Mina Petrou - Venetsanou

Mina Petrou-Venetsanou was born in Perachora, Corinthia, and grew up in Loutraki. She currently resides in Athens. She worked for many years as a secretary in major industrial companies. Her literary debut was in 1966 with the publication of her first poetry collection, "Epi Poreias." This was followed by the poetry collections "Epeteios" (1975), "The Other Shore" (1976), "Return" (1982), "The Angel of Peace" (1986), "Chronometers" (2000 - Commendation from the Society of Greek Writers in Memory of "Markos Avgeris" for the years 2000-2001), and "Studies of Pain" (2005 - Poetry Award for the years 2005-2006 from the Cultural Organization "The Café of Ideas" in collaboration with the UNESCO Club of Piraeus and Islands, under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture). She also wrote the plays: "A Matter of Habit" (Three-act, 1978), "Passion and Night" (One-act, 1979), "The Great Ones of the Earth" (Three-act, 1980), "The Yo-Yo" (Two-act, 1985 - State Award for Emerging Writers in 1986 from the Ministry of Culture), "The Bluff" (Two-act, 1991 - Commendation in the Playwriting Competition of the Society of Greek Writers for 1996 in Memory of "Markos Avgeris" - Elli Alexiou's Will), and "Beba and Lady" and "I Am a Star" (One-acts - Unpublished). "The Yo-Yo" was first performed in Athens at the "Kerkida" Theatre in Nea Smyrni, directed by Filippos Konstantellos, throughout the winter theater season of 1987-1988. It was re-staged by the "Theban Stage" (later the Municipal Theatre of Thebes) throughout the summer theater season of 1991, directed by Alekos Konstantinidis, and at the Corinth Theater Festival (20-29/9/1991), where it competed and won 2 awards (Best Performance by the Audience and Best Direction) and 2 commendations (Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Supporting Actor). Her one-act plays "Beba and Lady" and "I Am a Star," along with two other one-act plays by Notis Tsekouras, were performed as a single theatrical production under the general title "Four Women on the Block," throughout the summer theater season of 2000, at the "Zoi" Theater of Zoi Papadopoulou, in a suburb of Athens. She is a member of the Society of Greek Writers, the Society of Greek Playwrights, and a member of the Center for Research and Study of Greek Theater - Athens Theater Museum. From 2003 to 2010, she was a member of the Board of Directors of the Lysippeion Cultural Center of the then Prefectural Administration of Corinthia. She is also a founding member of the Society of Corinthian Writers. She has been honored with a commemorative plaque from the Mayor of Thebes and the "Theban Stage" in 1991, by the Mayor of Corinth with the "Pegasus" Honorary Plaque of the Municipality of Corinth in 2005. She was also honored by the former Prefectural Administration of Corinthia with its commemorative plaque in 2008, and by the former Municipality of Loutraki-Perachora with the Medal of the Municipality. Mina Petrou-Venetsanou was a member of the 5-member Committee for the Evaluation of State Awards for New Playwrights for the years 2009 and 2010 by the Ministry of Culture.