ARTS COMMISSION 

News release 

An open discussion, called Women of Written Words, will be available to the public on Monday, March 26 at the Boyle County Public Library. Organized by the Arts Commission of Danville/Boyle County, the panel of five local women will share insights from their individual writing experiences through questions posed from moderator Mimi Becker, director of the commission. 

The panel 

• Heather Henson grew up in an environment full of words. Her family founded Pioneer Playhouse in Danville before she was even born. Every day during the summer season, her world was full of words. The months of the off season were consumed by the family with preparations for the months of performances.

The Henson family read and considered the works of writers to select the stories which would entertain audiences for the summer of theater. Two of her siblings would eventually become authors of plays with local themes produced by the Playhouse. Was this the path Heather was sure to follow?

Well, Heather Henson did join the family business of words. But her story is not quite the same as the others. What would bring her home and what would inspire her?

• Yolantha Harrison-Pace is a poet. She was born in Tacoma, Washington, an American town just about as far from Danville as continental geography will allow. Danville has been her home now for many years, but Yolantha’s commitment to serve the needs of others has led her to mission work in some of the poorest places on earth. How are life experiences translated into words?

• Liz Orndorff is also not native to Danville. Her career in the corporate world of public relations and advertising could be considered a distance from the creative world of playwriting.

• Patsi Trollinger grew up in a family with a tradition of storytelling grounded in the hill country of eastern Tennessee. These themes have influenced the development of her professional life, as well as her creative writing since she was very young.

• Bobbie Curd is a working journalist, meeting the high pressure daily deadlines of a newspaper and other time sensitive publications.

These five women, who have all made Danville their home, share a passion for writing. They also share a commitment to pass along their stories to others who dream of writing, either personally or professionally. They will relate practical suggestions from their own experiences for those who are interested in publishing their work.

The Arts Commission of Danville/Boyle County along with the Boyle County Public Library and Heritage Business and Professional Women are sponsoring a panel discussion with all five writers on March 26th from 5:30 – 7:30 at the Boyle County Public Library. The discussion is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. Reservations may be made at arts@historicdanvilleky.com or by calling, or texting, Mimi Becker at (859) 691-0316.

This program was made possible by a generous grant from the Betty Hines Fund of the Kentucky Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Foundation.

IF YOU GO 

Women of Written Words, a panel discussion about female writers in different genres, will be 5:30-7:30 March 26 at the Boyle County Public Library. The discussion is free and open to the public, but reservations are appreciated since refreshments will be provided. Call, email or text Mimi Becker if you would like to attend at (859) 691-0316 or arts@historicdanvilleky.com