Stephanie Sellars
Encyclopedia
Stephanie Sellars is an American columnist, screenwriter, actress, singer, director, and producer. She wrote the Lust Life column for the New York Press
from February 2006 to October 2007.
with a BA in English
and French
(magna cum laude). She also attended St. Catherine's College
(Oxford University) and the Institute for American Universities in Avignon, France.
She wrote a one-act play, Twenty Minutes of Immortality, about the love affair between Man Ray
and Lee Miller
, which was produced in 2000. Encouraged by suggestions from several audience members who had attended the performance, she collaborated with director Mitchell Bard
and adapted her play as a short script. Twenty Minutes of Immortality was produced as a five-minute film in which Sellars starred, as she had in the play. The short film caught the attention of the Independent Film Channel
(IFC), which licensed the film for three years and broadcast it several times, from 2003 through 2006.
Sellars developed a jazz-cabaret act called Naughty Baby (and the sequel Naughty…and Then Some...), which she produced and performed in New York City at Danny's Skylight Room and The Duplex. She has also sung in numerous other New York City cabaret and jazz venues, including the former Kav'eh'az, Dempsey's Pub, Jim Caruso's Cast Party at Birdland, Swing 46, Lenox Lounge, Cleopatra's Needle, Don't Tell Mama
and others. She most recently studied voice with Liz Russo and Mark Murphy.
Sellars co-created, along with writer/director/actor Celia Bressack, a Dorothy Parker reading series called The Potable Dorothy Parker: A Literary Cocktail. Featuring Sellars as Mrs. Parker, the readings took place at downtown New York City clubs and restaurants, including Telephone Bar, Salmagundi Club, and the former Mo Pitkins. Sellars was featured in the reading series Sex Scenes (by erotica writers Polly Frost and Ray Sawhill), at the Cornelia Street Cafe and is also featured on the audio version.
Sellars wrote a regular column about sex and relationships from the perspective of a bisexual polyamorist
for New York Press
. She began writing the column in February 2006. Her final article appeared in October 2007. As a freelance writer, several of Sellars's articles has appeared in publications such as Moviemaker and Go Magazine as well as New York Press.
Sellars worked with Polly Frost and director Matt Lambert on The Fold, a sci-fi sex comedy web series, in which she played a lesbian FBI agent and a Swedish babe. Recently she performed regularly in the erotic-themed variety show Forbidden Kiss: The Erotica Series at Stage Left Studio.
Sellars established her film production company, Immortality Productions, LLC in late 2006.
In 2007, Sellars completed her second short film, Julie and the Clown, which she wrote, produced, directed, and starred in. The film played several film festivals and won contradictory awards (Best Drama at the Indie Short Film Competition and the Audience Award at the Iron Mule Short Comedy Screening Series, formerly known as First Sundays Comedy Film Festival). The film was a submission to On the Lot
and available on the official website where viewers cast votes for their favorites. Although it had thousands of viewings and consistent five-star ratings, it did not make it to the semi-finals.
In June 2008, Immortality Productions produced a comedic short film for the 48 Hour Film Project, in collaboration with Marc Dole of Hatchling Studios. The short, In the Cards, featured Sellars in the lead role.
Currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree in Film at Columbia University, her short film Free Birds, which she directed in collaboration with writer/producer Deb Shoval, won the Silver Palm Award in the student category of the Mexico International Film Festival. Walking the Dog, a short she produced in collaboration with director Luigi Campi and writer Toby Fell-Holden won Best Narrative Short at Cinekink Film Festival, NYC. She also wrote the comedic short Peasants, an official selection at Frameline34, San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival and Outfest.
Sellars recently spent a month at Yaddo
, an artists' retreat in Saratoga Springs, New York
.
New York Press
New York Press was a free alternative weekly in New York City, that was published from 1988 to 2011. During its lifetime, it was the main competitor to the Village Voice...
from February 2006 to October 2007.
Early life
She graduated from Gettysburg CollegeGettysburg College
Gettysburg College is a private four-year liberal arts college founded in 1832, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, United States, adjacent to the famous battlefield. Its athletic teams are nicknamed the Bullets. Gettysburg College has about 2,700 students, with roughly equal numbers of men and women...
with a BA in English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
(magna cum laude). She also attended St. Catherine's College
St Catherine's College, Oxford
St Catherine's College, often called Catz, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its motto is Nova et Vetera...
(Oxford University) and the Institute for American Universities in Avignon, France.
Career
After having graduated college in 1998, Sellars moved to New York where she worked as an art model and acted in off-off Broadway plays and short films. She also studied singing and explored various musical styles (jazz, musical theatre, folk, opera).She wrote a one-act play, Twenty Minutes of Immortality, about the love affair between Man Ray
Man Ray
Man Ray , born Emmanuel Radnitzky, was an American artist who spent most of his career in Paris, France. Perhaps best described simply as a modernist, he was a significant contributor to both the Dada and Surrealist movements, although his ties to each were informal...
and Lee Miller
Lee Miller
Elizabeth 'Lee' Miller, Lady Penrose was an American photographer. Born in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1907, she was a successful fashion model in New York City in the 1920s before going to Paris where she became an established fashion and fine art photographer...
