Valley playwright is hot in Chicago

Name: Tanya Saracho

Hometown: Los Mochis, Mexico/McAllen, Texas

Job: Actress (to live); playwright (because she loves it)

Where she lives now: Chicago, Ill.

Past projects: In 2000, she co-founded the first and only all Latina theatre company in Chicago called Teatro Luna and has also done voice over work for Special K, Walgreens, Low's and McDonalds

You'll see her next: She has a small role in the upcoming Nothing like the Holidays, starring Jay Hernandez and Debra Messing.

Inspiration: She credits the late Harlingen High School drama and speech teacher John Farr for instilling a strong work ethic into her. Farr was killed in June and a student has been charged with his murder. "What I'm doing now has a lot to do with him," the McAllen High School graduate said. "He was hard ... and he got me ready for this business."

On leaving Valley: "I arrived (to Chicago) with two bags and I didn't know anyone," she recalled. And though she's laid roots in the city for 10years now, the Valley is always on her mind. "They (her plays) always have something to do with the Valley, whether it's a character or the setting. ... I feel like an ambassador of the Valley and that area," she said. She admits, however, she didn't always appreciate it. "I was so sick of living there, but as soon as I left I fell in love with it again," she said.

Long term goal: To feed herself with her writing and possibly write for TV one day

Playwrights she admires: August Wilson, Luis Alfaro, Jose Rivera, Quiara Alegria Hudes, Octavio Solis, Susan-Lori Parks and Caryl Churchhill.

Three favorite plays: "I am My Own Wife," "The People's Temple" and "August: Osage County"

Behind the scenes: A few weeks ago, a story ran about Saracho in the Chicago Tribune and garnered her much attention. Hollywood came knocking at her door. The problem? She wasn't ready to answer the door. A talent agency from Los Angeles, which represents the primary writer from a popular Showtime show, called her up and asked her if she had a television script they could look at. "I didn't know how to react to that," she said. "They were ready to talk to me, but I was not ready to talk to them. I feel like I'm not ready for it. ... It was so fast, too fast." Though she feels like she will be ready one day, Saracho said she "not ready to put that hat on yet."