WE DID IT FOR YOU!
“The performance of We Did It For You was so outstanding and moving that I got goose bumps and cried. A performance in which each historical figure describes her own trials and accomplishments is so much better than just reading about the woman in a book.” – Lilly Ledbetter, Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the first act of legislation signed by President Obama
“There is a sense of wonderment, gratitude and deep humility awaiting the audiences of We Did it For You. An astonishing revelation of women’s often unrecognized accomplishments throughout history, I found myself wondering why someone hadn’t dramatized these triumphs before. Beyond the well known heroines like Madame Curie, Margaret Sanger or Amelia Erhart, playwright Thea Iberall offers a multi century parade of feminine genius and courage .. and does it with humor and fun. Your daughters must see this but, the men in your family will enjoy it too.” — Paul Williams, Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe Winning Songwriter
(www.wediditforyou.org has more testimonials)
THE SWALLOW AND THE NIGHTINGALE
“As soon as I finished reading your book, I started it again. It is that good.” – reader
“I’m a big cli-fi enthusiast and thought I saw where this was going. I was wrong. You’ll never look at birds the same way again!” – AMAZON REVIEWER
“Thea Iberall provides an extremely timely presentation on the very important environmental issues facing the entire world today. She encourages participants to explore the changes necessary to provide a safer, healthier environment for ourselves, our children and grandchildren.” – Barbara Landsman, AAUW Laguna Hills branch
“An ancient fable of the birds runs through the book as poetry, which serves as a metaphor for the young romantic couple in this tale. The Swallow and the Nightingale tackles a myriad of modern day problems and abuses. There is no hesitation in addressing racism, sexism, waste, pollution, plundering resources and so much more. The lessons of morality are well placed and repeated often enough to have a strong lasting impression.” – Judge, 2nd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published eBook Awards.
“Iberall uses the past and today’s world to deal with racism, sexism, homophobia, and climate change, exposing the underlying common truth. Shining through this novel is a song, and the music of The Swallow and the Nightingale is worth reading, over and over again.” – HUMMINGBIRD REVIEW
“I have never read a work of fiction that combines so much scientific acumen with so much heart—and in a masterfully plotted and paced storyline. This is a book you can abandon yourself to, enjoying a ride through time, fascinating places and human yearnings, confident that you’re in the sure hands of an author who knows a lot about the world and cares deeply about us all.” – Rebecca Carrer, author of Rain Shadow
“I am loving this novel. A great-hearted story you are telling very well. By the time I got to the last page I was in tears. A great and powerful story!” – Sharon Saxton, Irvine Valley College
“Your book is brilliant. Absolutely brilliant! It has wonderful surprising turns. Who would have expected it to be the way it is. So rich in details about stuff I never heard of. I often could not tell what is real and what is from your imagination and that’s a very good thing.” Dr. Pauli Merry, Irvine Valley College
THE SANCTUARY OF ARTEMIS
“Thea Iberall creates a shimmering bridge between matter and spirit, heart and head, poet and world. She has opened my eyes to the possibilities of contextual poetry—I am eager to share this book with my students, my poet friends, and with any reader hungry to explore life’s mysteries.” – Gayle Brandeis, author of The Book of DeadBirds
“I started reading The Sanctuary of Artemis before I went to bed and got into the contexts and almost couldn’t go to sleep. It is fabulous.”- LILLIAN MICHELSON
“I don’t see a lot of poetry which uses history and myth in as detailed a way as you do. It’s difficult to get away with…but you do well.” —Holly Prado, USC professor, poet
“The bringing together of history, myth and poetry makes a truly satisfying whole. I thought I’d be more intrigued with the poems than the context, but, in fact, I found them equally compelling.” —Holly Prado, USC professor, poet
THEA AS A PLAYWRIGHT
Thea Iberall’s “When I Was Called Tony”…lovingly wraps up everything by the play’s hopeful denouement. –Rich Kane, OC Weekly, November 2002
“Primed for Love” is a gem of a one-acter—utterly entertaining and emotionally satisfying. This romantic comedy…never misses a beat. The play is utterly whimsical, erudite, and humane. It is a delight to enjoy time and time again. – Elisabeth Sandberg, Ph.D. Professor of English & chair of humanities Woodbury University
“Brain Swamping” is a stunningly moving and cathartic one-act play. –Elisabeth Sandberg, Ph.D. Professor of English & chair of humanities Woodbury University
“Primed For Love” is excellent and I have no doubt of its future. After production, I encourage you to submit it to Samuel French for publication and am confident of its acceptance. — Strawn Bovee, actress, The Odyssey Theatre
THEA AS A STORYTELLER (AND ACTOR)
“Thea crafts her stories with a mastery of language and tells them with an impassioned intensity to bring us into her heart and boost us to a new height with renewed vision and hope.” – Reverend Cindy Maybeck, storyteller
“Thea is the dream house at the four-way intersection of storytelling, poetry, science and spirit. This talented author, poet, playwright, spoken word artist and host of Expresso Yourself Coffeehouse in Medfield breathes grace into every evocative piece that leaps to life from her heart and mind to yours.” – StorySpace
“Thea embodied her character so completely. She was so believable in her performance, I had to remind myself she was the same person I had seen a few minutes earlier. A natural born actor. Brava!” – Lynnette Najimy, Producer, Beanspond Productions
“Thea’s an incredible actress. She transformed herself into a pimp with a heart of gold before our eyes. Thank you!”
“What an exciting evening! Your talk was wonderful and the feedback that we received from our members was extraordinary. Thank you for your humor, your passion and your commitment.” – Humanistic Judaism Society
“Thea Iberall is a contextual poet, author and musician whose storytelling is electrifying. She weaves personal anecdotes with history, insights, humor, magic, religion, science and culture. Gritty and sublimely poetic, she is a role model for the perfect fusion of head and heart, intellect, emotion and passion.” – The StorySpace
“At the end of an hour of the magic of Thea in her many worlds which she shares with such wit and wisdom, I felt almost as if I had been transmuted into another being so captivating, transforming, inspiring, brilliantly constructed, and affecting were the tales she told and sang. It was an experience I would like to share with everyone I love.”- Bambi Good, lover of stories
“How stunning, stunning. The joy of cosmic connection is what makes life worth it all.” – Elinor Benjamin, Story Space
“Your stories were spellbinding! Full of light!” – Carol Ribner
“Substance, sense and eloquence. Such transformative musings! And when you talk science, I feel my IQ raise 2 or 3 points!” – Bruce Marcus, Story Space
“She tells narrative stories using…simple words that mask hidden layers of meaning and emotion” —OC Weekly
THEA AS A TEACHER
“I never come away not learning something new, not feeling like I understand that what I aspire to is a “craft”…as actors say, which requires knowledge and discipline to better serve the heart and passions from where the words come.” – T.C.
“I struggle with all types of writing but with your generous patience, I have accomplished far greater than my expectations. I have always been surprised when a seemingly ordinary prompt can lead to somewhere you’re consciously unaware. The most important aspect was having my writing gently critiqued by such an intellectual professional.” – S.M.
“That class was fabulous and you are such a skilled teacher.” – Judith Black, award-winning storyteller