Diana Brown and Susan Jackson met back in the mid-eighties at City College of SF, where Susan directed Diana in GRACELAND, a play about the opening of Elvis Presley's home to the public. That must have been when the seed was planted to produce plays with Southern themes and characters! Since then, we have gone on (our separate ways), to produce, act, direct, write, teach, work on the wine train and do professional improv. Two years ago, we created an award winning piece, BLESSING HER HEART, which began at the Marin Fringe, went on to the SF FRINGE, and won Bay Area Theatre Critic Circle awards and nominations for best play and best actress. As a result of this successful collaboration, and with a personal appreciation of all things Southern (our roots), we decided to form a company, SOUTHERN RAILROAD--(soon to be SOUTHERN RAILROAD THEATRE COMPANY) and further our desire to fulfill the mission statement: bring to the Bay Area (and beyond!) the Southern experience, in all its pain, humor, and glory.
For us, "coming out Southern" was inevitable! Admitting to previous addictions to cigarettes, fried chicken, and being polite, even in the face of adversity!
Stacy Marshall, Adrienne Krug, and Margo Sims are also the original members of the company.
As things progressed, it was discovered that the works written by Susan were connected (check out the family tree) and the idea of a soap opera was born; eventually, we hope to have a marathon of the history of this group of people. In the meantime, check us out for further unveilings of the individuals whose heritage and legacy began during the Civil War: HEATHEN. And have some hush puppies and grits along the way....
---Susan Jackson and Diana Brown
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