Lorenda Starfelt

Who was Lorenda Starfelt?

Lorenda Starfelt, who died of sarcoma, a rare form of cancer, in 2011 at the age

of 56, was a producer whose efforts in theatre and film have resulted in a

fascinating body of work. Stage productions such as the acclaimed and

internationally recognized 1997 LA presentation of Euripides' "The Bacchae"

(nominated for three LA Weekly Theatre Awards); and 2003 staging of "The Trojan

Women" (also by Euripides); Theatre of NOTE's critically acclaimed presentation

of "The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the

Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade;"

and a controversial multi-media production of Anthony Burgess' "A Clockwork

Orange" (nominated for three LA Weekly Theatre Awards, and winner of one); are

all testament to her intelligence, drive and sense of cultural necessity.

Lorenda Starfelt's film work is also noteworthy, with three feature-length

documentaries, "Sing*ularity," a film about the internationally recognized

OperaWorks training program; "The Audacity of Democracy," which covered the PUMA

movement's advocacy of Hillary Clinton during the 2008 Presidential Primary, and

a still in post-production film which examines, most ironically, the American

health care system. Dramatic feature films include a film adaptation of "The

Bacchae;" a modern adaptation of "The Merchant of Venice" entitled

"Shakespeare's Merchant;" "Schooled," a dramatic feature about alternative

education; the award winning romantic comedy "The Watermelon;" and the musical

film "Beginning Blue," now in production.

Lorenda Starfelt was born on January 11, 1955 in Belleville, IL. She and her

brother Brad were raised, in the main, by their mother Phyllis, who worked as a

nurse and suffered from mental illness. According to Starfelt, her mother hated

girls and routinely beat her. When she began high school, an attempt was made to

remove Lorenda from her mother's care, but this effort was short-lived. While

attending Belleville High School, Starfelt developed an interest in the theater,

but circumstances prevented her from pursuing that passion until much later in

life. During her senior year, Lorenda became pregnant. She gave the child - a

daughter - up for adoption. Strikingly, the adoptive mother was Lorenda's high

school drama teacher. Several years after graduating, Lorenda met and married an

engineer named William Starfelt. The difficult and short-lived marriage produced

a son, Graham, who remained under his mother's care after his parents' eventual

divorce. After a brief stay in Florida, mother and son moved to San Fransisco,

where

Lorenda quickly became involved in the political work of left-wing activist Tom

Hayden. Starfelt eventually gravitated to Los Angeles, where she began work as

an interior designer, while maintaining an interest in politics.

In the mid-nineties, she met a struggling filmmaker named Brad Mays. On the

night of their first date - at a coffee shop in Studio City - a casual mention

by Mays of his 1980 Baltimore stage production of Euripides' "The Bacchae" set

loose what was to quickly become a ferocious determination in Starfelt to

restage the production in Los Angeles. "I have lots of girl friends who love

running around naked in the woods in Topenga," she said, "and they'd all come

see it and bring their friends." In July of 1997, Lorenda's determination paid

off in a production that has since been written about the world over. The

production was originally intended as a three-week run, but wound up with a

seven week extension, receiving rave reviews and playing to packed houses.

According to Steven Leigh Morris of the LA Weekly:

"Vigorous, erotic, and ultimately haunting production of Euripides' massive

play...There is much to be said for this production, particularly as regards the

unsullied motives of his creation. This is no industry showcase (unless, of

course, these people are completely out of their minds). In the best tradition

of ensemble work,...

Famous Quotes:

• Mom. Wife. Filmmaker. Dog lover. Happy. What else is there?