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As a Latina actress in Hollywood, Adriana Garza often found herself auditioning for one of two roles — the heavily accented housekeeper or the sultry sex symbol.

“Not being given an opportunity to grow is frustrating, and being confined to a specific way of doing things is not OK,” Garza said. “There does come a point where you don't want to do this anymore.”

Since debuting her monologue show, “The Art of Being,” in Los Angeles in May 2006, Garza hasn't had to worry about being pigeonholed or typecast.

“The Art of Being,” which will make a one-night stop in San Antonio at the Jump Start Performance Co. on Saturday, Dec. 8, tells the story of nine real-life people. The cast, which includes Garza, ranges not only in age, gender and race, but also emotional condition.

Some of the performers tell of being comfortable in their own skin; other cast members reflect more upon negative feelings.

The stories are “interlaced to take you through my view of what life is — a roller coaster ride,” said Garza, who was born in Brownsville and raised in El Paso. “You're never just happy all the time, and you're never just sad all the time. There are emotional ups and downs, and with the good comes the bad. It's all about how we face those challenges.”

Garza has been rewarded for her creation, earning a 2006 Toyota Moving Forward Award. Garza won in the “Driving Force” category, for “exemplifying a woman driven by her passion moving forward in the entertainment field.” Garza, “The Art of Being's” creator, director, producer and co-star, is the first Latina to win the award.

“Photo shoots are fun, and the attention is fun, but at the end of the day, why are you doing this and what is this about?” Garza said. “It's about humanity.”

CLINT HALE | 210SA