Vivien Straus

Vivien Straus BA ’78, a writer-performer and small-farm advocate, took her latest one-woman show to New York for the United Solo Theatre Festival in October 2023. She writes: “After I’m Dead, You’ll Have to Feed Everyone is a daughter’s comical love letter to her immigrant mother, Ellen Straus, a European city kid who fled the Nazis, grew up in New York City, found love on a California dairy farm, and emerged as one of West Marin’s iconic environmental trailblazers and a matriarch of the organic food movement.” In a 65-minute mad-cap tribute, Straus portrays 13 characters (12 humans and 1 cow). The show debuted in fall 2022 in the restored 160-plus-year-old historic hay barn at Straus Home Ranch, with a 6-week run, 17 sold-out performances, more than 2,100 attendees, and scores of rave audience reviews. For more information about the performance’s East Coast run, or to watch the trailer or read audience reviews, check her website, VivienStraus.com.

Vivien Straus BA ’78 has performed her one-woman show, “After I’m Dead, You’ll Have to Feed Everyone,” to sold-out audiences at her California ranch and in New York City. Critics rave, “One of the best celebrations of life imaginable.” For details and upcoming shows, visit VivienStraus.com.