Return to Elgin helped director find her passion

Sarafina Vecchio, who directs one of the plays in Janus Theatre's Elgin Short Play Festival, studied theater in England and performed for a while in Chicago. But it wasn't until she returned to her hometown of Elgin that she began to find her artistic footing.

"I started acting professionally in Chicago in 1996 when I got back from London," Vecchio says. "I did some improv. I played Marina, the bridesmaid with the glasses, in 'Tony and Tina's Wedding.' Then we moved to Elgin in 2001 when my son was born."

The return there to raise her family felt like a retreat from her art.

It wasn't, however. She soon began performing in local productions, including the musical "Cabaret" at Elgin Community College. That brought her to the attention of Elgin's prolific, low-budget professional Janus Theatre.

Folks from Janus saw her in "Cabaret" and asked her to audition for the company. She has been working steadily for them ever since.

Vecchio made the step from acting to directing because "it just seemed kind of natural." And Janus has given her many opportunities to direct.

"This is my fifth show I have directed for Janus," she says. "I started in 2003 with a production of 'True West.'"

This initial directorial outing was followed by gigs directing "Lunacy in Love II," "Laundry and Bourbon" and a revue of Bertolt Brecht's music and plays.

Vecchio is one of seven directors directing plays in the Elgin Short Play Festival, which runs through Monday, May 30.

"All of the plays in the festival are 10-minute plays and all were written by Theresa Rebeck," Vecchio says. "I got involved because one day Janus Theatre's artistic producing director Sean Hargadon e-mailed me out of the blue. He said, 'This is what we are going to do, are you in?'"

Vecchio jumped at the chance.

"Sean knows me quite well," she says. "He knows what I am passionate about. He knows I do not like some romantic comedy. He knows I am obsessed with government and policy and society. I was given a choice of three different plays."

The play she chose was "How We Get to Where We're Going."

"It involves two men who are having an argument about policy discussions they are making for the government," Vecchio says. "It is very interesting. We never really find out what policy decision they are talking about. The play is very much about the American people and how things are spun to make people agree with policies and feel the way they do about them."

"I love Rebeck's plays," she adds. "The things that she writes about are very current. They speak to everybody. They are not throwaway pieces. And she is not afraid of using language that is not feminine. Her writing can be very tough. She is not afraid to swear."

• The Elgin Short Play Festival will run through May 30 at the Elgin Art Showcase, 164 Division St., 8th Floor. Tickets can be reserved by calling the box office at (847) 841-1713.