I no longer believe in Vampires, thanks to Ella Veres. "Farewell My Transylvania" is a powerful portrayal of building a new life in America. Veres debunked the myths. Instead, she shared real people, with real courage, reflected in the beauty of their faces and in her written words.

Mackenzie Reide

The audience seemed to enjoy fanging their way through America with Ella, and with the characters she depicted in her short plays and photographs. We saw America through the eyes of gypsies, the infirm, a beautician, a racist boss, and a well-read bathroom attendant, to name a few.

The small, intimate event ended with Ella's funeral and engaging conversation over drinks and stuffed cabbage. In one brief but lively evening, Ella managed to create a little community at Galapagos.

Deirdre Carney

Ella Veres's Galapagos event, celebrating the people of her home village and tracing experiences of fellow Romanians who have come here to live in the U.S., reflects two facets of this multi-talented artist. Her photographs testify to her ability to elicit the trust of her home villagers, children and elders, who's truths showed through in their eyes. Her narration concerning the taking of the photos and her dramatic vignettes, read by seasoned actors, were both funny and poignant. They helped audience members enter a world of experience previously unknown to most of us. A great evening!

Mary Kay Rosteck

I saw several of Ella Veres' pieces at Galapagos on March 15th. The ones I say were a funky mix of portraits and caricatures of interesting people ... from Ella's neurotic mother's worries and ramblings -- so universal! -- to the fanciful ravings of a piece of lint! What an eclectic set of subjects and performances!

Carl Selinger