Syr Beker
Oakland,CA
Summary
Award-winning writer, immersive designer, and producer working across teams and genres to make the imaginary real.
Clarion West '18; Forward Slash Story '17, SFSU MFA '15
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Co-Founder/ Co-Artistic Director/ Playwright
Queer Cat Productions
10.2018 - Current
- Co-Founder, Co-Artistic Director and Growth and Development manager of immersive theater company with mission to create consent-forward immersive experiences that leave audiences more connected;
- As Growth and Development manager, grew company from inception to sustainable arts organization with government and organizational funding;
- Co-produced full theatrical productions every year since 2019, through a global pandemic, including the first immersive theatrical production on Zoom;
- Leading Disability Justice initiative to innovate accessibility in theater;
Immersive Experience Creator/Producer/Writer
Various Organizations
08.2017 - Current
- Experience working in writers rooms, collaboratively, under tight deadline, including radio shows, live theatrical shows, and mixed-reality virtual shows;
- Co-produced yearly shows with Queer Cat Productions since 2018, including virtual shows, shows in theaters, and shows in public parks managing design team, electrical, crew;
- Directing and co-directing experience for short and long plays;
- Currently collaborating on large-scale XR project with digital, film, and sound artists;
Co-Founder & Workshop Facilitator
The Escapery Art Collective
06.2014 - Current
- A writers’ and artists’ cooperative offering generative creative writing and art space, in person and online
- Has served over 500 new and returning writers and artists since 2014;
- Reformed as Starmaps & Sea Monsters, continues to grow and serve artists and writers with virtual and in-person workshops and experiences,
Partner, Event Manager
Old Devil Moon
09.2016 - 01.2023
- Partner and event manager in themed bar, in San Francisco Bay Area;
- Created, curated, planned, marketed monthly events;
- Managed press relations, attracting press from the SF Chronicle, 48 Hills, and A&E.
Education
M.F.A. Fiction -
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA05.2015
J.D. - Human Rights Law
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
New York, NY05.2005
Bachelor of Arts - Individualized Studies: Journalism/Narrative
New York University
New York05.2002
Skills
- Creative collaboration
- Writing across media and genres
- Project management
- Research
- Creative Vision Development
- Storyboarding
- Dialogue-writing
- Worldbuilding and narrative design
- Character Development
- Writing room consensus-building
Select Awards and Fellowships
- SF Chronicle: Queer Cat Productions Closes 6 Years of Adventurous Theater With Healing Ritual (November 2023)
- Next Stage Summit, Scholarship Recipient, 2023
- SF Chronicle: Queer Cat Productions Makes Theater for Zoom: You Won't Want to Leave The Party (April 2020)
- Lambda Literary Foundation, Judge in Fiction, 2017, 2018
- Clarion West Workshop/Residency, Summer 2018
- Lambda Literary Foundation, Award Lesbian Fiction Judge (2017, 2018)
- Forward Slash Story, Invitation-Only Conference for New Media Storytellers/ Makers, Summer ‘18
- Lambda Literary Foundation, Emerging Writer Fellowship & Artist in Residence, July 2017 & 2016
- OSU’s Shotpouch Foundation, Collaborative Resident with Nancy Au, August 2016
- Tin House Workshop, Fiction Scholarship, Reed College, July 2016
Languages
French
Native or Bilingual
Spanish
Limited Working
Timeline
Co-Founder/ Co-Artistic Director/ Playwright
Queer Cat Productions
10.2018 - Current
Immersive Experience Creator/Producer/Writer
Various Organizations
08.2017 - Current
Partner, Event Manager
Old Devil Moon
09.2016 - 01.2023
Co-Founder & Workshop Facilitator
The Escapery Art Collective
06.2014 - Current
M.F.A. Fiction -
San Francisco State University
J.D. - Human Rights Law
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
Bachelor of Arts - Individualized Studies: Journalism/Narrative
New York University
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