Hi, I'm Diana Varco - an Upright Citizen's Brigade and Groundlings trained advanced improvisor, storyteller & actress turned survivor advocate.
In my solo show Shattered, I apply my comedy training to explore mental health and healing, sexual agency and assault, the power of Shame and much more! Since its premiere in 2017, Shattered has graced many stages - in Los Angeles, New York, Finland, Iceland, Sweden and The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, as well as virtual engagements in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and the on-going digital programme at C ARTS at The Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
With over 10 years experience in comedy, I performed on the inaugural round of Mess Hall Teams at the Upright Citizen's Brigade, It Doesn't Have To Be This Way at iO West, The Color Collective at The Pack Theatre, and all around Los Angeles with That's What She Said Improv group. Together with my friends of That's What She Said, I co-created and co-produced Ladies' Night (Lady Jam/Fempire) - a variety show dedicated to the celebration of female identifying and non-binary artists, which ran for over 5 years, co-created and co-produced the improv-based web series Riding Buddies on youtube and co-wrote the pilot Mom Circle, available on the Undiscovered Scripts Podcast.
My new solo play Rise - a prequel/sequel to Shattered - explores artistic risks and rewards, the power of denial, roots of addiction, and rising to one's purpose in spite of it all. Rise premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (August 2023), with preview performances at Reykjavík Fringe (June 2023) and it's currently in development as an audio series.
I'm excited to share my use of the arts, imagination and comedy to support conversations on mental health!
In my solo show Shattered, I apply my comedy training to explore mental health and healing, sexual agency and assault, the power of Shame and much more! Since its premiere in 2017, Shattered has graced many stages - in Los Angeles, New York, Finland, Iceland, Sweden and The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, as well as virtual engagements in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and the on-going digital programme at C ARTS at The Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
With over 10 years experience in comedy, I performed on the inaugural round of Mess Hall Teams at the Upright Citizen's Brigade, It Doesn't Have To Be This Way at iO West, The Color Collective at The Pack Theatre, and all around Los Angeles with That's What She Said Improv group. Together with my friends of That's What She Said, I co-created and co-produced Ladies' Night (Lady Jam/Fempire) - a variety show dedicated to the celebration of female identifying and non-binary artists, which ran for over 5 years, co-created and co-produced the improv-based web series Riding Buddies on youtube and co-wrote the pilot Mom Circle, available on the Undiscovered Scripts Podcast.
My new solo play Rise - a prequel/sequel to Shattered - explores artistic risks and rewards, the power of denial, roots of addiction, and rising to one's purpose in spite of it all. Rise premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (August 2023), with preview performances at Reykjavík Fringe (June 2023) and it's currently in development as an audio series.
I'm excited to share my use of the arts, imagination and comedy to support conversations on mental health!
Please consider making a tax-deductible donation toward the continued growth of Shattered and Diana's future creative projects!
Shattered is part of Diana Varco Creative Works, a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the charitable purposes of Diana Varco Creative Works must be made payable to “Fractured Atlas” only and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.