A Conversation with Playwright/Actress Diana Romero, "Me, Myself and Other," Davidson/Valentini Theatre, Hollywood Fringe, by James Scarborough

In "Me, Myself and Other," Diana Romero turns personal struggle into compelling theater, creating a solo performance that refuses to be defined by limitation. The 50-minute piece, directed by Maggie Whittum, examines identity, disability, and resilience with refreshing candor.

Romero traces her evolution as a first-generation American woman navigating cultural boundaries before and after doctors diagnosed her with multiple sclerosis at 32. This production stands out for its honest approach to disability - neither maudlin nor artificially triumphant. Instead, Romero presents disability as one facet of a complex life, rejecting both invisibility and inspiration as commodity.

The collaboration between Romero and Whittum, herself a stroke survivor, gives the work depth, particularly when humor punctures society's discomfort with physical difference. The Davidson/Valentini Theatre serves as an apt venue for this exploration of belonging, creating an intimate space for Romero's story.

"Me, Myself and Other" arrives at a moment when disability representation in theater remains scarce. Romero's presence as a wheelchair user performing alone at Hollywood Fringe challenges festival norms while showing that true disability stories need not focus solely on loss or triumph. Instead, they can reveal how identity adapts and strengthens when faced with new realities.

Below follows an email conversation with Diana Romero, with contributions by Director Maggie Whittum.

JS: The title "Me, Myself and Other" suggests a split identity. How does your experience with MS relate to the ways you've seen yourself before and after diagnosis, and how do you explore this change on stage?

DR: In my younger years I used to pride myself in being a chameleon. I would often say that my strength (today we call them “super powers”) was that I could adapt to any situation and be whoever I need to be in that moment. Looking back now, I realize that this was my survival mode. Always being the outsider became an identity crisis for me. I say this in the play, “who am I and who do others want me to be or think I am?” But really,  the question is: who did I think I was and who did I want to be? I remember wanting to be blonde and wearing green-colored contacts – because I thought blue eyes would be unrealistic for me. However, my dad has green eyes so it was plausible I would have them too. This was a result of my growing up in predominantly “White” communities. I remember always wanting to be someone other than me. As a self-professed chameleon, this is exactly what I did. I always tried to be someone else. But once the MS diagnosis became apparent through my disability and eventual use of a wheelchair, I couldn’t hide anymore. This was finally when I was forced to look at myself and who I really am. Now it was time to show others who Diana is and how her life experiences brought her to the stage. I am a big fan of the Hero’s Journey, so I explore my journey on stage that way, going through the call to leave my ordinary life, obstacles and challenges faced, meeting my own death and finally coming back with a message: the circle of life. Funny, it took the wheelchair to show me who I really am.

JS: You and director Maggie Whittum both bring lived experiences with disability to this project. How did your collaboration shape the show's view of disability, and what creative choices came specifically from your shared understanding of sudden physical change?

DR: When I first set out to write the show, I had no idea what was going to come of it. I’ve always known I had a story to tell, but it never felt like it was the right time. I had not come full circle yet. I developed the show with Matt Hoverman (Go-Solo.org) in his amazing classes. When I saw his call for students, my gut instinct told me it was finally time. I wrote a short piece that was well-received and I took it from there. I never thought about getting a director or even getting it into fringe festivals. After the positive reviews of the short piece, I went on to develop it with Molly Pearson, producer and writer -  (https://www.leapworkshops.com). Molly introduced me to fringe festivals and to the idea of bringing on a director. I didn’t know anything about theatre, my training and career has been in film and tv production and writing. What I did know was that if I was going to look for a director, I wanted to work with a woman who happens to have an apparent disability. The reasons why, are obvious. We can go into a discussion of the differences between apparent and not apparent disabilities, because having had both, I can attest that they are very different lived experiences. So, I reached out to a couple friends of mine with apparent disabilities – both trained as film/television directors. Eventually, though, and as much as I love these two women, my gut told me I needed to work with a theater director. No doubt. So my director search became super detailed. I wanted to work with a female theatre director with an apparent disability (preferably a mobility impairment). Her racial background didn’t matter, as my story is not about my experience as a Latina woman, but as someone who never really belonged anywhere. I reached out to Disability Belongs, an organization that advocates for people with disabilities across the board, from federal policies to authentic Hollywood representation and inclusion behind and in front of the camera. I asked them If there just might be theatre directors with apparent disabilities in their database, and there were! Maggie and another woman were recommended. I met with Maggie and that was it. There was no doubt in my mind that this is who I wanted to work with. Bringing Maggie onboard was the best decision ever. We share the same experience of being diagnosed with a life-changing condition at a young age, and have very similar experiences that resulted from those conditions, whether it was the end of relationships or the subsequent disability that manifested itself via a mobility impairment.

MW:  And the experience we share of becoming disabled once you’re already an adult is a very unique and radically eye opening experience as we know what it was like “before” and “after”. The show doesn’t shy away from disability or treat it like a tragedy. If anything we are celebrating and even accentuating disability! The movements of the wheelchair on stage and the movements of Diana’s body are highlighted as opposed to trying to disguise or minimize them. 

JS: Promotional materials mention balancing cultural identities as a first-generation American woman. Could you explain how your cultural background affects your approach to disability and how these crossing identities appear in the performance?

