Author Profile:  Mary Steelsmith

Mary Steelsmith was born and raised in Boise, Idaho, two cow fields away from the Broadway Drive-In Movie Theater.  As a student at Boise high school she wrote This Isn't Exactly How I Expected It, winning First Place in the Dramatics Magazine Playwriting Contest and publication by Pioneer Publishing.  She attended Boise State University for a year, where her one act play, Echo Park was produced in the Subal Theatre, starring Pamela Abas and then future film director, Michael Hoffman.

After moving to Los Angeles, she became involved in the local theater scene with her play, Paperback Books, which starred John Fleck, before he became one of the infamous “NEA Four.”  Mary’s antiwar farce, WACS In Khaki, premiered at the Los Angeles Actors Theatre, and moved to the Company Theatre, directed by Paul Linke. 

Wordsmiths, facilitated by Silas Jones at the Los Angeles Theatre Center, has inspired Mary to write and her one act plays have had successful productions countrywide.  Bedside Companion, (premiered at Theatre 40's Festival of One-Acts) joined Behold A Pale Bronco, Women With Casseroles, The Old Man And The Seed and They’s Weywulves in a critically acclaimed six week run at PV Players in Torrance, California. 

Her short work, The Old Man And The Seed, won First Prize in the Hewlett Packard 10 Minute Play Contest and was produced at the Action Theatre in Singapore, fall, 2002.  Mary had entered, hoping to score some toner for her HP printer.  Instead, she was delighted to learn first prize included the trip of a lifetime, to Singapore where she saw her play produced.

The Miraculous Day Quartet, Mary’s short play about four people who are late to their appointed destinations, has received successful productions in Southern California, Chicago and New York.  It recently finished a run in the Second Annual Chester Horn Short Play Festival in New York City, where it earned an honorable mention for Best Play, and garnered Best Director and Best Actress awards.  It was chosen to be read at the Dramatists Guild of America in New York City, as part of the International Women’s Day Celebration in March, 2007.

“Mary Steelsmith's antiwar play, TRUE BLUE, succeeds admirably,” wrote theater critic, Michael Greenwald in the San Diego Union-Tribune.  True Blue premiered in the 2006 Fritz Blitz at the Fritz Theatre, in September, 2006 and was performed at the Single Carrot Theatre in Baltimore, January 2007.  In May, 2007 it won the “Peoples Choice” award at the Plays for a New Millennium festival at Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Ohio.

Isaac, I am Mary’s full length play about life, death and AOL, was selected as the 2006 winner from more than 300 original plays submitted to the Helford Prize national playwriting contest officiated by Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Florida.  It was chosen by Bruce Helford, the creative force behind “George Lopez,” “The Drew Carey Show,” “Roseanne” and other successful sitcoms.  Helford said, “I chose Isaac, I am because it is sharp, relevant and disturbing.”

The "M" Word, co-written with Steve Lee, was well received at the Lakeshore Players' Ten Minute Play festival in White Bear Lake, Minnesota and was be featured in the featured in Theatrerats' Third Annual Chester Horn Short Play Festival in Manhattan at the end of September, 2007.

Mary loves to perform and has been seen on film in such “B” classics as Rabbit Test, H.O.T.S., Weird Science and Death Valley.  Mary appeared as a “Merciful Sister” and sang about putting “the Devil in a Bulgarian headlock” on an episode of the original “WKRP In Cincinnati.”

A familiar figure on the Los Angeles stage, she has won Supporting Actress awards for her performances in The Boys Next Door and I Remember Mama.

Mary played the role of ‘Doreen’ in “The Sunday Man,” a short film directed by Dany Shamash and produced by Rebecca Rankin, as part of American Film Institute’s directing workshop for women.  “The Sunday Man” premiered at the American Film Institute in Hollywood, 2007.

Mary’s work is published by Players Press and Pioneer Drama Service, Inc.  She is a member of the Dramatists’ Guild and the Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights. 

Mary is married to the dashing Steve Lee and is owned by two cats.