Kay Phoenix: Author Donna Migliaccio

The place I like to visit most is probably closer to you than you realize. It may be just around the corner, or just a few miles’ drive away. It could be in a major metropolitan area, or it could be at your local high school or community center. I’m talking about your nearest theatrical stage, and the all the wonderful worlds you can visit there, all the interesting people you can see, all the amazing stories they can tell.

In addition to being an author, I’ve been a professional stage actress for more than thirty years. I’ve performed on stages from Broadway to the ‘burbs, from Virginia to Alabama to California, from Washington DC to Chicago to Honolulu. And every time I perform, I’m in another world.

I’ve visited New York City’s immigrant slums at the beginning of the twentieth century, as a fierce anarchist speaking out for workers’ rights:

As Emma Goldman in the 2009 Broadway revival of RAGTIME (photo by Joan Marcus)

I’ve traveled to 1776 Philadelphia, where I created the first American flag and was in on the early drafts of the Declaration of Independence.

As Betsy Ross in Ford's Theatre's 2011 world premiere of LIBERTY SMITH (photo by T. Charles Erickson)

I’ve been stuck in a dystopian future where water is so scarce that even going to the bathroom is regulated by the government.

As Penelope Pennywise in Signature Theatre's 2004 production of URINETOWN

I’ve even gone under the sea to a fantastic world full of mermaids and other sea creatures!

As Ursula the Sea Witch in Olney Theatre Center's 2014 production of THE LITTLE MERMAID

And when I go to all these places, I and my fellow company members take the audience with us. That’s the beauty of live theatre – you can go anywhere, at any time. And you can be entertained, moved to laughter and to tears, even find inspiration in the stories you experience.

I find inspiration in both my writing and my acting. Sometimes I do them nearly simultaneously:

Writing backstage while costumed as Mazeppa in Signature Theatre's 2014 production of GYPSY

So if you’re feeling glum and out-of-sorts and eager for a change (but maybe can’t afford anything but a staycation), head over to your nearest theatre and see a show. See living, breathing people telling a story in real time, right in front of you – not on a screen, but right there in the same room with you. For the price of a ticket, you can take a trip to another place, another time, another world – and you don’t even have to leave your seat!

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Kinglet

The Gemeta Stone

Book One

Donna Migliaccio

August 1, 2017

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Fiery Seas Publishing

Book Description:

Kristan Gemeta has lost everything: his crown, his kingdom, his courage – even his name.

In the vast wilderness of the Exilwald, he's known to the other outcasts as Kinglet. As long as Kristan stays hidden, he can elude the bounty hunters, brutal soldiers and terrifying spells of Daazna, the Wichelord who killed his father and destroyed his life.

But when a new band of pursuers comes looking for him, Kristan's wariness gives way to intrigue. For bounty hunters they're oddly inept, and a young woman in their company is leaving enigmatic drawings wherever they go. As they plunge deeper into the Exilwald, Kristan follows. He discovers the drawings symbolize the Gemeta Stone, an ancient family talisman seized by Daazna but now in the little band's possession.

With the Stone's protection, Kristan might stand a chance against Daazna. He could regain his birthright and his honor. But to obtain the Stone, he must reveal his true identity and risk the one thing he has left...his life.

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About the Author:

Donna Migliaccio is a professional stage actress with credits that include Broadway, National Tours and prominent regional theatres. She is based in the Washington, DC Metro area, where she co-founded Tony award-winning Signature Theatre and is in demand as an entertainer, teacher and public speaker. Her award-winning short story, "Yaa and The Coffins," was featured in Thinkerbeat's 2015 anthology The Art of Losing.