As actor and playwright Arlene views her solo work as an artistic extension of the social justice work she has been committed to for the last twenty years. She has been performing her five critically acclaimed solo shows, about her experiences growing up a hearing daughter in a Deaf family & culture, in theaters and colleges across the country: Her solo work has been honored with a 3 Arts nomination, Garland Award and nominations for a LA Weekly Award and LA Theatre Ovation award. In addition to her TV and film work, Arlene has taught writing and solo writing at the College of the Canyons and in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco as well as at Chicago Dramatists. As a spoken word artist she has performed at Victory Gardens Biograph, 2nd Story, Funky Tuesday in Chicago and Tasty Words, Word-a-rama, Word Nerd, and Sit and Spin in Los Angeles. She also produces a groovy spoken word salon called Speak Easy-Speak Hard. She has been a contributing writer for Selling Lemonade for Free and The Week Behind. She is a resident playwright at Chicago Dramatists and Artist in Residence with the 2011 Quad City's Arts Program. Her newest play Aiming For Sainthood will be produced by Victory Gardens Fall of 2010.