Christine Louise Berry, Founding Artistic Director
Way
back in the day, before there was valet parking in Silverlake, Christine
wrote and performed a solo show called Smart Gals Are Going Places,
an homage to the “new woman” of the 1940s, riding the
Red Car and making her solitary way around post-war LA. That show
planted the seed for Smart Gals Productions, steeped in the same newfound
independent spirit. Christine
received her BA in Theater with a minor in Art History from UC San
Diego, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude, and is an MFA candidate
in Film Production at the USC School of Cinematic Arts where she was
honored with a 2007 National Association of Theater Owners Scholarship.
She has worked extensively in the Los Angeles literary scene, and
is the former Publicity Director of Book Soup Bookstore, where she
hosted one of Hunter S. Thompson’s final public appearances.
An original member of the Rachel Rosenthal Company, Christine has
been featured in the films of Babette Mangolte and Eleanor Antin.
Her last solo performance work, CUR, was directed by writer
Aimee Bender, and premiered at the Panorama in Hollywood. Next to
the care and feeding of Smart Gals, Christine is most proud of the
fact that she recently joined the ranks of the car-free. A devoted
train and bus commuter, she believes wholeheartedly in the power of
public transit to bring this city together. She hopes in her heart
of hearts that Smart Gals brings joy, intrigue and, of course, conversation
to the community. As she looks forward to a rewarding career “below
the line” as a film editor, she knows Smart Gals will keep her
above water and beyond the fray.
Shirley Anderson, Board of Directors
Well-rounded
in many ways, Shirley, a native Californian, is a writer, performer,
director, poet, comedienne, bookkeeper, legal assistant and ....single
(not looking). Her 12 years in Chicago after graduating from Northwestern
University's School of Speech in Theater yielded work with Lookingglass
Theater Company, Plasticene physical theater company, Live Bait and
extensive independent solo work (including her solo adaptations of
Dorothy Parker's "Big Blonde" and Edna Ferber's "Glamour",
both of which performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as well),
as well as an original one-act play about female body image entitled,
Sculpture in Vitro: Growing Up Female in the Age of Liposuction
which toured the Midwest to high schools, colleges and universities.
She's thrilled to be associated with Smart Gals and the ever-brilliant
Miss Berry. 
Carolyn Davidson, Web Designer
Lisa Dee, Music Programming
Claire Dunlap, Producer
Katy Hickman, Board of Directors
“And,
in this milieu of overdone caricature, Katy Hickman dares to underplay
her role as a starlet on the lam from too many “Sex Kitten”
sequels.” Written about her performance in Psycho Beach
Party, it could apply to her approach to the world around her:
outwardly serene, vigilant, and trying to find a way out.
OG Hometown: San Francisco
Current Hometown: Eagle Rock
Farthest place traveled: West: Inverness East: Macau
Favorite reviews as actress: otherworldly, funny
Favorite reviews of writing: moving, funny
Favorite evaluation as teacher: demonstrates a strong commitment to
excellent attendance
Likes: kids, nature, provocateurs
Dislikes: nincompoops, mental illness, large bureaucracies.
Plays by Katy Hickman: Meteor Girl, Layered Bob, Nomenclature,
Bright Boy: The Passion of Robert McNamara, What I Did For Art, Chillin’,
Open Enrollment, Lucky, Pity Party. Movies by Katy Hickman: Godly.
Favorite quote of the summer: " You may pleased to know that
I recently introduced the 'Long-Range Sniper Rifle Safety Act'"
from letter to Ms. Hickman from Senator Dianne Feinstein 6/25/07
Yes, Senator, she is pleased.
Sierra Pecheur, Board of Directors
Sierra Pecheur is president of the board of Smart Gals Productions.
She met Christine, creator of Smart Gals, in 1999, which began a series
galvanizing creative conversations. She became involved in Smart Gals
when asked to design a bookmark for the Speakeasy series many moons
ago.In 1967 she became an actress Off Broadway in New York
as an adjunct to being an artist. In 1973 she moved to Los Angeles
and has had an accomplished career in film and television. She has
worked with Bob Altman and Clint Eastwood. In 2004 she returned to
her roots as a sculptor devoting herself to creating an on going project
An Imagined Archeological Dig which will have its premier
exhibition at the XIEM Gallery, in Pasadena, February of 2008. She
is thrilled to be able to support and be one of the Smart Gals.
Amy Trulock, Gal Friday