Magali's Peace

On my way back to Paris to catch my flight back to the US, I stopped in Valaire for the night to spend with my friend and former student Magali Nass.  I first met Magali when she was a student at Hood College and was looking for an acting class that Hood did not offer, so, she came to FCC for Acting I.  She was also in the very first Theatre FCC production, my adaptation of The Breakfast Club where she played the insecure freak, Allison (the Ally Sheedy role). 

As she was a talented student, I helped guide her to scholarship auditions to West Virginia where she landed a full tuition waiver...so, she's a WVU grad!

After WVU, Mags moved to Tampa where she had a very successful theatre career as an actress and teacher.  Since, many of her former students are still in the business.

Magali grew up in Strasbourg, FR, and was studying abroad while at Hood.  Her family is Buddhist and her father is now the head of the Temple de La Gendronnière in Valaire; so, that led Magali back to France to be closer to her family and have a change of lifestyle.

I got into Valaire yesterday afternoon and arrived as the family, Mark, Alana, and Magali were working in their garden. 

Magali and Mark's place. 

We had a wonderful lunch, caught up, then Magali wanted to show me the Temple where she spent many summers while her father was taking retreats, and now, in the last three years, this has become a place of solace.

Pictures from the temple. 

We went to investigate the theatre scene in Blois...we found the State Theatre that was housing a major history festival and a black box that is also managed by the state ruin theatre. 

Blois...

and, the family portrait!