Manya

The Living History

of Marie Curie

Past Performances

Susan Marie Frontczak has delivered over 450 presentations of the two-hour program "MANYA - The Living History of Marie Curie" and the one-hour program "A Visit with Madame Curie" across thirty-four of the United States and nine countries abroad to over 60,000 people. A partial list is offered here. There have also been over 98 preview screenings across the country of "Humanity Needs Dreamers: A Visit with Marie Curie" a digital theatrical presentation of monologue "A Visit with Madame Curie."  This digital theater presentation won the award for Best Dramatic Performance at the Raw Science Film Festival in 2017.  Starting during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have also begun presenting virtual performances of "Humanity Needs Dreamers" accompanied by a live conversation "with Marie Curie."  

Virtual Performances

These hybrid programs combine the digital theater production Humanity Needs Dreamers: A Visit with Marie Curie with a live Q&A in-character and live Q&A out of character.

  • Bristol Myers Squibb. Nov '22
  • Princeton Center for Complex Materials. Apr '21, Jul '21, Dec '21
  • Ed Kinney Speaker Series, Museum on Main, Pleasanton CA. Jul '21
  • Oklahoma Chautauqua. May-Jun '21
  • Commemorating 100th Anniversary of Marie Curie's visit to Philadelphia. May '21
  • Cambridge Science Festival. Apr '21
  • Girl Scouts of New Jersey. Mar '21
  • Welcome to Colorado International Club, in honor of International Women's Day. Mar '21
  • Boulder Young Chautauqua. Jan '21
  • Princeton Center for Complex Materials. Dec '20
  • CU Wizards. Dec '20

Live Performances

Highlights

Manya at Niels Bohr Institute
  • Celebration on the 150th Anniversary of Marie Curie's birth, Tucson, AZ. Hosted by the Arizona Polish Club, the University of Arizona, and the Research Corporation for Science Advancement. Nov ’17
  • NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View, CA. Mar ’14
  • JILA 50th Anniversary, University of Colorado. Jul ’12
  • Fermilab Art Series, at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Batavia IL. Apr ’04, Apr ’12
  • Niels Bohr Institute Copenhagen, Denmark. Oct ’11
  • Technorama Science Center Zürich, Switzerland. Oct ’11
  • Chemical Heritage Foundation, Philadelphia, PA. Apr ’11
  • American Chemical Society public performance, San Diego CA. Feb ’11
  • USA Science and Engineering Festival including programs at the National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian) and at the National Museum of Health and Medicine. Oct ’10
  • European Tour eleven programs in Poland, France, Italy, Austria and the Slovak Republic. Nov ’09
  • Lawrence Livermore National Accelerator Laboratory, Livermore, CA. May ’05
  • Jefferson National Accelerator Laboratory, Newport News VA. Mar ’05
  • Marie Curie Hospice, Glasgow Scotland. 25th Anniversary Celebration. Sep ’02
  • American Museum of Science and Energy, Oak Ridge TN. May ’01

Polish Club of Arizona, Curie 150th Birthday

Art Centers

  • Gallo Center for the Arts, Modesto, CA. Nov ’18
  • Boston Plaza Theatre, Boston, MA. Jul ’15
  • Victoria Theater, San Francisco, CA. Nov ’14
  • Denver Eclectics, Denver, CO. Feb ’14
  • Tarpon Springs Cultural Center, Tarpon Springs, FL. Nov ’09, Feb ’14
  • Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, Mountain View, CA. Sep ’13
  • Gallo Center for the Arts, Modesto, CA. Sep ’12
  • The Polish Arts & Culture Foundation, San Francisco, CA. Oct ’11
  • The Mull Theater, Scotland. Sep ’02

