Posts Tagged ‘Lennie Dean’

Here’s the announcement from Linda L Reid, 2014 Play Contest Chair:
Cheers to Everyone!
Sincerely,
Teresa LeYung-Ryan
Teresa’s novel Love Made of Heart: a Mother’s Mental Illness Forges Forgiveness in Daughter Ruby is used in college courses and archived at the San Francisco History Center.
As author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW, Coach Teresa helps clients identify their themes and archetypes.
http://writingcoachTeresa.com Subscribe to “Coach Teresa’s blog”

Has it been a year already since my colleagues and I witnessed our 10-minute plays produced at the 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa, California? Photos at: http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/coach-teresa-leyung-ryan-says-i-love-being-in-the-performing-arts-theater-world/
Writing Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan cheering for Redwood Writers, Playwrights, Lennie Dean, Linda Loveland Reid, 6th Street Playhouse!
Redwood Writers has announced the seven winning playwrights of their 3nd Annual 10-Minute Play Contest. Teaming up again this year with 6th Street Playhouse, all seven plays will be produced in an intimate setting in the 6th Street Studio Theatre, Santa Rosa, CA.
7 playwrights, 7 plays, 6 directors and 10 actors bring you this year’s delectable offerings.
Play Festival
Festivities of the Fest!

• Full production of the 10-Minute Plays! 7 playwrights, 7 plays, 6 directors and 10 actors bring you this year’s delectable offerings.
June 27-30, 2013 (Cost: $18)
• Staged Readings: Full-length plays written by the judges of this year’s 10-Minute Play Contest: June 2, June 8 & July 21 (Donations accepted)
• The 10-Minute Play–Taking It To the Next Level: Join internationally produced playwright and founding writer with PlayGround, Garret Jon Groenveld, in a two-hour workshop exploring the ins and outs of the 10-Minute Play. We’ll look at strategies to push your 10-Minute Play to the next level, delving into techniques that innovate with structure, character & dialogue. Stretch your writing muscles with in-class exercises & a follow-up discussion of what to do with the play once you’ve written it. June 29, 11 a.m. (Cost: $10)
• Audience Favorite: Cast your vote! You the audience will have the opportunity to vote for your favorite play; the winning playwright, director and cast will be awarded during the final event of the Fest. Award presented June 30 at Meet the Playwright.
(Free Event!)
• Meet the Playwrights, Q & A: Following the final performance of the 10-Minute Plays, the playwrights will participate in an audience Q&A. June 30 @ 4:30 p.m. (Free event!)
*For showtimes, please check the website at www.6thstreetplayhouse.com.
The 10-Minute Plays Recipient of Sonoma County Grant, Festival Director, Lennie Dean
Get the details!
To purchase tickets and for more
information, visit our website at
www.6thstreetplayhouse.com or
call Box Office at (707) 523-4185 ext. 1.
The Plays:
- The Bucket by Jack Fender
- Crossroads by Darrell Grisham
- Starbucks on Broadway by Scott Lummer
- The Art of the Matter by Lynn Millar
- Intervention by Kay Mehl Miller
- Open House by Tony Sciullo
- Hot Water by Jean Wong
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Maureen Studer’s invitation:
Welcome to 2013 Playwrights Festival. Everyone loves playing to a full house.
Sincerely,
Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan
author of:
Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW (the workbook)
Love Made of Heart (the mother-daughter novel used in college composition classes; book is archived at the San Francisco History Center)
Answer Me Now (the award-winning short play)
and speeches advocating mental health and end violence against women and children
Click here for a list of Coach Teresa’s event.
http://writingcoachTeresa.com for more resources.
Coach Teresa says: “Wear the dual hats of writer and promoter. Reach out, not stress out.”
The Woman in the Photograph; Girl in the Mirror; Woman in My Dream
Good Day! Coach Teresa here . . .
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Dear friend Diane Ichiyasu emailed me about Mani Feniger‘s new book The Woman in the Photograph
For more information about Mani and her events http://manifeniger.com
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Girl In the Mirror by Kate Farrell
Sylvie Dawson is a young woman with a dangerous secret: an abusive boyfriend who is stalking her. Forced to hide in her godmother’s country home for the summer,she struggles with isolation and creeping terror. When her godmother tells her the ancient story of Psyche and Eros, Sylvie is inspired to begin a journey of self-discovery. Will she be able to overcome her fears and live the life she was meant to live? http://www.girlinthemirror.info/