DR: I don’t think my cultural background affects my approach to disability. I believe that being “othered” or in other words, never fitting in, is what prepared me for the biggest challenge of my life, becoming disabled. In my show, I use comedy to accentuate my experiences of never fitting in, whether it was nationalism, race, mistaken identity or expectations/stereotypes that were and continue to be used by others to define me. Coming from a lifetime of being an outsider, the disability just added more labels, those of handicapped/crippled/disabled. I’ve always used humor to describe my life experiences, so I want it to be clear that this is not a sob story about my life, but a celebration of being different, defying societal expectations and debunking stereotypes.

JS: Solo performance demands sustained energy and presence. What specific theatrical methods do you use to keep the audience engaged, and how have you adapted traditional solo performance to suit your needs as a wheelchair user?

DR: Yes, I realize energy and presence are highly demanding and expected! I use several methods to keep the audience (and myself!) engaged. My storytelling includes interactions with the audience by breaking the proverbial 4^th wall. In the second half of the play (where I enter the disability world) I engage with the audience, not by lecturing, but by explaining to my audiences that I, too, had no idea what it is like to live with a mobility impairment in this country, so I am like a spy coming back to share my findings. I also tell my stories with the use of other characters. So it’s not just me on stage, there are 31 other characters that make appearances through me! I aim to make the show fun, humorous, poignant and eye-opening. You won’t stop laughing and might even shed a tear or two! As for adapting the show to suit my needs as a wheelchair user – well, I can move around just as easily as someone with two legs can. The point of the play is to show that I am just as capable as a physically abled person to move around a stage. The only setbacks I have found are non-accessible stages, of which there are many. Yes they are accessible to audiences but when you ask about the actual stage, people hesitate – have they never had to deal with accessible stages? Am I the only wheelchair user ever to use a stage? I doubt it, but the theatre world needs to be focusing on being inclusive, not just for audiences but for artists as well!

MW: Solo performance is physically demanding, so perhaps it’s useful and energy saving to be seated the entire time! Also, when you use a wheelchair, you’re able to have your props with you at all times as well as your water, so you don’t have to incorporate blocking movements in order to reach those items. The variety of characters and pacing, as well as the comedy interchanged with heartfelt moments keeps the audience engaged. Additionally Diana talks directly to the audience, asking them questions and responding to them makes the show interactive. Also I think that audiences just aren’t used to seeing a person in a wheelchair on stage and the novelty of that, plus the strength of the storytelling and Diana’s strong and unapologetic presence are captivating. Creating blocking for a power wheelchair user is different than a standing/walking “ambulatory” actor. It’s an opportunity to create a stage picture that is aesthetically unique. Less need for set piece chairs! There are creative opportunities when building unique characters to utilize physical and vocal choices that incorporate the body only from the waist up. 

Also selecting the venue was crucially important. Not every venue that is suited to solo performance is suited to our show. We had to be very selective to find a location that was wheelchair accessible to both stage and audience as most venues claim to be “wheelchair accessible” but that is only for audience members.

JS: Humor features prominently in your description of the show. What role does comedy play in your storytelling about disability, and how do you balance making disability accessible through humor without minimizing its challenges?

DR: I use humor in my storytelling about disability when talking about the ridiculous things people say to me, the way people treat me and the things I have to now deal with that were never an issue before. I bring an awareness to disability that unless someone has experienced it first hand, there would be no way of knowing what we encounter on a daily basis. I am a fan of saying “I am not disabled, society disables me”. I never minimize my struggles or those of others, but I also don’t use the stage to lecture or “castigate” others. Yes, my story is heartbreaking, but the resulting experiences have to be laughable or I would end up one angry person. I find that by using humor, paired with eye-opening stories I can get my points across and form allies and not separatism (us vs. them).

MW: So often disability is avoided at all costs. Humor does make it accessible, but the show is also balanced by the poignant emotional moments. It’s not all comedy all the time, but the comedy creates the atmosphere and structure for the show. The humor is also a release for people since so many people feel such intense discomfort when talking about or witnessing disability. 

JS: Beyond entertainment, what conversation do you hope to start with audiences, particularly regarding common misconceptions about disability that you mention in your materials?

DR: What I hope is that people will learn about the disability experience. I hope that people will come out of the theatre with the realization that we can be stronger with allyship and protection, and that we also have stories to tell. I also try to debunk stereotypes, not just towards the disability community, but also the way Hollywood tells its stories. It is my own industry that creates so many misconceptions about disability and so many other topics, such as stereotypes about immigrants from south of the US, specifically Colombia. These stereotypes hurt is all. Why are people with no authentic lived experience telling our stories? I love the quote “nothing about us without us”. Maggie and I have talked about doing some Q&As after the show, if time permits. I want people to feel comfortable asking the uncomfortable questions. I hope for a world where people can learn from each other and stop tip-toeing around important conversations for fear of offending anyone.

MW: Also, it’s so refreshing and necessary to have disabled creators writing their own stories – too many stories are written by those who don’t have first hand experience. A conversation I would like to start is — let’s see more work by disabled creators everywhere – stage, film, and television, literature, on camera, etc. because our perspectives are necessary, illuminating, engaging and will sell tickets!

Performances are Wednesday, June 18 at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, June 21 at 2:15 p.m.; Sunday, June 22 at 6:15 p.m.; Tuesday, June 24 at 8:00 p.m.; Thursday, June 26 at 6:15 p.m.; Saturday, June 28 at 6:15 p.m.; Sunday, June 29 at 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $15. The Davidson/Valentini Theatre is located at 1125 North McCadden Place, Hollywood, California 90038. For more information, click here.