Chautauquas

High Plains Chautauqua
  • Athens Chautauqua Society, Athens GA. Apr '24
  • Southwest Colorado Humanities Roundtable Chautauqua, Durango CO. Sep ’22
  • Ashland Chautauqua, "Famous and Infamous" Ashland OH. Jul ’22
  • Oklahoma Chautauqua, "Visionaries" Altus, Lawton, Tulsa, and Enid OK. May-Jun ’21 - Virtual
  • High Plains Chautauqua, "Encore! 20th Anniversary Celebration" Greeley, CO. Aug ’19
  • Ohio Chautauqua, "The Natural World" tour of four more towns Burton, Clifton, Warren, and Milan. Jun ’17
  • Ohio Chautauqua, "The Natural World" tour of four towns: Brimfield, Hamilton, Gallipolis, and Rossford. Jun ’16
  • Greenville Chautauqua, Greenville, SC. Jan-Feb ’14
  • Nevada Humanities Chautauqua, Reno, NV. Jun ’13
  • Lake Tahoe Chautauqua, at the home of the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, NV. Aug ’12
  • High Plains Chautauqua, "Visionaries" Greeley, CO. Aug ’11
  • Two Rivers Chautauqua, Grand Junction, CO. Sep ’06

Conferences and Science Organizations

  • American Chemical Society (ACS) Celebration of Colorado's top High School students and teachers, at Colorado School of Mines.  Golden, CO. May '23
  • Colorado Scientific Society 135th Anniversary. Golden, CO. May ’17
  • IMTAL (International Museum Theatre Alliance). Denver, CO. Aug ’16
  • CalSTEM Summit. Los Angeles, CA. Mar ’15
  • Tripartite Symposium. Pittsburgh, PA. May ’14
  • AAUW Regional Conference. Lakewood, CO. Apr ’14
  • International Precious Metals Institute. Phoenix, AZ. Jun ’13
  • Girls Science Day. University of Wyoming. May ’13
  • ACS Regional Meeting. Broomfield, CO. Oct ’12
  • ACS Tri-State Meeting. Detroit, MI. Oct ’12
  • MIOMD-XI Infrared Optoelectronics: Materials and Devices. Northwestern University. Sep ’12
  • Two Year College Chemistry Consortium. Palm Bay, FL. Sep ’11
  • American Chemical Society. Denver, CO. Aug ’11
  • IUPAC - International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. Puerto Rico. Aug ’11
  • Conference of the American Nuclear Society, hosted by Georgia Tech. Atlanta, GA. Apr ’11
  • American Association of Physics Teachers Conference, Jacksonville, FL. Jan ’11
  • Science Teachers Association of New York State (STANYS). Rochester, NY. Nov ’10
  • Long Island Physics Teachers Association. Brookhaven National Labs, NY. Dec ’08
  • Optical Physics Conference of the American Physical Society. Miami University, OH. Oct ’07
  • Forward to Professorship. Washington D.C. May ’07
  • RSNA (Radiologic Society of North America). Chicago, IL. Nov ’06
  • DAMOP (The Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics) Conference. Lincoln, NE. May ’05
  • 37th Annual Silicon Symposium, Philadelphia PA. May ’04
  • Women in Science Conference, Lincoln NE. Feb ’03, Feb ’04
  • Wyoming Math and Science Teachers Conference, WY. Jan ’04
  • Idaho Science Teachers Conference, ID. Oct ’03
  • American Association of Physics Teachers, WY/CO Chapter. Mar ’03
  • Colorado Science Convention, Denver CO. Nov ’02
  • American Association of Physics Teachers Conference, Boise ID. Aug ’02
  • Rocky Mountain Conference on Analytical Chemistry, Denver CO. Jul ’01

