“If I pet a baby Highland cow and leave with my first tattoo, that will just be icing on the cake.”
WHO: Dayna Steele
WHAT: “A fearlessly honest, bitingly witty and unexpectedly uplifting true story of a mother and daughter navigating the realities of caregiving. Blindsided when her mother receives a life-changing diagnosis, Dayna writes a Facebook post. Waking up to hundreds of responses she realises she isn’t alone, and begins to share all the ups, downs, hilarity and heartbreak with her new-found cyber support network. An award-winning play from Radio Hall of Famer Dayna Steele, based on the best-selling book Surviving Alzheimer’s with Friends, Facebook and a Really Big Glass of Wine. ‘A love letter to caregivers.’ (Houston Press)”
WHERE: Studio at ZOO Southside (Venue 82)
WHEN: 15:15 (70 min)
MORE: Click Here!
Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
No. This will be my fourth visit to this magical city, but my first time attending and performing at Fringe. I’ve fallen in love with Edinburgh over the years, made wonderful friends there, and honestly can’t imagine a better place for this next chapter. If I pet a baby Highland cow and leave with my first tattoo, that will just be icing on the cake.
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2025 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
I’ve learned it’s never too late to do something completely unreasonable.
At 66 (turning 67 during the production), I somehow find myself an actor, am taking my first play overseas, and am raising the money to make it all happen. None of that was on my bingo card.
And, it’s okay to ask for help whether you are a caregiver or a playwright raising money to bring your uplifting comedy to Fringe.
Tell us about your show.
The Woman in the Mirror is based on my bestselling book Surviving Alzheimer’s with Friends, Facebook, and a Really Big Glass of Wine. It’s inspired by my journey with my mother through Alzheimer’s—the heartbreaking moments, the hilarious ones, the ones that made me question my sanity, and one surprise ending audiences never see coming. I wanted to pass on all these lessons I learned to others with storytelling and humor. And love.
The project began in 2019 as something closer to a one-woman show. Then came what felt like 150 rewrites. (No one warns you that “playwright” mostly means rewriting.) Today it’s an award-winning two-person play.
In 2024 I was introduced to director Laura Stearns for a production in Palm Springs, California. Laura had also cared for both her mother and grandmother through Alzheimer’s, so she understood this story before I even finished telling it. She coached, challenged, encouraged, occasionally threatened me with another rehearsal, and somehow turned a former rock radio personality into an actor. Thanks to her, my co-star Rebecca McWilliams and I received Best Actress nominations from the Desert Theatre League. The production won Best Play, and Laura was honored as Best Director.
Over the past two years we’ve shaped this into something I hope audiences will never forget—a funny, honest, deeply human love letter to caregivers, parents, families, and the people who show up when life gets hard.
I’m producing the Edinburgh run through Blue Squirrel Productions alongside the wonderful team at Suzanna Rosenthal Productions.
If you laugh, cry, call your mother afterward, hug someone a little tighter, or simply walk out feeling a little less alone, we’ve done our job.
If you’ve ever had a mother or simply wondered how people survive impossible situations with laughter intact, this show is for you.
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
Find a first-time performer. Wander into a tiny venue with a queue outside. Take a chance on the show someone passionately recommends over coffee (or wine). Some of the biggest success stories in theatre began as unknown Fringe productions, and there’s something magical about being able to say, “I saw it before everyone else did.”
As a former business speaker, one of my favorite pieces of advice was simple: be quiet and listen. It’s amazing what you’ll hear—and where it might lead. It’s how I somehow kept ending up in the front row of Rolling Stones photos. (That’s a story for another day.)
The joy of the Fringe is discovering something you never planned to see. But if you are planning ahead, I recommend seeing brilliant women like Michelle Shocked, Women of Rock, and Chrissie Hinde!
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