August 30, 2007

Life with Barbie and Cheryl
From childhood dreams to life’s realities.
By BARBARA GIASONE STAFF WRITER

An 11-inch, three-dimensional doll had a deeper impact on young Cheryl Morenc’s life than her parents, Darlene and Carl Borris, could have imagined.

Lodged in her pink-andwhite bedroom in west Fullerton, young Cheryl spent hours dressing her Barbie Bride Doll in one career outfit, and then another. She made sure the Mattel playmate was comfy in her two-story plastic house with husband, Ken.

“My Barbie could be a fashion designer, a travel agent, a graphic artist – anything I wanted her to be,” Morenc said. “And I learned that I, too, had career options. I think Ruth Handler (Barbie’s creator) realized little girls need an adult doll to imagine their future.”

Ultimately, Morenc chronicled her make-believe-turnedreal world into a one-woman show, “Barbie & Me,” running through Sept. 16 at STAGEStheatre in Fullerton. Information: 714-525-4484. She said the project started when a friend, who was working on a play, died. Morenc promised she would complete the story.

“Finishing that play didn’t work out, but I wanted to keep my promise,” she recalled. “I eventually took a monologue class because I had this fear of speaking in front of people, and ‘Barbie’ evolved from that monologue.”

Morenc, a graduate of Nicolas Junior High, Buena Park High School and Cal State Fullerton, worked four years to juxtapose snippets of her own life with the toy.

Question: Were you trying to convey any messages?

Answer: I wove in personal stories including the fact my husband, Gary, and I – like Barbie and Ken – couldn’t have children. Life really does imitate child’s play.

Q: Coming from the graphic arts world, was there someone who helped you with sketch writing?

A: Comedian Fred Willard and his wife, Mary, were indispensable in helping me develop the play. Also, Richard Kline from “Three’s Company” mentored me for one year.

Q: What was your biggest challenge?

A: To make the play flow, and connect the dots for the audience. To that end, we added music and visuals.

Cheryl Morenc
Age: Younger than Barbie
Residence: Fullerton

Family: Husband, Gary.

Activities: Hollywood Networking Group, Women Helping Women, Actors and Others for Animals.