Nancy Wright BeasleyNancy Wright Beasley's journalistic career spans 36 years, beginning with seven years as a state correspondent for The Richmond News Leader. She was personal columnist and a contributing editor for Richmond magazine for over 16 years. Ms. Beasley has written national award-winning columns and articles for that magazine, as well as several other publications. The Virginia Press Women named her as their Communicator of Achievement in 2005 and the Richmond YWCA chose her as one of Ten Outstanding Women in Central Virginia in 2006. The Library of Virginia named Beasley's first book, Izzy's Fire: Finding Humanity in the Holocaust, as one of five outstanding nonfiction books written by Virginia authors in 2005 and nominated it for the People's Choice Award. The book tells the story of how a three-member Catholic farm family saved 13 Jews during the Holocaust in Lithuania. All survived the war and four are alive today. Her second book, Reflections of a Purple Zebra: Essays of a Different Stripe, was published in 2007. It is a compilation of 60 columns which have previously appeared in Richmond magazine. The author earned a graduate degree (MS) at the School of Mass Communications at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2000 and taught in that department for several years. She earned a second graduate degree (MFA) in children's literature at Hollins University in 2011. For her thesis at Hollins, Beasley wrote a young adult historical novel, The Little Lion: A Hero in the Holocaust, based on a Jewish teenager who lived in Lithuania during the Holocaust and helped family members escape Kovno Ghetto. It has been adapted for the stage by Irene Ziegler, a Richmond playwright. The play will debut January 28, 2016, and run through March 5, 2016, at Swift Creek Mill Theatre. Tom Width, artistic director at Swift Creek, had this to say about Beasley's publications: Upon first reading of Nancy Wright Beasley's book, Izzy's Fire: Finding Humanity in the Holocaust, and then her unpublished manuscript for The Little Lion: A Hero in the Holocaust, I was stirred by the potential for using the power of theatre to bring these important stories to a wider audience. The Little Lion, in particular, is capable of resonating with everyone from teenagers to Holocaust survivors, driving home the messages of courage, tenacity, irony and horror that it dramatizes. Bringing this story to the stage, where the author, playwright, designers, technicians and actors can use their wide-ranging skills to enhance the story telling has been a privilege. In today's frightening world, we must not forget that evil is still very real and very powerful, and these stories must be told. Tom Width, Artistic Director, Swift Creek Mill Theatre / Director, The Little Lion. Read More Read Less