A new play coming soon

A short summary of your project

Coming to a fringe festival near you:

Dead Doves and Lemons OR Everything You've Ever Wanted to Know About Fan Fiction But Were Too Afraid To Ask

A new play by Deanna Strasse

Synopsis: This is a hard time for you: your loved one just came out as a (gasp) fan fic writer. How do you respond to that? What will the neighbors think? What is Omega slick, anyway? Don't you worry because fan fiction veteran MinaRoseTook (pseudonym) is here to answer all your questions. Join us on an eclectic (and often cringey) journey while we explore how fan fiction came to be, why people like it, and how it's a valid form of art. Who knows...maybe you'll even write something.

The show already has an upcoming workshop session and a fringe festival run.

On Sunday, June 1st, Dead Doves and Lemons...will be produced as staged reading at The Cockpit in London. The world premiere is set to be at the Camden Fringe Festival Friday, August 15th - Sunday, August 17th.

Hopefully we will take the show onto more fringe festivals (Colchester Fringe, maybe?)

Who are you?

My name is Deanna Strasse and I like to tell stories.

I studied Theatre at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and while my emphasis was performance, I quickly learned that creating stories was my true love. I finished my first play when I was nineteen and, while it was far from a piece of theatrical genius, my professors still took the time to help me hone my skills at writing dialogue and cultivating stories. The play was developed and produced as a staged reading my junior year, followed by a fully mounted show the following year. I graduated knowing that I wanted to write, but how I’d get there was still a mystery. I’ve had a lot of time in the past ten (plus!) years since graduating to consider what I want to say and how my words can affect those around me.

I describe my work as a search for genuine things; I have always been intrigued by the intricacies of relationships and what it means to truly connect with another person. My plays focus mainly on people attempting to bridge the gap between themselves and others, often in amusing ways, complete with some banter because I do love good banter. There is so much in life that is fake yet comfortable; my goal with writing is to get at the heart of honest but potentially strained relationships.

As an actress, I know the genuine struggle that many women face in the theatre world: there are far too many of us and not enough roles. Along with writing genuine pieces of dialogue, I also strive to always provide dynamic and engaging roles for women.

Whether it’s a hilarious murder mystery romp or a deep dive into the human psyche around a kitchen table, I will tell genuine stories.

Your story

I came to the UK to study Scriptwriting because I knew that theatre was much more accessible here than it is over in the States. I can see great pieces of theatre on the West End for a fraction of the price on Broadway, and it's all my favorite actors from Doctor Who (win, win). In addition to learning about theatre, I'm also studying screenwriting, poetry, prose, and more.

When I was in my early twenties, I started writing fan fiction. Yes, it was Harry Potter. I didn't think I really the patience or attention to detail required to write novels or short stories, but I thoroughly enjoyed dabbling in prose especially when I could playfully fill in the gaps within the story of some of my favorite fictional couples (Tonks and Lupin, especially. Sorry, WolfStar fans.)

Eventually, I stopped writing fan fiction, though, simply because I figured it was a waste of my time. “I’m not going to make a name for myself with this stuff, and I should be focused on my ‘real art’.”

In my early thirties, however, I found myself back in the habit for the exact reasons that I originally strayed away from it: it doesn’t matter. No, I am not going to become famous or win an award because I write cute fluff pieces about my favorite fictional OTPs, but gosh darn it do I have fun doing it. I love writing for the theatre (it’s my passion) but I always have to be open to outside opinions when creating plays; there are feedback sessions and talk-backs and letters of rejection and everything in between. In the world of fan fiction, I just get to write cute adventures about wizards, Time Lords, angels, demons, chaotic witches, etc. and if you like it, cool, but if you don’t, it doesn’t matter. I’m writing for myself, and that’s fantastic.

Finding this sense of freedom in fan fiction has been very special to me, and part of writing this play is about attempting to share that with others. No one comes into the world being a good writer. We have to start somewhere and then we can grow. We're all cringey at some point, and that's okay.

Where will the money go?

The needed £1,000 will get us into the festival and help pay for accommodation.

The total £3,000 will go towards: