Biography

I am an actress/writer born and raised in New York City and am the daughter of the Abstract Expressionist painter, Sal Sirugo.  I began performing and dancing at the age of 7.  I got my start in theater as a child performing alongside Kevin Kline in the musical Dance On A Country Grave at the Hudson Guild Theatre. During a performance, I  was discovered by Herbert Berghof who gave me a full scholarship to study at HB Studio for three years. Subsequently, I was cast in several productions at the HB Playwrights Foundation including The Smile of the Cardboard Man directed by Herbert Berghof, with James Broderick and Dina Merrill; Horton Foote’s Nineteen Eighteen with James Broderick and Hallie Foote; Horton Foote’s Arrival and Departure, in which I played the lead. 

As an adult, I have performed on the stage both Off-Broadway and Off Off Broadway with various theatre companies including Hypothetical Theatre Company and Waterfront Ensemble.  With 29th Street Rep., I performed the female lead in Charles Willeford’s 1950’s play, High Priest of California, which The New York Times’ named as a top-ten pick for best play revival. The show received rave reviews from The New York Times,The New Yorker and Time Out. 

I have also done extensive work, and received rave review in Canada where, for the past several years, I have toured the International Fringe Festival Circuit.  I performed, as well as, wrote and produced.  My comedy, This Town, won the Media Choice Award for best play and was a top-ten pick by CBC Radio.  I also performed and wrote my first solo show, Carry's Nation, based on the life of the controversial prohibitionist Carry A. Nation. After touring, the show was produced in New York as part of Manhattan Theatre Sources Estrogenius "Solo Voce" festival.  

I am a quirky character and physical comedienne.  I recently performed in the Commedia dell'Arte play, Rat Bastards, at Dixon Place and the physical comedy piece, Misery in B Flat, at Galapagos Art Space.  I have studied physical comedy with David Shiner, Jango Edwards, Kenny Raskin and witht the NY Goofs.  I have studied Commedia dell'Arte with Antonio Fava.  I am currently studying physical comedy/mime with Gregg Goldston.  I study East Coast Swing Dance at Dance Manhattan.  I dance the Lindy Hop and Balboa. I am a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College (BA) and Laguardia High School of Music & Art & the Performing Arts.  I also studied at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center-- National Institute Program and took there summer program at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London and at Dublin's Trinity College.

I co-wrote and star in the indie comedy feature film, Creating Karma.  Also,  I recently worked on the Buster Kenton-esqe comedy short, The Ridiculous Romantic.