"Written, performed and lived" by Elaine Del Valle. With fashion-model beauty and a smile that can melt iron, Puerto Rican Del Valle tells a mostly affectionate tale of living in and breaking out of the Brooklyn housing projects where she grew up. She mocks her own smile when, in trouble, she grins maniacally. She tells a generic saga of triumph over impediments of family trauma, drug addition, illness and would-be rapists, with her infectious charm that washes away the shortcomings of the script. She has a squeaky voice that can also become tinged with a growl, hinting at the ferocity mingled with the sweetness of her portrayal. We're made up of mostly water, she says, and the liquid looks so clean. Like us, however, it's not necessarily as it appears.
Theatre of NOTE, 1517 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood; June 23, 6 p.m.; June 26 2:15p.m.; June 27, noon. (323) 856-8611.