Colleges and Universities

  • University of Denver, Denver CO, Oct ’07, Oct ’08, Oct ’10, Oct ’11, Sep ’12, Oct ’13, Oct ’14, Oct ’15, Oct ’17, Oct ’18, Sep '19, Oct '20
  • Women in JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder CO, Nov '18
  • St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY, Apr ’18
  • Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, Feb ’18
  • Oklahoma State University, Sillwater OK, Feb ’17
  • University of Louisville, Louisville KY, Nov ’16
  • Colorado School of Mines, Golden CO, Mar ’16
  • SUNY Fredonia, Fredonia NY, Feb ’16
  • Arapahoe Community College, Denver CO, Mar ’15
  • George Williams College, Williams Bay WI, Mar ’15
  • Aurora University, Aurora IL, Mar ’15
  • Saddleback Community College, Mission Viejo CA, Feb ’11, Sep ’ 14
  • University of Western Florida, Pensacola FL, Jan ’14
  • Florida State University, Tallahassee FL, Jan ’08, Nov ’13
  • Castleton College, Castleton VT, Apr ’13
  • University of Wyoming, Laramie WY, Mar ’13
  • University of North Carolina, Pembroke, NC, Apr ’12
  • Olivet College, Olivet MI, Nov ’11
  • Morehead State College, Morehead KY, Nov ’11
  • Wellesley College, Wellesley MA, Oct ’11
  • Keene State College, Keene NH, Oct ’11
  • Grove City College, Grove City PA, Oct ’11
  • Odense University, Denmark, Sep ’11
  • Jamestown Community College, Jamestown NY and Olean NY campuses, Sep ’11
  • St. Catherine University, St. Paul MN, Apr ’11
  • Brandon University, Manitoba, Canada. Mar ’10
  • University of Pisa, Italy, Nov ’09
  • Łodz University, Poland, Nov ’09
  • Northwestern University, ETOPiA Project, Evanston IL, Oct ’09
  • University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Center, Denver CO, Apr ’09
  • University of Connecticut, Farmington CT, Mar ’09
  • University of Connecticut, Medical Campus, Storrs CT, Mar ’09
  • Marietta College, Marietta OH, Mar ’09
  • Colorado School of Mines, Golden CO, Jan ’09
  • Bethel University, Minneapolis MN, Feb ’08
  • University of Toronto, Toronto Canada, Apr ’07
  • Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, Edwardsville IL, Mar ’07
  • Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach FL, Feb ’07
  • Seminole Community College, Lake Mary FL, Feb ’07
  • SUNY Fredonia, Fredonia NY, Dec ’06
  • Wesleyan University, Middleton CT, Nov ’06
  • Western State College of Colorado, Apr ’06
  • Cloud County Community College, Concordia KS. Mar ’06
  • University of South Alabama, Mobile AL. Mar ’06
  • University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada. Feb ’06
  • Miami University, Hamilton, OH. Sep ’05
  • North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC. Mar ’05
  • Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI. Mar ’05
  • University of Colorado, Boulder CO. Feb ’05
  • University of St. Francis, Joliet IL. Apr ’04
  • University of Nebraska, Omaha NE. Mar ’04
  • Doane College, Crete NE. Feb ’04
  • Swarthmore College, Swarthmore PA. Oct ’03
  • John Carroll University, Cleveland OH. Oct ’03, Oct ’02
  • Regis University, Denver CO. Mar ’03
  • Metro State College, Denver CO. Mar ’03
  • Aimes Community College, Greeley CO. Mar ’03
  • Hartell College, Salinas CA. Feb ’03
  • Meredith College, Raleigh NC. Jan ’03
  • Duke University, Durham NC. Jan ’03
  • Cerro Coso Community College, Ridgecrest CA. Apr ’02
  • Health Sciences Center, Medical School, University of Colorado, Denver CO. Apr ’02
  • University of Southern Colorado, Pueblo CO. Apr ’02
  • Colorado School of Mines, Golden CO. Mar ’02
  • Women's Studies program, Denver University, CO. May ’01

Curie at NY H.S.
—  A Visit with Marie Curie at Valley Central High School, NY  —

