Helene Meyer

Helene C. Meyer was born in St. Louis, Missouri. After graduating from University City High School, Helene enrolled at Washington University in her native city. She majored in education and now holds a life certification in Missouri. Helene taught both English and Spanish in her teaching career. While she loved being in education, her real passions were for music and the theater. She appeared in many local community theaters as singer, actor, director. In 2011, Helene founded an NPO named Slaying Dragons whose mission is to destroy the stigma of mental illness through theater. The inspiration for this organization was her own book entitled, I Have Not Picked Up My Dinosaurs Yet Today. Her writing is a series of dramatic monologues based on her own life-long struggle with depression. She wrote her book so that people who also struggle with this and other mental illnesses will know they are not alone. Her theater group has performed these readings and other plays she wrote for a variety of venues with much success in reaching out to people.

Several years ago, Helene turned her focus to a much lighter area. Having three children and two granddaughters of whom she is very proud, she wanted to author a book for them and others of plays based on Jewish folk tales and the supernatural.

The end result is a three-volume anthology called The Magic Wine Cup and Other Jewish Plays for Children .While Helene's religious culture means a great deal to her, she has said that any family or organization of any faith will enjoy reading and/or performing these plays. In addition to her own organization, Helene has directed plays for Independence Center and The Theater Unlimited in St. Louis, both of which cast people with mental illness or disabilities.

Helene has said that many experiences in her life have brought happiness. The greatest joy, however, for her is knowing she has used her talents as a writer and in the theater to help bring excitement, laughter, and hope to others.