SHA Event
Karen Graci at SHA
Those present in the LMC on Monday evening, October 6, were treated to a delightful one-woman show presented by SHA's own Karen Graci of the Class of '91. Karen Graci is a proud native of Buffalo who is a veteran improvisional performer, writer, and actor, having performed with The Second City for more than three years. Karen had the opportunity to participate in The Second City's first ever USO Tour entertaining American troops in Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. Karen commented about this overseas Tour by quipping: "We tried to get away with as many puns as we could on that trip -- like, 'Kuwait just a minute' or 'You say Dubai, and I say hello.' "
Karen and her husband Brian are currently living in Los Angeles, California, where Karen works for director, Rodrigo Garcia. In Karen's words: "Luckily Rodrigo is nothing but a class act and has directed some shows on HBO like Six Feet Under, the Sopranos, Big Love and Carnivale, and has written and directed a few feature films of his own. When he recently was an executive producer and director for In Treatment, a drama on HBO, I got to be with him everyday on set at Paramount." "Rodrigo's now given me the opportunity to produce a 25-minute dramatic short he has written, which will be directed by Rodrigo and star John Mahoney, who played the father on Frazier for many years."
So 17 years since graduating from SHA, Karen has found her niche in the entertainment world. She is having fun, fun, fun, loves what she is doing for a living, and despite the hustle and bustle of Hollywood she still found time to return to Buffalo to share her thoughts with an appreciative audience.
"I am deeply touched to speak here at SHA and to be honest, it's truly one of the greatest honors of my life. I loved being a student here and I have lifelong friends thanks to this school. And about a year and a half ago when I married my wonderful husband Brian and we were trying to think of a place to have our bridal pictures taken after the ceremony, with the whole bridal party -- we had them taken here on the front steps of SHA. This school and its people have certainly meant a lot more to me, and continue to mean something even deeper, as I get older."
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| Karen with her Parents: Kathy & Carl Graci |
"But one of the things I treasure about my experience at SHA was that it made community a priority." |
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| An attentive audience enjoys a laugh as Karen reminisces about her years at SHA and life since SHA. |
