It's what led her to covet the opportunity to present "Parallel Lives," a collection of vignettes tackling just about every small issue in modern female life, as this season's fund-raising event for Heller Theater Council.
Based on "The Kathy and Mo Show" by writer MO GAFFNEY and writer/actress Kathy Najimy, the work pokes fun at everything from relationships to feminist gatherings to the morning ritual of putting on hosiery.
"A lot of it is very easy to identify with, and it's got a dark sense of humor, a real snappy wit to it," said Romero, director of the play and president of Heller's council.
"When you look at it at first, it's seems like it's just sketch comedy with a few serious moments thrown in here and there. But there's kind of a central theme of, you know, how we're all big dorks kind of muddling through life and trying to get through. I can identify with that."
Pairing social commentary with comic relief in a kind of variety show format, with two actresses portraying 23 characters -- including men -- the play won an Obie Award, as well as two Cable Ace Awards, and has been described by Variety as "a romp with a feminist sensibility; it's humor for a post-Lily Tomlin generation."
Heller had great fund-raising success two years ago when it sold out performances of another two-woman comedy piece, "A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking." Romero hopes to see similar crowds, made up of both genders.
"Like that play, this isn't just a show for women. (The writers) make fun of women just as much as they do men," she said. "I mean, the end is a feminazi lesbian performance art piece, and it's just so out there and obnoxious that you realize these are people who are just taking themselves way too seriously.
This isn't a chick show. I like the writing because they're willing to say that women are as goofy, and can be just as stupid as men."
Romero said she edited the script to one hour for an upcoming play festival with that time limit, reducing the play from two acts to one act with "what I thought were the strongest pieces."
The performers are new to Heller Theater. Jenny Guy is a student at the University of Tulsa studying theater, while Stephanie Jackson is a Tulsa native who recently returned from college at Syracuse University in New York.
Michael Smith, World entertianment writer can be reached at 581-8334 or via e-mail at michael.smith@tulsaworld.com .