Wander with me round a garden of past, present and ongoing creative projects, all of them collaborative in one way or another, made possible by working together with some generous and talented people who have inspired and encouraged my artistic growth.
creativity
on the radio..
1979-1993 Guam, Hawaii, Hong Kong
KUAM | Guam 1979-1981
My very first job in radio materialized just as I was about to head back to San Francisco from the tiny tropical island in Micronesia where a boyfriend and I moved on an adventure. Having worked as a cocktail waitress, a salesclerk at a make-up counter, and a secretary for a construction company, I was ready to through in the "trowel", when I answered an advert looking a newsreader for a little radio/television station on the top of a hill in Agana, Guam.
The most fun I've had ANYWHERE!
I was mentored and encouraged at KUAM by Station Manager Jon Anderson, newsman Rick Hutto. Channel Director Dave Hoebing, all now deceased, and Morning Drive host Jerry Roberts aka JQ Fanihi, pictured here, who encouraged me to send out this demo tape!
KKUA | Honolulu 1981-1982
My next radio gig was the 7pm to midnight slot at KKUA Honolulu. I had sent out that demo tape to four radio stations in Hawaii and heard backwithoffers from three of them. KKUA's Channel Director offered to fly me out and for an interview and, given free rein to bring theater into my radio show, I populated the 7pm to midnight slot with a cast of characters, performed live much to the amusement of the children who watched me from their apartment across the parking lot from the station's ON AIR booth!
Here's what the show sounded like before all those crazy characters joined me:
COMMERCIAL RADIO | Hong Kong 1983-1989
Arriving as a newlywed in Hong Kong, I landed the Saturday 12pm - 4pm slot and partnered with an imaginary sidekick, a precocious tap dancing, curly topped 6-year old named "Shirley". She spawned an episodic soap opera that had her driving a taxi, making a bundle of money on the stock market, featuring in a martial arts movie, and getting kidnapped by a triad gang. Voice talents included Mr. Sammy her Cantonese tutor, Andy Chworowsky, Job Stewart and Ajay Mehta.
Program Director Mike Souza gave me a lot of creative freedom, but Shirley retired her tap shoes when I left Commercial Radio's English channel and that mad Saturday afternoon show.
104FM SELECT | Hong Kong 1991-1993
Having taken a break from radio to focus on theater and commercial voiceover work, in 1991 I was asked to help build a radio station from the ground up, an offer I couldn't refuse!
We created Hong Kong's first fluidly bilingual radio station, and I found my Cantonese speaking co-host in children's entertainer and magician Harry Wongaka Harry Gor-gor. We were the first voices heard on air when the station launched. You have to really like your co-host if you're on the air from 6am - 10am... I did and we had a great time.