A Sampling of Secondary Schools

  • Middle School Students at Monarch K-8 School. Apr '23
  • 6th Grade Students at Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology, Spring Hill, FL. Feb ’04, Mar ’05, Mar ’06, Feb ’07, Jan ’08, Nov ’08, Nov ’09, Jan ’11, Jan ’12, Feb ’13, Feb ’14, Mar ’15, Oct ’15, Nov ’16, Jan ’18, Mar ’19, Jan '20, Mar '23
  • Colorado Coalition of Cyberschool Families, Denver, CO. Feb ’23 *
  • East Middle School, Grand Junction, CO. Apr ’14, Jan '20 *
  • Gulf Coast Middle School, Spring Hill, FL. Mar ’15, Oct ’15, Nov ’16, Jan ’18, Mar ’19, Jan '20
  • Orchard Mesa Middle School, Grand Junction, CO. Jan ’19 *
  • Eagleview Middle School, Colorado Springs, CO. Dec ’15, Nov ’18 *
  • Ranch View Middle School, Highlands Ranch, CO. Oct ’18
  • Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Flourtown, PA. Mar ’18
  • Mohave Accelerated Learning Center, Bullhead City, AZ. Feb ’18
  • El Paso Country Homeschool Students, Falcon, CO. Nov ’17
  • M.I.T. Museum hosts Nord Anglia week, Cambridge MA. May ’17
  • Estes Park Middle School, Estes Park, CO. Feb ’16
  • Avoca Central Schools, Avoca, NY. Feb ’16
  • Brooksville Engineering, Science, and Technology (BEST) Academy, Brooksville, FL. Oct ’15
  • High School Science Awards, Colorado School of Mines, Golden CO, Apr ’15
  • Estes Park Middle School, Estes Park, CO. Nov ’13 *
  • 7th graders at Arvada K-8 School, Arvada, CO. Jan ’13 *
  • Gifted Home School Group, Chicago, IL. Sep ’12
  • Pojoaque High School, West Santa Fe, NM. Sep ’12
  • North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Durham NC. Jan ’03, Apr ’12
  • Valley Central High School, Montgomery NY. Oct ’11
  • Wilson Middle School, Wilson NY. Oct ’11
  • Avoca Central Schools, Avoca NY. Sep ’11
  • Viborg Gymnasium, Denmark. Sep ’11
  • Silkeborg Gymnasium, Denmark. Sep ’11
  • International School of Paris, France. Nov ’09
  • Théâtre Municipal de Fontainebleau, for students of Lycée François 1er and Lycée François Couperin, Fontainbleau France. Nov ’09
  • Lycée Jacques Brel, Paris France. Nov ’09
  • Ecole Nationale de Physique, Chimie et Biologie, Paris France. Nov ’09
  • American International School of Warsaw, Poland. Nov ’09
  • British International School of Bratislava, Slovak Republic. Nov ’09
  • American International School of Vienna, Austria. Nov ’09
  • Forel International School of Bratislava, Slovak Republic. Nov ’09
  • American International School of Bratislava, Slovak Republic. Nov ’09
  • Cheyenne Mountain Middle School, Colorado Springs, CO. Apr ’09
  • Timberview Middle School, Colorado Springs, CO. Apr ’09
  • St. Johns Preparatory School, Collegeville MN. Apr ’09
  • Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield CT. Mar ’09
  • Easthaven Academy, East Haven CT. Mar ’09
  • Hulstrom Options School, Thornton, CO. Mar ’09 *
  • Creekside Middle School, Monument, CO. Feb ’09
  • St. Andrews School, Middletown DE. Feb ’08
  • National Science Honors Society at Highland Park High School, Dallas TX. Feb ’07
  • San Francisco Waldorf School, San Francisco CA. Nov ’06
  • Palmer High School, Colorado Springs CO. Oct ’06
  • Denver School of Science and Technology, Denver CO. Apr ’06
  • Northglenn High School, Northglenn CO. Nov ’05
  • Warren Consolidated Schools, Warren MI. Mar 02, Mar ’04
  • Colorado's Finest Alternative High School, Englewood CO. May ’03
  • Bell Middle School, Golden CO. May 04, May ’03
  • Grandview High School, Aurora CO. May ’03
  • Bentley High School, Oakland CA. Feb ’03
  • Simla High School, Simla CO. Jan ’03
  • Smoky Hill High School, Aurora CO. Jan ’03
  • Poudre High School, Fort Collins CO. Jan ’03
  • Gifted and Talented Students, Summit County CO. Dec ’02
  • St. Mary's Academy, Denver CO. Jan ’02
  • Alexander Dawson Academy, CO. Oct ’01 *
  • Lafayette Middle School, CO. Oct ’01 *
  • Florence Crittenton High School for Young Mothers, CO. May ’01