What is Kate Farrell doing these days? Visit her at: http://wisdomhasavoice.com
Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan here again . . . A remarkable dream about my mother and me has become the centerpiece of my 10-minute play Answer Me Now. My heritage is Chinese. When director Lennie Dean asked me to consider changing a few words in my script to fit the actress’s heritage, the “alarms” went off in my head. Oh no, I thought . . . I don’t want my words altered.
“Stacey Marie Kerr’s heritage is Jewish,” Lennie said. “Instead of calling her mother ‘MahMa,’ she would be saying ‘Mameh’ and instead of referring to her father as BahBa, she would be saying ‘Tateh.’ Think it over, tweaking a few words makes the piece personal for the actress on stage.” Lennie added.
I thought it over in the next three seconds of that phone conversation. “Yes! From now on, I would tweak those pronouns and the words ‘China’ and ‘Hong Kong’ to fit the actress whoever she may be.” Asian, Jewish, Italian, Russian, American, Australian, African actress? I can see them and hear them! I’d be honored to change a few words to fit each woman.
I met Stacey Marie Kerr on June 2, 2012. She said she has “adopted” my monologue, she has made the words hers. I couldn’t be more pleased. Thank you, Lennie and Stacey!
Thank you, Linda Loveland Reid, for creating the playwriting contest!
Teresa LeYung-Ryan’s 10-minute monologue Answer Me Now (middle-aged woman asks her dead mother a question) is one of nine winning-plays to be produced by Redwood Writers & 6th Street Playhouse Play Festival in Santa Rosa, CA.
2012 Performance Dates:
- June 29 – 8:00 PM
- June 30 – 2:00 PM & 8:00 PM
- July 1 – 2:00 PM
For my Events Page, click here.
I am so looking forward to seeing Stacey on stage and my friends in the audience.
For poster of winning playwrights and contest judges: http://www.6thstreetplayhouse.com/home-old/article/article/167/
For tickets:
http://www.6thstreetplayhouse.
If you prefer talking to real person, call (707) 523-4185 and leave your phone number for a ticket rep. to call you back.
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Sincerely,
Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan
Teresa LeYung-Ryan helps clients identify themes, universal archetypes, front-story and back-story in their manuscripts.
As coach and author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW, she says: “Make your name synonymous with the issues you write about.”
Teresa has built her own platform happily; her novel Love Made of Heart and her short play Answer Me Now carry the theme closest to her heart: mother-daughter relationship.
Teresa created the annual “Immigrant Experience Writing Contest” and cheers for all contestants.
http://writingcoachteresa.com for her Blog, events, and other resources.
Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan Would Like To Know If You Will Be Attending Redwood Writers & 6th Street Playhouse Play Festival 2012
Hello, Everyone!
I am proud to announce that my short-short-play Answer Me Now has been selected as one of the nine short-short-plays for this year’s festival and fundraiser June 29-July 1, 2012. Tickets will be on sale through the 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa, CA.
$16 per person for all 9 short-short plays
Tickets on sale now!! 707-523-4185
June 29, Friday at 8pm;
June 30, Saturday at 2pm and 8pm;
July 1, Sunday at 2pm.
July 1st 4:30-5pm, following performance, free panel discussion with winning playwrights
Answer Me Now is a 10-minute monologue (middle-aged woman asking her dead mom a question). Autobiographical? Please see the play and decide for yourself. I hope you’ll be able to attend a performance. Festival Director Lennie Dean is lining up directors. Who will be directing my play?
I can’t wait to see the other 8 plays written by fellow playwrights.
Festival Director Lennie Dean says: “More than 20 roles to cast and we will use 12 actors for these 20 some roles…. I have been working to firm up all of the events planned for the festival and will also send the line-up of the different events to all very soon.”
(Teresa here . . . I’ll update my Events page on my website as I receive more info).
If you’re planning to catch a performance, please email me (I’m at gmail.com My ID is: WritingCoachTeresa). I’d like to greet you in person before and after the show. Santa Rosa is a lovely town; perhaps you can support the festival and visit other attractions too.

