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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Writing & Editing
Have written over 900 columns, articles, editorial pieces, human interest stories, humorous essays and arts reviews for websites and publications including the Los Angeles Times, Entertainment Today and alternative weeklies; on-air theater criticism for KCRW-FM; features nationally in United Parenting Publications and online for TheaterMania.com, among other sites. Created e-learning content for interactive training and corporate compliance courses and also company codes of conduct and ethics for LRN. Under contract with Work|Life Benefits, wrote a range of EAP articles and online materials for Amgen, Anheuser Busch, Southwest Airlines, Ford Motor Co., Disney, Cisco Systems and other clients. Responsible for print and online content, SEO optimization, project management and other writing for PersonaLabs and related healthcare sites. Additional projects include writing, editing and/or proofreading newsletters, corporate profiles, technical manuals, style guides, direct mail campaigns, video scripts, web and brochure copy, as well as MP/TV industry coverage and grantwriting.
As a playwright, works include plays performed at theaters in the U.S. and internationally, and supported by organizations such as the Playwrights’ Center and Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum (playwright-in-residence). Developed original material at Paramount Studios as part of “Skirts”; currently in residence at LA’s Rogue Machine Theatre and editor-at-large of the LA Female Playwrights Initiative (lafpi.com).
Public Relations & Marketing
Over a 10 year period, handled public relations for theatrical companies in the Los Angles area, preparing press releases and directly contacting media representatives to ensure critical notices and coverage of productions and activities; coordinating and overseeing production photography; establishing ongoing relationships with media contacts; and orchestrating special events. Also organized public information materials used in membership drives and publicity campaigns for various arts and non-arts organizations. Skilled in social media and liaising with graphic artists to produce distinctive literature for advertising, promotions, fund-raising and in-house operations.
Teaching & Communications
Lecturer at the university level on the topics of public relations, humanities and Shakespeare text analysis. Created “PR 101: Getting Personal With Public Relations” workshop for multi-level arts organizations. Currently offer specialized workshops for playwrights and private dramaturgy sessions. Taught comedy techniques for professionals in Los Angeles and Las Vegas and playwriting classes for youth. Provided strategic planning and program direction to private companies, designing custom seminars, expansion activities and outreach demonstrations.
Arts Management
Acted as producer of theatrical productions, formulating budgets and schedules, drafting leases and negotiating contracts. Initiated funding proposals, writing and securing private and government grants. Directed adult arts education programs, hiring professionals, arranging curriculum, recruiting students and overseeing class progression. Formed The Rough Theater as a Non-Profit Organization; created and currently run “Botanicum Seedlings: A Development Series for Playwrights” and Los Angeles Female Playwrights Initiative.
WORK HISTORY
1990 – 2020 (Partial Client List)
- PersonaLabs, Writing, Editing, Project Management (Healthcare Content & Marketing Collateral)
- Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum, Program Direction, Writing, Editing, Teaching, Public Relations
- Workplace Options, Writing (Global Newsletter Content for Wellness Professionals & Clinicians)
- LRN–Legal Compliance and Ethics Center, Writing (E-Learning Courses & Corporate Materials)
- Work|Life Benefits, Writing (Employee Assistance Articles, Online Content & Customized Materials)
- The Shakespeare Globe Centre, Writing, Editing, Public Relations, Desktop Publishing
- Ketchum-Downtown YMCA, Writing, Editing, Community Programs Public Relations