Libraries and Museums

  • Lafayette Public Library, Lafayette, CO. Mar '24
  • Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Jackson, MS. Sep ’18
  • Pueblo City-County Library District, Pueblo, CO. Mar ’17
  • Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library, Broomfield, CO. Jul ’14
  • Platteville Public Library, Platteville, CO. Jul ’14
  • Rio Rancho Public Library, Rio Rancho, NM. Jun ’14
  • Los Griegos Branch, Public Library, Albuquerque, NM. Jun ’14
  • Erna Fergusson Branch, Public Library, Albuquerque, NM. Jun ’14
  • Ruidoso Public Library, Ruidoso, NM. Jun ’14
  • John C. Fremont Public Library, Florence, CO. Jun ’14
  • Rapid City Public Library, Rapid City, SD. Apr ’14
  • Los Alamos Historical Society, Los Alamos, NM. Sep ’12
  • Eisenhower Library, Harwood Heights, IL. Apr ’12
  • Hopkinton Town Library, Contoocook, NH. Oct ’11
  • San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco, CA. Oct ’11
  • Fort Morgan Public Library, Fort Morgan, CO. Jul ’11
  • Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA. Apr ’11
  • Western Museum of Mining and Industry, Colorado Springs CO. Mar ’08, Jan ’09 *
  • Harmony Library, Fort Collins CO. Mar ’08 *
  • Boulder Public Library, CO - Return engagement. Jan ’08
  • Louisville Public Library, CO. Jan ’07 *
  • Barran River Imaginative Museum of Science, Bowling Green KY. Oct ’06
  • Mamie Dowd Eisenhower Public Library, Broomfield CO. Nov ’05
  • West Custer County Public Library, Westcliffe CO. Oct ’03 *
  • Jefferson County Public Libraries, CO. Jun ’03 *
  • Arapahoe County Public Library, CO. Oct ’02
  • Douglas County Public Library System, CO. Mar ’02
  • Lafayette Public Library, CO. Oct ’01 *
  • Boulder Public Library, CO. Mar ’01
Visit with Marie Curie for Women in Science Day
—  Women in Science Day at University of Wyoming  —

Additional Live Performances

  • Frasier Senior Living, Boulder CO. Jan '24
  • Lifelong Learning at Pebble Creek, Goodyear AZ. Feb '22
  • St. Andrews Village, Aurora, CO. Jan '20
  • Profoundly Gifted Retreat. Colorado Springs, CO. Jul ’19
  • Dinosaur Ridge Fundraiser. Denver, CO. Nov ’17
  • CU Wizards Series, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. Jun ’08, Mar ’12, May ’14, Dec ’15, Oct ’17, Dec ’19
  • Master Teachers In-Service, Binghamton, NY. Sep ’17
  • Carillon Senior Living. Boulder, CO. May ’17
  • Master Teachers In-Service, Binghamton, NY. Feb ’16
  • Denver West Club. Golden, CO. Sep ’14
  • Women in Science Day at University of Wyoming, for 7th through 12th graders.  Laramie, WY. May '13
  • Daughters of Job. Golden, CO. Apr ’13
  • Polish Heritage Society of Madison, WI. Oct ’12
  • The Next Big Idea - Science Celebration. Los Alamos, NM. Sep ’12
  • NCAR - National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder CO. Girl Scouts science day. Aug ’08, May ’09, May ’10, Apr ’11, Apr ’12
  • Academia Hernando, Spring Hill, FL. Jan ’12
  • Polish Heritage Society of Rochester, NY. Sep ’11
  • NIST - Diversity Council, National Institute of Standards, Boulder CO. Mar ’06, Jun ’11
  • Science Fair Awards Ceremony, Boulder CO. Feb ’10
  • Profoundly Gifted Retreat. Colorado Springs, CO. Jul ’0

