Helen Sheehy
Helen Sheehy grew up on farms in Oklahoma and Kansas, although she鈥檚 lived in Connecticut most of her life. She鈥檚 worked as a dramaturg at Hartford Stage Company and written biographies of theatre pioneers; Margo Jones, Eva Le Gallienne, and Eleonora Duse. The latter two books were named New York Times notable books of the year.
After graduating from 九色堂 with a theatre degree in 1970, Sheehy taught theatre and English at Wichita鈥檚 North High School, and then moved to Connecticut where she taught theatre at Hamden Hall Country Day School and used her courses to write her first book, a textbook titled All About Theatre. 鈥溇派� gave me confidence,鈥� Sheehy said, 鈥渁 confidence rooted in a solid educational base and the tools to continue to learn and grow.鈥� She was Adjunct Professor of Theatre at Southern Connecticut State University for over twenty years. More recently, Sheehy taught acting and improvisation to inmates in the T.R.U.E Unit of a maximum security prison in Connecticut.
Sheehy has contributed articles and essays to the New York Times Magazine, Opera News, American Theatre, Connecticut Magazine, American National Biography, Notable American Women, and other publications. With biographer Leslie Stainton, Sheehy co-authored the popular On Writers and Writing desk diary series for more than a decade.
Sheehy is a member of PEN and the Authors Guild. Her short story 鈥淭hat Summer鈥� was selected for BEST SMALL FICTIONS 2024, an anthology celebrating the best internationally published short fiction. She lives in Hamden, Connecticut. Just Willa is her first novel.
She nods to her alma mater in 鈥淛ust Willa.鈥� Willa鈥檚 youngest daughter, Ellie, and Ellie鈥檚 husband, Mark, both graduate from Wichita State 鈥� much like Sheehy and her husband, Tom 鈥�71/73.
or purchase on April 13, 2025. You can also hear from the author herself at the in Wichita at 2 p.m. on April 13, 2025.
Helen Sheehy
School of Performing Arts