing at various engagements in Southern California, having recently performed at a Lake Arrowhead Historical Society charity event. Her song "Shades of You" (written and performed by Laurie) plays as she bows and over the credits.  https://www.backstage.com/u/laurie-wardell/

Solo Coach / Producer Jessica Lynn Johnson

Jessica Lynn Johnson, recipient of the Best National Solo Artist Award, is the Founder & CEO of Soaring Solo LLC, a company dedicated solely to the Direction and Development of one person plays. Jessica is passionate about the transformational power of solo theater and has aided in the creation of over 100 solo shows (and still going strong)! As a published playwright and performer, Jessica has "edu-tained" international audiences touring her own one person shows ZE and Oblivious to Everyone for over 13 years. www.soaringsolostudios.com/

Co-Director / Producer Robin Quinn

Robin Quinn is a writing coach and book editor who makes her nest in Los Angeles. During her 30+ years in the book business, she has edited over 300 books – specializing in memoir, spirituality, health and self-help. She has also written 10 scripts which were produced for children's TV, including for such shows as Mighty Max and Bump in the Night. Robin has worked closely with Esther on her books for many years, and she enjoyed the process of working in this new medium of plays as Esther's writing coach and more.

www.writingandediting.biz