, which was produced in 2000. Encouraged by suggestions from several audience members who had attended the performance, she collaborated with director Mitchell Bard
Mitchell Bard
Mitchell Geoffrey Bard is an American foreign policy analyst, editor and author who specializes in U.S.-Middle East policy. He is the Executive Director of the non-profit American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise , and the director of the Jewish Virtual Library.-Education:Bard received his B.A...
and adapted her play as a short script. Twenty Minutes of Immortality was produced as a five-minute film in which Sellars starred, as she had in the play. The short film caught the attention of the Independent Film Channel
Independent Film Channel
The Independent Film Channel is an American cable TV network that airs independent film and related programming. IFC programming includes commercially interrupted feature-length films, original documentaries, shorts, animated series, original series, acquired series, and content exclusively for...
(IFC), which licensed the film for three years and broadcast it several times, from 2003 through 2006.
Sellars developed a jazz-cabaret act called Naughty Baby (and the sequel Naughty…and Then Some...), which she produced and performed in New York City at Danny's Skylight Room and The Duplex. She has also sung in numerous other New York City cabaret and jazz venues, including the former Kav'eh'az, Dempsey's Pub, Jim Caruso's Cast Party at Birdland, Swing 46, Lenox Lounge, Cleopatra's Needle, Don't Tell Mama
Don't tell mama
Don't Tell Mama is a piano bar and cabaret located at 343 West 46th Street in New York City, USA, known in part for being featured on the TV show Friends....
and others. She most recently studied voice with Liz Russo and Mark Murphy.
Sellars co-created, along with writer/director/actor Celia Bressack, a Dorothy Parker reading series called The Potable Dorothy Parker: A Literary Cocktail. Featuring Sellars as Mrs. Parker, the readings took place at downtown New York City clubs and restaurants, including Telephone Bar, Salmagundi Club, and the former Mo Pitkins. Sellars was featured in the reading series Sex Scenes (by erotica writers Polly Frost and Ray Sawhill), at the Cornelia Street Cafe and is also featured on the audio version.
Sellars wrote a regular column about sex and relationships from the perspective of a bisexual polyamorist
Polyamory
Polyamory is the practice, desire, or acceptance of having more than one intimate relationship at a time with the knowledge and consent of everyone involved....
for New York Press
New York Press
New York Press was a free alternative weekly in New York City, that was published from 1988 to 2011. During its lifetime, it was the main competitor to the Village Voice...
. She began writing the column in February 2006. Her final article appeared in October 2007. As a freelance writer, several of Sellars's articles has appeared in publications such as Moviemaker and Go Magazine as well as New York Press.
Sellars worked with Polly Frost and director Matt Lambert on The Fold, a sci-fi sex comedy web series, in which she played a lesbian FBI agent and a Swedish babe. Recently she performed regularly in the erotic-themed variety show Forbidden Kiss: The Erotica Series at Stage Left Studio.
Sellars established her film production company, Immortality Productions, LLC in late 2006.
In 2007, Sellars completed her second short film, Julie and the Clown, which she wrote, produced, directed, and starred in. The film played several film festivals and won contradictory awards (Best Drama at the Indie Short Film Competition and the Audience Award at the Iron Mule Short Comedy Screening Series, formerly known as First Sundays Comedy Film Festival). The film was a submission to On the Lot
On the Lot
On the Lot is a short-lived reality show competition produced by Steven Spielberg and Mark Burnett. The show, which aired on Fox, featured filmmakers competing in weekly elimination competitions, with the ultimate prize of a million dollar development deal at DreamWorks...
and available on the official website where viewers cast votes for their favorites. Although it had thousands of viewings and consistent five-star ratings, it did not make it to the semi-finals.
In June 2008, Immortality Productions produced a comedic short film for the 48 Hour Film Project, in collaboration with Marc Dole of Hatchling Studios. The short, In the Cards, featured Sellars in the lead role.
Currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree in Film at Columbia University, her short film Free Birds, which she directed in collaboration with writer/producer Deb Shoval, won the Silver Palm Award in the student category of the Mexico International Film Festival. Walking the Dog, a short she produced in collaboration with director Luigi Campi and writer Toby Fell-Holden won Best Narrative Short at Cinekink Film Festival, NYC. She also wrote the comedic short Peasants, an official selection at Frameline34, San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival and Outfest.
Sellars recently spent a month at Yaddo
Yaddo
Yaddo is an artists' community located on a 400 acre estate in Saratoga Springs, New York. Its mission is "to nurture the creative process by providing an opportunity for artists to work without interruption in a supportive environment."...
, an artists' retreat in Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, also known as simply Saratoga, is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of a Native American name, ...
.