From Passionate Reader to Powerful Producer: A Conversation with Elizabeth Foy Larsen '82

Elizabeth Foy Larsen  '82 is a celebrated author, journalist, and producer whose recent work includes a documentary that was the runner up for the prestigious Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film. We sat down with her to discuss her creative path, the lasting influence of her time at Breck, and her advice for the next generation of storytellers.

Alumni Office (AO): Can you introduce yourself—name, graduation year, and where you are now?

Elizabeth Foy Larsen (EFL): My name is Elizabeth Larsen, and I graduated from Breck in 1982. I currently live in Minneapolis.

AO: Can you share a little bit about your journey from Breck to your work as a producer and writer?

ELF: When I graduated from Breck, I never in a million years would have seen myself as someone who wrote anything for publication. I was a really passionate reader and lover of literature, so I became an English major in college. To me, writing meant academic papers, which I felt I was good at.

I first went to Tufts and then transferred to Barnard College in New York City. The city offered incredible internship opportunities. New York was—and still is—the magazine capital of the United States. I interned at two magazines, where I learned basic skills such as fact-checking and copyediting. That led to my first job out of college for a teenage magazine called Sassy.

I loved the direct communication we had with the readers and loved telling real people’s stories. I was there for two years before going to the University of Chicago for a Ph.D. program in English. Very quickly, I realized I wanted to be back in the world of communicating about the here and now, the everyday stories. I left grad school, moved to Minnesota, and worked for several publications, including Utne Reader, the Pioneer Press, and the Star Tribune, before becoming a freelancer.

My career has been a series of what I like to call "happy accidents"—opportunities that arose because of established networks.

AO: If you think about your time at Breck, what are some lessons you learned that you’ve used in your career?

EFL: I graduated in the early '80s, and what I would say is that Breck was radical in a great way. The teachers were the first to be unionized at a private school in the United States, and they were fearless in wanting us to articulate what mattered to us in a very bold way.

I had two amazing English teachers, Ann Young and Van Anderson, who were legends in my life. My love of English was really celebrated and enhanced by them.

Also, I am not someone who goes to church now, but I felt that the school's spiritual foundation set a really supportive, loving tone that was all about ethics and values.

AO: That’s wonderful to hear. You’re also still close with classmates, correct?

EFL: Yes! I’m still very, very close to three women from my high school class. I see them every year, sometimes traveling internationally to spend time with them. Those relationships truly speak to the Alma Mater line: "Friendships formed within these walls will live within each heart."

AO: You authored the Unbored series, a travel book, and you taught at the University of Minnesota. You have a very diverse set of work.

EFL: Yes, the Unbored series was a collaboration that came about because I was a freelance writer and a friend called me with the opportunity to do a family activity book. I had three young children at the time. My passion for it was that I was really good at being the office manager of our family, but I sometimes had a hard time just enjoying myself with them.

The process of writing Unbored really became a "teach what you need to learn" mantra. It was an opportunity for me to explore and learn something that benefited my own family.

AO: Now you’ve transitioned into film production. Tell us about your documentary.

EFL: I got involved because I had written an award-winning, 7,000-word investigative story for Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine about the sex abuse scandal at Children's Theater Company in the '70s and '80s. I was approached about writing a book, but I didn't feel that was the right way to continue advocating for the topic.

A friend of mine, an Emmy-winning documentary director, suggested that, instead of a book, the story would make a great film. I agreed with her and thought a more visual medium would work especially well for a story about the performing arts. I introduced her to my sources and took on a producer role. It was exciting to see my skills—editing and arranging words—translate so well into a different medium. The film is called MAGIC & MONSTERS and I am extraordinarily proud of it.

AO: Why is this story important for audiences?

EFL: The issue is tragic and painful, but the key thing is that child abuse thrives in secrecy. When survivors get to tell their stories, it gives us all an opportunity to honor what happened and to think more openly about prevention strategies. The more we tell these stories, the more we as a society can encourage even beloved institutions to be more open about their histories of harm. It’s ultimately about keeping kids safe.

I was particularly moved that the survivors did not stop after the lawsuits. They participated in the film and worked with the theater on reconciliation and healing, demonstrating incredible courage.

AO: Where can the alumni community see the film?

EFL: You can see the film at the Twin Cities Film Festival this Friday (10/24) at 5:00 p.m. You can buy tickets online here: https://twincitiesfilmfest.org/film-fest-movie/magic-monsters/.

AO: For students looking to go into journalism, writing, or filmmaking, what is your advice for them?

EFL: First, the need for really solid, important news is never going to go away. I would love to say to young people: understand, support, and get invested in local journalism. We have small towns that don't have papers anymore, and when that goes away, you lose an important watchdog function and part of a culture's fabric.

My advice is to:

1. Start volunteering and get internships from a really young age. Work on the school newspaper and volunteer at community papers. They really matter.
2. Learn foundational skills. You don't necessarily have to go to journalism school, but you must take classes where you learn skills like fact-checking, copy-editing, and substantive line editing. The rest you can learn on the job.