Playwright Teresa LeYung-Ryan cheers for everyone involved in the Redwood Writers & 6th Street Playhouse Play Festival 2012
Malena Eljumaily Special Delivery
Nancy Lockard Gallop There There, Now
Gene Griffith Gravediggers
Teresa LeYung-Ryan Answer Me Now
Amanda McTigue Turn The Other
Elaine Maikovska The Play Is the Thang
Harry Reid GPS
Elizabeth VanPatten Dream Girl
Jean Wong BFF
I look forward to seeing you!
Sincerely,
As editor/story consultant, Teresa LeYung-Ryan identifies themes and universal archetypes for clients.
As author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW, she says: “Make your name synonymous with the issues you write about.”
Teresa has built her own platform happily; her novel Love Made of Heart is used in college composition classes. She says her novel and her play Answer Me Now carry the theme closest to her heart: mother-daughter relationship.
http://writingcoachteresa.com for Coach Teresa’s Blog and other resources.
“Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”
Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan here to encourage you to wear your 2 hats as a writer — work on the craft and your platform at the same time. Pursue more and more resources . . . by visiting my website and this blog on a regular basis. If you are not in the vicinity of the events I blog about . . . please look at the names of the people who are referenced in my posts, go to their websites by clicking on the links I provide or your keying their names in a search engine. The people I blog about will lead you to their colleagues, and so on. More ways to build your platform? See the exercises in Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days. I can help you polish your manuscript and coach you on platform-building – click here.
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Coach Teresa says: “You can write any genre that hooks you. Just write.”
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Just recently I remembered that in a college English class, the teacher gave us this assignment… to write about any book or story we had read in class. She had said: “No rules. Just give me a 3-page paper.” I didn’t want to write a summary or a book report, so, I wrote a monologue (a speech–what I would have said if I were Othello on Judgment Day). The teacher gave me a B and wrote next to it “Creative.”
That was three decades ago.
Since then . . . I have:
- taken a 10-week course “Writing Children’s Literature” and have written 2 children’s stories; someday I’ll publish them. [ rewards: learned how to craft a story for any age group; formed a critique group with 3 classmates--we met twice each month for 10 years ]
- taking my counselor’s recommendation to read Maxine Hong Kingston’s memoir
- received an award for my fiction [ rewards: joined California Writers Club which opened my networking world ]
- found my agent for my novel Love Made of Heart and she landed a contract for me with Kensington Publishing Corp. New York [ rewards: being represented by respected experts in the book industry and receiving advance praise from celebrated authors before publication of my novel]
- written and delivered keynote speeches for Denim Day and Take Back the Night during Sexual-Violence-Awareness-Month on behalf of the folks at Community Violence Solutions [ rewards: making my name synonymous with subject matters I write about; speaking out for folks who cannot speak for themselves; ]
- writing President’s Message for monthly newsletter of California Writers Club-San Francisco Peninsula Branch [ rewards: building my name as writing-career-coach and advocate for writers ]
- sold my signature article “The Perfect Pitch” to Writer’s Digest [ rewards: gaining recognition as an expert on how to pitch to agents, acquisition editors and publishers ]
- submitting short pieces and getting published in San Jose Mercury News and San Francisco Chronicle [ rewards: making my name visible to general readership ]
- started my own publishing company and launched my workbook Build Your Name Beat the Game which a year later became Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days [ rewards: being Coach Teresa who provides a 22-day program for writers to make their names synonymous with issues they write about ]
- on January 8, 2012 when I presented”Writing-Career-Make-Over with Coach Teresa” at California Writers Club– Redwood Branch, I heard that Linda Loveland Reid was sponsoring the 3rd annual Redwood Writers Playwriting Contest. The entries had to be 10-minute pieces. Hmm… I would like to write a 10-minute play. So, the following week . . . I wrote the play in 30 minutes, but, it took several weeks to rewrite (after receiving critique from Lynn Scott). Answer Me Now (a 10-minute monologue) is about a middle-aged woman asking her dead mom a question. [ rewards: I will get to hang out with directors, actors, producers, set designers, theater folks and theater supporters ]

