MARSHALL, Calif. — “After I’m Dead, You’ll Have to Feed Everyone,” is a daughter’s comical love letter to her immigrant mother, Ellen Straus, a European city kid who found love on a California dairy farm and emerged as one of West Marin’s iconic environmental pioneers.
“On her deathbed, I promised Mom I’d write my next show about her,” said Vivien. “It took me 20 years but I finally did it!”
In her portrayal of her mother and best friend, Vivien combines insightful glimpses into Ellen’s formative life events – fleeing from the Holocaust, witnessing racial injustice, and death-bed conversations about chicken salad – along with Vivien’s own whimsical cow-inspired wisdom and poetry. In a 75-minute mad-cap tribute, Straus portrays 11 characters (10 humans and 1 cow).
Ellen, whose family escaped Nazi Europe just in time, soon fell in love with a German Jewish dairy farmer in West Marin. When their stunningly beautiful, agriculturally-rich region was threatened with sprawl development, Ellen dug in her heels (err, muck boots), and fought to protect it, soon emerging as one of the region’s most vocal environmental advocates. Of her many accomplishments, she is perhaps best known as the co-founder of the Marin Agricultural Land Trust, the nation’s pioneering agricultural conservation organization. Per the New York Times obituary, when honored as Steward of the Land by the American Farmland Trust, Ellen said World War II had taught her a lifelong lesson about standing for one’s beliefs: ”That we, as individuals, are responsible for what is happening in our communities, and that we must become activists.”
Vivien, a career actress who spent decades pursuing stardom in NYC and LA, is a writer, performer, manager of Straus Home Ranch (her family’s homestead), and currently serves as a board member of the Marin Agricultural Land Trust.
“Beyond her public persona, Mom was basically a goof. Boy, she made me laugh.” Vivien’s performance is sure to produce equal amounts of laughter and tears, in her long-awaited tribute to her best friend.
THE CAST (in order of appearance)
Tessie the Cow – There has to be a cow, of course! (Vivien)
Vivien – Pretending to be herself. (Vivien)
Mom – A Dairy Godmother to all. (Vivien)
Therapist – She’s just had her hair done. (Vivien)
Oncologist – He knows about steroids. (Vivien)
Opa – An honest hero. (Vivien)
Oma – Well, we’ll let her speak for herself. (Vivien)
Dad – A much smaller role than the last show. (Vivien)
Neighbor – The one that spoke for all. (Vivien)
Marica – pronounced “Maritha” (Vivien)
Hospice Nurse – Came without the drugs. (Vivien)
Rabbi – It had to be a man. Dad insisted. (Vivien)
Cemetery Manager – Need one of these, don’t we? (Vivien)
ABOUT VIVIEN:
Vivien, a writer, performer, and cow whisperer, grew up on her family’s dairy in Marshall, but fled for the bright lights of civilization, where she dined with mobsters, helped a con man slip out of prison, and hitched a ride with a murderer. She wrote and performed in the sold-out critical hit E-i-E-i-OY! In Bed with the Farmer’s Daughter. She won a MOTH StorySlam telling the embarrassing story, “Peeing in Nepal.” She’s been in numerous films with small parts (though, as the saying goes, “There are no small parts, only small actors”) including Peggy Sue Got Married, Thirteen Days, Heaven and Earth and One Good Cop. Her television credits include recurring roles in Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide, Capital News and Freddy’s Nightmares (where she died … twice). Plus, she’s performed in the NYC sketch comedy group BOB, acted in more than 30 plays. She currently manages Straus Home Ranch and created the California Cheese Trail. And long ago, used to run Sales & Marketing for Straus Family Creamery.
ABOUT THE VENUE:
The recently restored 160+-year old historic barn at Straus Home Ranch is where Bill Straus milked his first cows, where Ellen grew shiitake mushrooms and where Ellen & Bill celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary back in 2000. In addition to the show itself, audience goers will enjoy the ranch with its spectacular setting amongst towering cypress and eucalyptus and views of Tomales Bay, enjoy a picnic or dinner before the show and, for opening night, a sample of Ellen Straus’ famous lemon cheesecake, a secret recipe that she passed on only to her daughters (and which Vivien intends to bake before the performance). “When I’m Dead” will be the first theatrical performance in the barn since 1971, when Ellen directed a 4-H skit called The Scooby Dooby Washtub Band. Ellen would sit way in the back, wiggle her right ear and call out in her strong Dutch accent, “I can’t heeeaaaar you!”
TICKETS:
- WHAT: “AfterI’mDead,You’
llHavetoFeedEveryone”-World Premiere engagement of a new comedy. - WHO:
WrittenandperformedbyVivienStr aus.Directedby Elly Lichenstein. Produced by Michael Straus and Denise Rocco-Zilber - WHERE: StrausHomeRanch,
22888Highway1, Marshall, CA - WHEN: October21,2022-
November13,2022. - Only 12 performances:
○ Fridays7:30pm.FoodTruckdinneroptionfrom6pm.
○ Saturdays&Sundays at 2:00pm.BYO picnic on-the-ranch option from 12 noon. - DURATION: Show runs approx. 75 minutes, no intermission.
- ADMISSION:$45(also,
limitedpay-what-you- cantickets) - SNACKS&DRINKS:
Availablebydonation. - AUDIENCE:21+
- SPECIALSOPTIONS:○ OVERNIGHTSPECIAL:
Enjoytheshowandsleepatour historic ranch. For a group of up to 8 (4 couples). Check-in Friday 4pm, Check-out Saturday noon. $1,900. House details at: www.StrausHomeRanch.com - GROUPDISCOUNTS,
SPECIALPERFORMANCES:Inquire. - TICKETS:www.VivienStraus.com
- WHAT: “AfterI’mDead,You’
–Straus Home Ranch