* Sponsored by Colorado Humanities.

Screenings of "Humanity Needs Dreamers: A Visit with Marie Curie"

  • MRSEC Education Directors, NYU Dept of Physics - New York City, NY. Sep ’18
  • Computer History Museum: From STEM to STEAM, - Mountain View, CA. Sep ’18
  • Lunafest Alamo Drafthouse Cinema - Kansas City, MO. Aug ’18
  • University of Michigan (Dept. of Physics and Astronomy) - East Lansing, MI. Jul ’18
  • BIL Conference - Los Angeles, CA. Jun ’18
  • Conrad Innovation Summit - Kennedy Space Center, FL. Apr ’18
  • Princeton Center for Complex Materials - Princeton, NJ. Apr ’18
  • Cambridge Science Festival - Cambridge, MA. Apr ’18
  • University of Texas at Austin - Austin, TX. Apr ’18
  • Tarleton University - Stephenville, TX. Mar ’18
  • Maine Science Festival - Bangor, ME. Mar ’18
  • California State University, Northridge - Northridge, CA. Mar ’18
  • WISE Conference, University of Washington - Seattle,WA. Mar ’18
  • Science Talk Portland - Portland, OR. Mar ’18
  • Princeton Center for Complex Materials - Princeton, NJ. Feb ’18
  • Memphis Public Library - Memphis, TN. Jan ’18
  • American Association of University Women-Palo Alto - Palo Alto, CA. Jan ’18
  • Jan 6th: Raw Science Film Festival - Los Angeles, CA. Jan ’18
  • Maine Science Festival - Bangor, ME. Dec ’17
  • Princeton Center for Complex Materials - Princeton, NJ. Nov ’17
  • Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab - Baltimore, MD. Nov ’17
  • Girl Scouts - Private Home Troop Screening - San Jose, CA. Nov ’17
  • Pensacola MESS Hall - Pensacola, FL. Nov ’17
  • Bay Area Science Festival & Taste of Science - San Francisco, CA. Nov ’17
  • Mississippi Science Teachers Association - Biloxi, MS. Oct ’17
  • MIT Course - History of Women in Science & Engineering- Cambridge, MA. Sep ’17
  • Alice Northrup Science Camp Governors Island- NY. Sep ’17
  • McWane Science Center (staff screening) - Birmingham, AL. Aug ’17
  • Mississippi Museum of Natural Science - Jackson, MS. Aug ’17
  • Looker HQ - Santa Cruz, CA. Jun ’17
  • Office of Women’s Policy, Santa Clara County - San Jose, CA. Jun ’17
  • Cambridge Friends Middle School - Cambridge, MA. Jun ’17
  • IPSEC/Science Festivals Annual Meeting - University of Madison, WI. Jun ’17
  • Dairy Center for the Arts - Boulder, CO. May ’17
  • Parisoma - San Francisco, CA. May ’17
  • Simmons College - Boston, MA. May ’17
  • Cambridge Science Festival (Broad Institute) - Cambridge, MA. Apr ’17
  • Canopy City with WIFVNE & Filmmakers Collaborative - Somerville, MA. Mar ’17
  • She's Geeky (Computer History Museum) - Mountain View, CA. Jan ’17
  • Cambridge Science Festival (Brattle Theater) - Cambridge, MA. Apr ’16
  • Storycode (MIT) - Cambridge, MA. Dec ’15