Playwright Teresa LeYung-Ryan and Creator of Redwood Writers Play Contest & Festival / Playwright / Novelist Linda Loveland Reid. Thank you, Linda!

Teresa LeYung-Ryan says: "Thank you, Elisa Sasa Southard, for going to awards ceremony with me even though you have so much to do after having led Washington D.C. and New York City tours for students!"
Thank you, Sasa! I’m on Cloud Nine and I plan to stay there/here . . . long after the performances at the Redwood Writers Play Festival of June 29, 30 and July 1, 2012.
The 4 shows will be at the 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa, CA:
June 29, Friday at 8pm; June 30, Saturday at 2pm and 8pm; and July 1, Sunday at 2pm. Tickets will be on sale starting May 1st, 2012. $16 per person.

the 9 contest winners: Elaine Maikovska, Harry Reid, Jean Wong, Amanda McTigue, Nancy Lockard Gallop, Malena Eljumaily, Elizabeth VanPatten, Teresa LeYung-Ryan; Gene Griffith was not at awards ceremony
Again, thank you, Linda Loveland Reid, contest judges Lennie Dean, Natasha Carter-Yim, Michael Fontaine (who couldn’t attend the awards ceremony), Redwood Writers, fellow playwrights, Lynn Scott, Elisa Sasa Southard, my MaMa, and my friends who send me good wishes.

Teresa LeYung-Ryan and Redwood Writers Playwriting Contest Judge & Playwright Natasha Carter Yim. Thank you, Natasha!
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Redwood Writers Playwriting Contest Judge & Festival Director Lennie Dean tells Teresa LeYung-Ryan which symbolism in Teresa's play touched her. Thank you, Lennie!
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Redwood Writers Play Festival Director Lennie Dean with Playwright/Writing Coach/Story Consultant Teresa LeYung-Ryan and Travel Writer/Certified Tour Director Elisa Sasa Southard
Teresa,
Congratulations! Answer Me Now is a beautiful sojourn of the mother/daughter soul affinity. I continually seek to be the best of the best of my mother: your play is a tribute to that ongoing relationship of mind, heart and healing spirit. Thank you.
As Festival Director, I am thrilled at the announcement of the collaboration between Redwood Writers President Linda Loveland Reid and 6th Street Playhouse – Craig Miller, Artistic and Education Director. This match will bring the best of both worlds to serve in the enrichment of our community. It is sure to be an event of the year!
I will update as the process of the creation of this event unfolds!
Lennie Dean
Thank you so much, Lennie!
Thinking back to that monologue (Othello on judgment day) I had written for that English class. . . I wonder where that paper is.
You can write any genre that hooks you. Just write.

