Writing
I have twenty years of experience writing stories and plays for young audiences.
Published Works
Glass Shoes and Magic Beans
Three Queer Fairy Tales
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The Prince and the Glass Shoe
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Rapunzel and the Three Princes
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The Beanstalk
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West Side Writers 2025 Anthology
1 George Street Press, 2025
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The Many Deaths of Donkey
New Fables for Tough Times
An ongoing series of stories published on Substack under my pen name, Lee Dorrison. ​​​​
Speaking Out Collective
As the Early Childhood and Mental Health Lead, I've been a part of developing stories and puppet shows for early childhood audiences.
Old MacDonald's Farm
Tales of Mental Health and Neurodivergence
Created in collaboration with Maria Asp and input from mental health professionals, this series of 25-minute interactive puppets shows have been performed at preschools and libraries throughout the Twin Cities.
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Fluff, the Duckling Who Wouldn't Swim - A story about Anxiety
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Sparky, the Dog Who Loved to MOVE! - A story about AHDH
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Curly, the Autistic Sheep
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Early Childhood Stories and Curriculum
Created in collaboration with Maria Asp, these stories are told during classroom visits in preschool and kindergarten classes.
Complete list of Early Childhood Stories and Curriculum Thelma in the Garden Stories Five stories about introducing gardening concepts and tied to Minnesota Kindergarten standards about gardening and light. 1. Thelma and the Lettuce Thief 2. Thelma and the Beanstalk 3. Thelma and the Three Bears 4. Thelma, the Sun, and the Wind 5. Thelma and the Gingerbread House Fabulous Fathers Created in response to a request from PICA Headstart for more stories that center father and child Relationships: 1. Little Rocket goes to the Twinkle Twinkle Star 2. The Dancing Princes
Minnesota Association for Children's Mental Health
Fidgety Fairy Tales - The Mental Health Musicals
With composer/lyricist Marya Hart, we re-imagined 36 familiar stories into 15-minute musicals that help kids and grown ups have important conversations about mental health and neurodivergence.
Supported annually by the Minnesota State Arts Board and/or Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, we've done more than 500 performances that have reached over 55,000 Minnesotans.
Script packages have allowed other theatre companies and schools to stage their own shows in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana, and Guam.
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In 2022, our organization received an anonymous one million dollar donation that specifically named Fidgety Fairy Tales.
Complete list of Fidgety Fairy Tales - The Mental Health Musicals 2008 Little Red Riding Hood (ADHD) Sleeping Handsome (Depression) Rapunzel (anxiety) 2010 The Frog Prince (collaborative problem solving) Hansel and Gretel (post traumatic stress) The Prince and the Pea (autism) 2011 CinderEdward (bipolar disorder) Boyd, Who Cried Wolf (Tourette syndrome) Godlilocks and the Three Bears (obsessive compulsive disorder) 2012 Snow White (schizophrenia) Jack and the Beanstalk (brain injury) The Little Mermaid (eating disorder) 2013 Beauty and the Beast (autism) Rumplestiltskin (addiction) Pied Piper (reactive attachment disorder) 2014 The Emperor's New Clothes (brain injury) The Little Match Girl (autism) The Snow Queen (depression) 2015 Bluebeard (mental health stigma) Robin Hood and His Band of Anxious Men (anxiety) Demeter and Persephone (grief) 2016 The Sensational Hercules (sensory processing disorder) Brave Tailor Little (ableism) The Princess Who Never Laughed (depression) 2017 Three Little Pigs (anxiety) Humpty Dumpty (trauma) Ugly Duckling (bullying) 2018 Three Billy Goats Gruff (ADHD) Little Miss Muffet (meltdowns) Pinocchio (unhealthy coping mechanisms) 2019 The Ants and the Grasshopper (ADHD) Mary Had a Little Lamb (anxiety) Puss in Boots (autism) 2020 Chicken Little (managing catastrophizing thoughts) The Tortoise and the Hare (depression) Old Mother Hubbard (trauma) 2020 - 2022 Covid-era Video Adaptations Chicken Little The Tortoise and the Hare Old Mother Hubbard Little Red Riding Hood
Mary had a Little Lamb
photo by V. Paul V.
costumes by Matt Jenson
Star Power and Friends
Collaborating with mental health professionals, a group of Somali Certified Family Peer Specialists, and a cast of Somali teens, I created and wrote a series of short videos about a team of Somali superheroes addressing mental health topics relevant to the Somali community in Minnesota.
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I also wrote arts-based activities, coloring pages, and other supporting materials to support usage in the classroom.
Complete list of Star Power and Friends episodes Episode 1 - Jumpkick Loves to Move Episode 2 - Monarch is an Expert Episode 3 - Mindracer Becomes a Role Model Episode 4 - Sunshine Has Lots of Energy Episode 5 - Big Hug Shows He Cares
Illustration by Matt Jenson
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Star Power
Illustration by Matt Jenson
Children's Theatre Company
Early Bridges
Wrote adaptations of fairy tales, legends, greek mythology and more for a program in which visiting teaching artists taught social emotional learning through interactive storytelling and creative storytelling in preschool and kindergarten classes throughout Minnesota.
I also wrote lesson plans, built puppets, and composed songs to go with the stories.
Complete list of commissioned Early Bridges adaptations FAIRY TALES The Bremen Town Musicians Petronella How Six Made Their Way in the Word The Wolf and the Seven Kids GREEK MYTHOLOGY The Creation Myth Demeter and Persephone The Minotaur Athena and Arachne Cupid and Psyche Orpheus and Eurydice FABLES The Lion and the Mouse The Man, the Serpent, and the Fox How the Leopard Got Its Spots The Fox and the Grapes The Fox and the Stork The Fox and the Crow The Boy Who Cried Wolf The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing The Wolf and the Shepherd Boy The Donkey and the Bag of Salt The Donkey and the Horse The Farmer, His Son, and the Donkey LEGENDS AND TALL TALES John Henry Kishibojin Three Strong Women Legend of the Ladyslipper The Boy Who Would Not Obey TRICKSTER TALES Anansi and the Sweet Potatoes Anansi and the Drum Anansi and the Mac and Cheese Egal Shidad - Somali stories
"Orpheus" puppet by Matt Jenson
Neighborhood Bridges
Wrote LGBTQ+ adaptions of fairy tales for a program in which visiting teaching artists teach creative storytelling, theatre arts and critical literacy. Used by organizations throughout the United States and beyond.
Complete list of LGBTQ+ Fairy Tales The Prince and the Glass Shoe The Beanstalk Rapunzel and the Three Princes