Mary Steelsmith

Mary debuted as Melody in the Joan Rivers film Rabbit Test (1978), with Doris Roberts playing her mother and Billy Crystal as her brother. Other films include H.O.T.S. (1979), Death Valley (1982) and Weird Science (1985). Mary 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 the play "This Isn't Exactly How I Expected It" which won First Place in the Dramatics Magazine Playwriting Contest and publication by Pioneer Publishing in 1978. She attended Boise State University where her one act play "Echo Park" was produced in the Subal Theatre starring Pamela Abas-Rossand future film director Michael Hoffman. After moving to Los Angeles, Mary 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, inspired Mary to write. Her one act plays resulting from that workshop still enjoy successful productions countrywide and internationally. "Bedside Companion" (premiered in Beverly Hills, 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 comic play "Happy and Gay" was named the winner of the ten minute division of the Eileen Heckart Drama for Seniors Competition in 2009. Mary's 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 in 2002. Mary had entered this contest 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. Her short play "The Miraculous Day Quartet" has received successful productions in Southern California, Chicago and New York. It was part of 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 in 2006. 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 and went on to win the Merit Award for Cayuga Community College of Auburn at the New York Theatre Association gathering. Her anti-war play "True Blue" premiered in the Fritz Blitz at the Fritz Theatre and was performed at the Single Carrot Theatre in Baltimore,MD. It won the "Peoples Choice" award at the Plays for a New Millennium festival at Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Ohio. Mary's full length play "Isaac, I am" was selected as the winner from more than 300 original plays submitted to the Helford Prize national playwriting contest officiated by Jacksonville University. It was chosen by Bruce Helford, the creative force behind George Lopez (2002), The Drew Carey Show (1995), Roseanne (1988) and Anger Management (2012). The women's Theatre Organization of USC produced the Los Angeles Premiere of "Isaac, I am" at the end of October, 2011. "Isaac, I am" was an official selection in the Women Playwrights International Conference, held in Stockholm, Sweden in August, 2012. Mary traveled to Stockholm to present her play and had the unique experience of meeting women playwrights from around the world. "The "M" Word", co-written with husband Steve Lee, was well received at the Lakeshore Players' Ten Minute Play festival in White Bear Lake, Minnesota and was featured in the featured in Theatrerats' Third Annual Chester Horn Short Play Festival in Manhattan. Her comedy "Outsourcing Christmas" is gaining popularity in holiday-themed festivals. Mary played the role of 'Doreen' in "The Sunday Man", a short film directed by 'Dany Shamash' and produced by Rebecca Rankin. It was part of American Film Institute's directing workshop for women. 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". Her plays are published by Pioneer Drama and available on Amazon. She is a proud member of the Dramatists' Guild, the International Centre of Women Playwrights, the Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights and SAG-AFTRA.