Thank you, Elisa Sasa Southard, for helping me (Teresa LeYung-Ryan) do advance publicity for Redwood Writers Play Festival at 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa, CA
Sincerely,
As editor/story consultant, Teresa LeYung-Ryan identifies themes and universal archetypes for clients. As author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW, she says: “Make your name synonymous with the issues you write about.” Teresa has built her own platform happily; her novel Love Made of Heart is used in college composition classes. She says her novel and her play Answer Me Now carry the theme closest to her heart: mother-daughter relationship. http://writingcoachteresa.com for Coach Teresa’s Blog and other resources. “Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”
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Teresa LeYung-Ryan’s Play (monologue) a Winner of the 2012 Redwood Writers Playwriting Contest
3 April 2012
Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan here to share sweet news with you.
At 8:19pm this evening I received a phone call from Linda Loveland Reid, telling me that my 10-minute play Answer Me Now has been chosen as one of the nine plays to be produced. I listened to Linda as she explained that directors will be selected, auditions will be scheduled, then casting, and rehearsals, and that the plays would be performed at the annual Redwood Writers Play Festival on June 29, 30 and July 1, 2012 in California.
Performances will be June 29, Friday at 8pm; June 30, Saturday at 2pm and 8pm; and July 1, Sunday at 2pm. Tickets will be $16 per person.
at Santa Rosa’s premier theater, 6th Street Playhouse. The plays will be presented on 6th Street’s Studio stage.
I’m feeling proud and sad at the same time; my play is a monologue (middle-aged daughter talking to her mother); I miss my mom so much.
Thank you, Linda Loveland Reid, for your generosity in creating the annual Redwood Writers Playwriting Contest. Thank you, judges Natasha Carter-Yim, Michael Fontaine and Lennie Dean. Thank you to fellow playwrights and everyone involved in this project.
Thank you, dear Lynn Scott, for your editing my play.
Last week I had already asked dear Elisa Sasa Southard to attend the April 15, 2012 meeting with me, winning or not, so that we could cheer for all the playwrights. Tonight, after receiving the call from Linda . . . I called dear Luisa Adams. Sasa could still be on her trip. It’s too late to call other pals, so, I write this blog post. Gotta email my sis (teaching abroad) and KB in Australia!
Kim McMillon, I’m thinking of you. Your plays have inspired me so much!
Kathryn G. McCarty, thank you for inspiring me with your writing and directing plays, and for giving me the thrill to be on stage for the fundraiser performance of Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues to benefit Community Violence Solutions.
Carol Sheldon, you have inspired me too. I look forward to seeing your new play this month.
Chandra Garsson, I’m thinking of you too. Your films have inspired me so much! Last month Chandra had offered to film me performing Answer Me Now so that I would have a Chandra Garsson production for my YouTube channel; I guess I better memorize my own lines… in addition to attending some of the rehearsals (as the playwright, not actor) when casting has been completed for the Redwood Writers Play Festival.
Screenwriter and screenwriting teacher Terrel Seltzer, thank you for having coached us on what a compelling story is.
Goodnight, Everyone!
Being a writer is a reward! Keep writing!
Sincerely,
As editor/story consultant, Teresa LeYung-Ryan identifies themes and universal archetypes for clients. As author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW, she says: “Make your name synonymous with the issues you write about.” Teresa has built her own platform happily; her novel Love Made of Heart is used in college composition classes. She says her novel and her play Answer Me Now carry the theme closest to her heart: mother-daughter relationship. http://writingcoachteresa.com for Coach Teresa’s Blog and other resources. “Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”
Here’s the email that I just received from Linda.
A huge thank you to judges Natasha Carter-Yim, Michael Fontaine and Lennie Dean. We wish that every play could have been chosen and appreciate everyone who participated.
The winners will be recognized at the April 15, 2012 Redwood Writer general meeting at the Flamingo Hotel at 2:30.
The judges will be in attendance to help recognize the winning playwrights. It is especially exciting this year, as the annual Redwood Writers Play Festival on June 29/30 and July 1, 2012 will be in partnership with Santa Rosa’s premier theater, 6th Street Playhouse. The plays will be presented on 6th Street’s Studio stage. Stand-by for lots more on that front, but for now, please help us celebrate our winning playwrights, listed below in alpha order:
Congratulations to the following nine winning playwrights!
Malena Eljumaily Special Delivery
Nancy Lockard Gallop There There, Now
Gene Griffith Gravediggers
Teresa LeYung-Ryan Answer Me Now
Elaine Maikovska The Play Is the Thang
Amanda McTigue Turn The Other
Harry Reid GPS
Elizabeth VanPatten Dream Girl
Jean Wong BFF