Today we’d like to introduce you to Lynn Beck

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?

I’ve always been interested in the arts. When I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Russian Studies, I headed to the Soviet Union and became an assistant director of a traveling Russian theater called Nikitsky Vorot. It was 1990 and 1991 and we traveled all over the Soviet Union as it was collapsing. When I returned to New York I started a theater company called The Chelsea Players where I wrote and produced Off-off Broadway plays. At 29 I decided that I wanted to work in the entertainment industry and moved to LA. I worked first as an assistant and then as an executive at several major production companies. Then when I got married and had kids, I switched full time to screenwriting. My work was optioned by many directors and production companies, and I had produced films on Hallmark and Lifetime. In 2022 I returned to theater when I wrote and produced an original play called “All American” which was nominated for Best Drama and won the Hollywood Producers Encore Award at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. In summer of 2022, my husband and I celebrated the empty nest and moved to Ashton Idaho, where I am now writing a book about my latest passion, pickleball.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

I don’t think anyone has a smooth road in life. We all have challenges, but it is how we react to our challenges that truly defines us. It takes a lot of courage to be an artist in America. So much of your work never sees the light of day so it’s important to take satisfaction in the creation of your work, not just in selling it. I’ve also had health challenges; a major kite surfing accident when I was 38 and soon after I committed to producing my play at the Hollywood Fringe Festival, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. As human beings, our health is vulnerable. Eventually we must all succumb to sickness and death. But as a Buddhist, I believe that accepting the finality of this lifetime makes us treasure it all the more. Serious challenges also teach us compassion and humility.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?

In high school and college I did a lot of acting. When I first headed for New York I worked as an actress for a year. I love to act, but didn’t like the powerlessness of the career. I was bamboozled to act in an original play that was terribly written, and after that I thought “I can do better than that.” So I switched to writing and producing theater and really loved the whole process. The theater community is so creative and supportive wherever you go. I love the collaboration aspect of creating a play with the cast and crew. It is really an intimate experience and you become a family. I lean into themes that need exploring. In my recent play, “All American,” I ask how can certain young men be so separated from their humanity that they resort to shooting their classmates, and often themselves. I did a lot of research on school shooters and many leave writing behind that says “help me.” So in my play, I asked “How can we help these young men reconnect to their humanity?” I love that theater is only limited by your imagination. I put two families living in the same house in 1971 and 2021. The house acts as a time portal and the two families share their trauma and help each other heal. It was a tremendous amount of work to produce this play while undergoing cancer treatment, but we packed the house and had standing ovations at every show.

I currently work as a writing consultant helping other screenwriters to elevate their writing. I also work as a college admissions counselor helping high school students get into their dream college or university.

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?

Perhaps backpacking with my family. My father had a love of the outdoors and would take all 6 children into the mountains to hike and camp. Spending time in the outdoors is such a great family adventure because you’re totally present and get to play in the forest. I remember my father teaching me to make a watermill. These adventures gave me a life-long appreciation of nature. My husband and I took our own kids backpacking and now we are taking our grandkids.

Pricing:

• $400
• $10,000

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lynngrantbeck.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lynngrantbeck/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lynn.grantbeck

Image Credits
Matt Kamimura