Sheri Lee Miller, Cinnabar Theater's new director of public relations and education has been involved in theater since she was 5. 'I always knew that's what I wanted to do.'

Occupation: Director of public relations and education for Cinnabar Theater.

Family: She and husband Clark Miller have two children: son Eben is 18 and daughter Ivy is 15. Sheri is 45.

How did you come to Cinnabar? "I'd been working at Actors' Theater for several years as associate artistic director and PR person. When my husband was laid off, I needed full-time work. At first I thought I would be a free-lance publicist for NBTG (North Bay Theatre Group), but Elly [Cinnabar Artistic Director Elly Lichenstein] called then and said, 'What would it take to get you to work for us full time?'

"I've been here close to three months now. It's a good fit, temperamentally and artistically. I feel like I've known Elly forever. We're both old school theater people, we treasure the culture of theater."

This autumn, Miller will be directing a workshop production of "Renaissance" at Sonoma County Rep in Sebastopol, and will direct at Cinnabar as well. That show hasn't been decided yet, but it may be a children's show, a new, musical version of "The Tailor of Gloucester," with music by Janis Wilson and book by Marcy Telles.

"I'm excited about Cinnabar's education program. I can't believe how many students are there, and we want to grow. We could offer twice as many classes and fill them, but we don't have the room. If anybody out there has space, let us know!"

Background: Miller grew up in Santa Rosa. "I've done theater since I was 5. I always knew that's what I wanted to do. I began with acting, and by the time got into the JC I'd started directing. When I went to San Diego State, I majored in theater and was the only person in the history of the school to take a double major in acting and directing. I have degrees in both. I went to Seattle after graduating and pursued acting up there, then quit theater for 10 years, although I did commercials, while the kids were little."

Who has inspired you? "My dad, my mom, my husband, all the standard people. My kids inspire me.

"Theatrically, Joan Lee LaSalle, who's no longer living. She ran the drama department at SRJC. And my sixth grade teacher, Hubert Knauff. He's pushing 90, and I'm still friends with him. He was an amazing teacher. Everyone who ever had him as a teacher has never forgotten him.

"Acting: As a kid singers and dancers like Judy Garland and Fred Astaire. As a grown-up actor, Emma Thompson, I think she's wonderful. Maggie Smith. Renée Zellwegger."

Advice to others? "When I would drop my children and my two great-nieces at school, I would say, 'Be powerful -- but be kind.' When we said 'be powerful' we'd all go 'rrrrr' (Miller makes a tiger-like growl) and when we said 'be kind' we'd go 'aaaah' (she lays her head gently on her hands).

"And -- always tell the truth."

A turning point in your life: "Getting married was one. Having children. Moving back to Santa Rosa after we had enough of the rain in Seattle. Going through a major depression: it changed everything. I was so much stronger, I felt like the phoe-nix. I kept having the image of the phoenix being burned to ashes, then rising up and recreating itself."

Your goals: "My goals are very Cinnabar-oriented. To fill every seat at the theater next season.

"To create or present a clear public image of Cinnabar. Part of the reason I was hired was to give the public a clear understanding of Cinnabar. Up until now, there have been a lot of different labels: Quicksilver Two, Petaluma Sings!, Cinnabar Opera Theater, and when you talk to people, they don't realize they're all Cinnabar.

"Personal goals, it's just the same stuff everybody has: lose weight, take care of my health, landscape the yard."

Hobbies: "I love gardening. I studied post-graduate interior design, and I like decorating and do all that stuff. I like using my hands. And I'm a sign language interpreter."

Favorite books: "I like old books, Greek literature. I love The Aenid. I spent one summer reading the classics: War and Peace, Madame Bovary, The Red and The Black, Portrait of a Lady. I read the entire Divine Comedy. I loved it all."

Personal philosophy: "I believe in being honest with yourself and with others. Be grateful, apologize swiftly and sincerely, work hard and, above all else, love your kids. There's a saying in our house: 'When you've got kids, you've got to love them.'"

Greatest accomplishment: "That I haven't wrecked my kids. They're amazing. I think babies are born perfect and if you just don't wreck them, they'll be fine."

What is most important to you? "My husband and my children."

If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be? "I think I would give everybody the ability to be truly empathetic, because that would take care of everything. Then there would be no more killing, rape, hunger, war. If you could really relate to everybody else's pain, all that other stuff would go away.

"Interestingly, I think that is one of the primary purposes of the arts in general and theater in particular. Theater teaches, it encourages empathy. Whether you're doing it or watching it, you're relating to other people's lives."

How would you describe yourself? "I'm a workaday actor, a devoted mother and a grateful wife."

What's the craziest thing you've ever done? "Marrying a man I didn't know very well, someone I'd known for only six months. It turned out well, though. We've been married almost 26 years. He was my leading man, in 'Can-Can' of all things. He was sitting in the audience watching me audition for the play, and he thought, 'I wonder if I'm going to marry that girl?'"

-- Interview by
Katie Watts for the Argus Courier, May 19, 2004