TANIA ISRAEL is an occasional playwright, irrepressible lyricist, and energetic stage presence.  She started her acting career as Oral J. Hygiene in Venable Elementary School’s 1973 production of Trouble in Dental City and continued performing at Appel Farm Arts & Music Camp and Charlottesville High School. After a 20-year hiatus, she returned to the stage in local productions. Her experience playing characters other than herself includes Chorus (Lysistrata, Madwomen Productions), Chessie Matteson (Sex Scenes, Cellar 205), and Julia (Omnium Gatherum, SBCC Theatre Group). She has written and performed as Tania in Conversations with Contraception (Speaking of Stories and Dramatic Women – Breakfast with Smartasses), For Agnes (Speaking of Studies – Breakfast with Smartasses II), Always the Bride (Speaking of Stories), Santa Barbara Dreaming (Speaking of Stories), and TEDx Talk, Bisexuality and Beyond.

I wrote this ode to my hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia for Personal Stories