SANDY ASHER

GREETINGS!

Thank you for visiting my website. 

As an author, playwright, school, bookstore, and library visitor, conference presenter, and workshop leader, I keep busy!  I hope to share a bit of what I’ve been up to on these pages.

Right now, I’m excited about a new picture book from Kar-Ben Books, SOPHIE’S MONSTER GOES TO SHUL.  Available wherever children’s books are sold.

Loved the launch readings and book signings that were held at Books of Wonder in NYC on March 9, 2024, and at Aaron’s Books in Lititz, PA, on March 17, 2024. Thanks to all who attended.

Another huge source of excitement: My play, STUFF! A Curious Collection is now available for licensing from Upstart Theatrics, a brave and creative new(ish) company. See more at https://www.uproartheatrics.com/shows/stuff-a-curious-collection.

This follows the recent publication of three other plays:  CHICKEN STORY TIME, MARIPOSA/BUTTERFLY, and DEATH VALLEY: A LOVE STORY.

CHICKEN STORY TIME is currently available from the newly launched Pollyanna Select Plays (https://www.pollytheatre.org/publishing).  More info about the play under “Published Plays” on this site.

MARIPOSA/BUTTERFLY, the bilingual play I co-wrote with Jose Casas, toured in Arkansas and Indiana from TrIke Theatre in Bentonville, Arkansas. It was one of two scripts chosen for the 2021 New Plays for Young Audiences developmental workshop at New York University. The play won a 2022 Distinguished Play Award from the American Alliance for Theatre and Education and has been published by Dramatic Publishing Company (https://www.dramaticpublishing.com/mariposa-butterfly).  

I was delighted to be able to attend the 2022 Philadelphia Women’s Theatre Festival, where my adult script, DEATH VALLEY: A LOVE STORY was honored with a reading.  This script has also been published by Dramatic Publishing Company (https://www.dramaticpublishing.com/death-valley-a-love-story).  More about the long, eventful evolution of the script, including the film version, under “Published Plays” on this site (https://sandyasher.com/plays/death-valley-a-love-story/).

Just recently, there have been ZOOM and radio presentations of my plays, including a new, two-actor version of JESSE AND GRACE: A BEST FRIEND’S STORY.  My “co-star” was friend and colleague David L. Harrison, who co-wrote the original book-length manuscript with me.  In the video, we play a pair of 4th graders.  This was part of a Footlights series of readings sponsored by Dramatist Guild-Philadelphia Region. See the video here: https://youtu.be/wiD4avfXCAI

Also, at the request of Aaron’s Acres (http://aaronsacres.org), I made videos of myself reading my six picture books to be shared with their students.  I was asked to feature Gracie the Reading Dog in each video.  Not to be outdone, Friday Cat occasionally invited himself in as well.  I’ve put the videos on a YouTube channel to share with my grandchildren — and with you!  A video of SOPHIE’S MONSTER GOES TO SHUL will soon be added.

Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/user/sandyplaywright   Have fun!

“Fidelio” and “Thunder Mountain,” radio scripts commissioned by The Open Eye Theater, were broadcast on WIOX-FM, a public radio station in the Catskills that streams world-wide.  Both were inspired by stories of the same names that I wrote many years ago.  A stage version of “Thunder Mountain” is available in BLACKBIRDS AND DRAGONS, MERMAIDS AND MICE (https://www.dramaticpublishing.com/blackbirds-and-dragons-mermaids-and-mice).  Both radio scripts are available directly from me. I’ll soon be working on a new radio script for The Open Eye Theater.

I loved listening to the radio as a child and am pleased to invite young people and their families to bring their own imaginations to the magic of that medium.

Lastly, I’m still aglow about my latest (pre-COVID) community project, “It Happened at the Library.”  Lancaster County school children, K – 12, were invited to contribute writing and artwork for a new book, play, and art display that launched at the Lancaster Public Library on Saturday, December 7, 2019.  The response was wonderful, the books were printed, and performances sold out.  Thanks to the generosity of Fox Chapel Publishing, all students attending the play got free copies of the book, and all 5th graders in the School District of Lancaster received free copies.  Almost all of the contributing young writers and artists gathered for a group autographing party on Saturday afternoon, after the performances.  It was a full-day Library Happening!  Here’s a video of one of the performances:

See more upcoming fun on the “Events” page.

In general, pandemic or no, I write books, mainly for young readers, and plays, mainly for young audiences, preschool through high school.  I also write for adults and travel to schools, conferences, workshops, and theaters all over the country to share ideas and experiences, teach creative writing and marketing techniques, and develop new scripts.  

Here in Lancaster, PA, I delight in working with the public schools and libraries, Millersville University, New Choices Career Development, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and other organizations and colleagues to coordinate programs that encourage literacy and creativity. I consider myself very lucky to be able to do the work I love and meet so many bright, caring, talented folks along the way.

Please visit the pages listed in the sidebar to find out more about my books, plays, events, and presentations. Note that the drop-down menus under “Books I’ve Written” and “Published Plays” lead to only a small sample of my published work.  For the full list, hit the main “Books I’ve Written” or “Published Plays” button.

This website is and always will be a work in progress.  Comments, questions, and suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks for stopping by!

P.S.  The “hoppy” photo was taken during a visit with the K-3 students of Bainbridge Elementary School, Elizabethtown, PA, by PTO president Kelly Batche.