: About Me

Loretta Murphy-Birster has been a writer since the age of 8 when she wrote a full length story about a black stallion named Lightening long hand on a yellow legal pad. After a 30 year nursing career (achieving both a bachelor's and a master's degree) and raising two children , she finally, at age 51, saw her first book "The Pipes Are Calling" published. In October 2008, her second book, a volume of poetry called "Irish Roads". Irish Roads celebrates Murphy-Birster's 21-day solo sojourne to the Emerald Isle and the poetry she wrote about Ireland's life, love, culture, and scenic beauty while touring.

A story teller, she is currently completing her second novel, wwwirishheartdotcom. Her work - including poems and short stories - can be sampled on the Irish website, www.sceala.com and http://www.freewebs.com/lorettamurphy. Murphy also is the webring master for numerous historical and cultural sites devoted to her love of Ireland and the Pennsylvania Coal Region.

Her passion is Ireland and traveling there in 2005 fulfilled a wish she had dreamed since childhood. A lover of all thing Irish, she has dabbled in Irish stepdancing, playing the tinwhistle, and studying the island nation's culture. Murphy-Birster is a historian and researched the labor group, the Molly Maguires, for her book. Her novel, The Pipes Are Calling, tells pieces of the Molly Maguire legend not found in the popular literature.

An active member and officer (Freedom for All Ireland Officer, Division and County, County Historian) of the Ladies Ancient Order of the Hibernians in America, Murphy-Birster one day hopes to reside on Irish soil. A modest little cottage on the West Coast in Donegal would suit her just fine.

Also an entertainer, Murphy-Birster has been involved in acting and directing for over twenty years. Her work has included stage as well as improvisational street theater. She is a singer-songwroter with interests ranging from folk and celtic music to classic rock and roll. She was a member of a female quartet called The Wylde Roses for many years. Currently she is President and active member of the Lift Your Spirits Performing Arts Group, a non-profit theatre group. She sings occasionally with an old friend - also of the Irish persuasion - under the stage name "The Troubles."

Her favorite groups are the Chieftains and the Beatles. Murphy-Birster's ultimate musical fantasty would be to perform with the Chieftains.

All that and she hasn't quit her day job - Murphy-Birster is a full time certified school nurse in the Pennsylvania public school system.

My passion is ...

Ireland and the Irish

I know too much about ...

Ireland's struggle for independence

My parents always told me ...

many hands make light work

My childhood ambition ...

to be a writer

My favorite memory ...

my trips to Ireland in 2005

Why I write ...

Writing reaches more people than speaking

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

silence

My first job ...

a library aide

My best moment ...

there were two - watching both daughters graduate from high school

My inspiration ...

what it means to be Irish and to pass that passion to my children

Arts & Humanities > Theater & Drama Are standing ovations becoming overused by theater audiences?

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Are standing ovations becoming overused by theater audiences? Standing ovations are absolutely being overused by theater audiences these days. In my stating this opinion, let me also add this disclaimer: audience appreciation is a wonderful thing. Unless the theatrical experience has been The Play From Hell, there is no excuse for an audience not to express their thanks to the cast and crew for their efforts in showmanship. Applause is a symbolic gesture of good will that makes everyone - from the person applauding to the one being applauded - feel good about the performance. However, the ...

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