Tee Marie is a passionate storyteller whose journey into writing began in the 6th grade, where she discovered her love for words through an inspiring school assignment. Fast forward to today, Tee has transformed that early passion into a thriving career, encompassing everything from ghostwriting for high-level clients to directing sold-out stage plays. Her most recent triumph, Tales Of A Grown Girl Remastered, showcases her exceptional talent for bringing powerful, real-life stories to the stage. With plans to tour in 2025, Tee Marie is poised to continue captivating audiences with her unique blend of authenticity and creativity.
Can you take us back to the moment when you first realized writing was your passion? How did that early love for storytelling shape your journey?
The moment I first realized writing was my passion was when I was in the 6th grade. We were given an assignment that involved interviewing people that related to the topic we were studying in Social Studies. The era we were studying was the Harlem Renaissance and we were to research and write a paper about it, or interview someone who lived during that time. Fortunately, my great grandmother was still alive and living in Harlem and allowed me to interview her about her experience. I loved writing about the interview and from there my passion was ignited. I started writing my own short story and never finished it. When I ran across that story as a high schooler, I re-read it and wanted to know, “what happened next?”That love for bringing a story to life is what shaped my journey to see what stories I could tell as a mature adult.
Your latest achievement is the stage play, Tales Of A Grown Girl Remastered, which you wrote and directed. What inspired the story behind this play, and how did it come to life?
The story behind the stage play, Tales Of A Grown Girl Remastered, is the story of Yolanda Brathwaite’s life. A woman from Long Island who survived domestic and drug abuse, a kidney transplant recipient, a cancer survivor, and Founder and Executive Director of the non profit Grown Girls NYC. She reached out to me to help tell her story in order to help women who are also survivors to know that they are not alone and there are resources available to help them. From there she and I worked closely together to make her dream to tell her story, come true.
With a cast of over 20 actors, Tales Of A Grown Girl Remastered was a massive production. What were some of the challenges you faced while directing such a large ensemble, and how did you overcome them?
Some of the challenges we faced were having to replace actors/actresses along the way due to circumstances outside of our control, miscommunication between theatre management and their contractors, and just the normal hiccups that come with production.
The play performed to a sold-out audience — congratulations! What was it like to see your work come to life and receive such an amazing response?
Thank you! It was surreal to see all of the hard-work come to life. You never know how an audience will receive your vision, so you hold your breath waiting to see how everyone else perceives the show. I was able to let out a sigh of relief to hear all of the positive reviews and feedback. An amazing feeling!
You’re gearing up for a tour in 2025. What can audiences expect from the upcoming performances of Tales Of A Grown Girl Remastered? Will there be any new elements or surprises?
Audiences can expect to see a show that just gets better and better with each performance. There may be new elements and surprises… you will have to stay tuned to find out.
Looking ahead, what kinds of writing projects are you most excited about? Are there any new stage plays or literary works in the pipeline?
I am most excited about helping others tell their stories through creative storytelling. Being a part of a writing team is something I would be excited to do. Currently there aren’t any works in the pipelines that I can speak about just yet, however I look forward to what the future may hold.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers who are looking to publish their first work or break into the world of stage plays?
The advice that I would give to aspiring writers who are looking to publish their first work is to simply tell your story or write about something that you are passionate about. Passion will make the words flow like water on the page. If you are looking to break into the world of stage plays, I recommend that you choose a topic that is important to a specific group of people and appeal to that topic with care.
Lastly, what do you hope your audience takes away from your stories, whether they’re reading your books or watching your plays?
I hope that the audience takes away my passion for making sure that I handle topics with care. When I attach my name to projects you will be getting my very best. I operate in a space of excellence and expect everyone to show up and give their very best as well. You can expect to really feel the emotions of the relatable stories that I feel honored to help tell.
Connect online:
Website~ authorteemarie.com
Website~ teemariedesigns.com
IG~ @authorteemarie
IG~ @teemariedesigns
Facebook~ Author Tee Marie
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