- Goethe-Institut, Los Angeles/German Cultural Center, Writing, Editing, Public Relations
- California State University Los Angeles, Guest Lecturing (Public Relations, Arts & Humanities)
- Harvey Lembeck Professional Comedy Workshop, Teaching
1985 – 1990
City of Los Angeles Community Development Department, Communications Editor
EDUCATION
June 1983 BFA in Drama/Communications, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
SELECTED PUBLICATION HISTORY
(partial list, including articles published under pen name Meg Donivan)
Contributing Writer/Critic, Backstage (Entertainment Magazine) September 2003 – April, 2013
Columnist, Salon City Magazine (National Arts & Culture Magazine) April 2007 – November, 2008
Guest Columnist, Pasadena Weekly (News & Entertainment Magazine) August 2001 – August, 2002
Theatre Talk Critic, KCRW-FM (Los Angeles’ premier NPR Affiliate) February 2001 – December 2002
Columnist and Staff Writer, The Gazette (Weekly Column, “The Jennie Webb Site”; Arts Features & Reviews, Human Interest Features) March 1999 – March 2000
Contributing Writer/Critic, Nightlife Magazine (Entertainment Magazine) June 1998 – December 2000
Los Angeles Correspondent, TheatreScope (NY-based Stage Trade) May 1997 – April 2004
Regular Contributor, The Messenger (Theater Reviews and Features) June 1993 – August 1997
- “It Hurts” In Media Res/MediaCommons.com (Curated Articles: Women’s Representation Onscreen) January 23, 2013
- “Mano en Mano” Niche Magazine (Cover Feature Article) Spring, 2007
- “Fruit Flies” New Monologues for Women by Women, Heinemann Press, 2004
- Celebrity & Beauty Industry Profiles, Salon City Star, May-June, 2003
- “Terra Incognita” Backstage West (Feature Article) October 17, 2002
- “The Grandparent-Grandchild Bond” Bay Area Parent (Feature Article) September, 2002
- “Humana Kind: Louisville’s Annual New Play Festival” Backstage West (Feature Article) April 18, 2002
- “The Grandparent-Grandchild Bond” Parenthood.com (Feature Article) January 2002
- “Single Parent’s Summer Survival Guide” United Parenting Publications—27 Magazines Nationally (Feature Article) July 2001
- “Yellowstone Kid-Style” Kidzmusic.net (Travel Article) April 2001
- “Outdoor Adventures: Montana” United Parenting Publications—27 Magazines Nationally (Cover Travel Article) March 2001
- “What Makes a Mom?” Best of LA Parent/Best of Bay Area Parent (Feature Article) December 2000 (re-printed from May 2000)
- “Garry Marshall: Stage Hound” TheaterMania.com (Feature Article) December 12, 2000 (re-posted from March 31, 2000)
- “Between Page & Stage” Backstage West (Feature Article) November 30, 2000
- “Critical Mass—Robert Brustein” Backstage West (News Feature) November 9, 2000
- “Actors of Color Need Apply—African Americans Performing the Classics” Ynobe.com (Feature Article) October 4, 2000
- “Cyberspace Between Us” Backstage West (Feature Article) August 3, 2000
- “Mr. Fleck in Berlin” TheaterMania.com (Feature Article) June 14, 2000
- “What Makes a Mom?” United Parenting Publications—27 Magazines Nationally (Cover Article) May 2000
- “House of Escher” TheaterMania.com (Feature Article) May 26, 2000
- “Jodi Benson” TheaterMania.com (Q&A Interview) April 28, 2000
- “The New Spalding Gray” TheaterMania.com (Feature Profile) April 14, 2000
- “Shopping and F**king” TheaterMania.com (Theater Review) March 31, 2000
- “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern” Beverly Hills Weekly (Theater Review) February 10, 2000
- “Howard Korder” Backstage West (Profile) January 6, 2000
“Acts of Grace 3” Entertainment Today (Theater Review) November 26, 1999 - “Southland Stigma: LA Playwrights” Backstage West (Two-Part Feature Article) November 4, 1999 & November 11, 1999
- “The Language of the Mind” Whole Life Times (Cover Article) May, 1998
- “Humana Festival: Kentucky Cycle” Backstage West (Feature Article) April 2, 1998
- “Gilding the Cake” Los Angeles Times (Feature Article—Life & Style) February 4, 1998
- “Ingenuity Goes a Long Way” Los Angeles Times (Feature Article—Life & Style) February 4, 1998
- “Keeping Abreast of Miss America’s Swimsuit” Silver Lake Women (Humorous Essay) Fall 1995
- “Robert Walden” LA Theatres Magazine (Q&A Interview) December 1994
- “Alan Mandell” Aging and Society (Q&A Interview) October 1993