March 31, 2015
MORE THAN 50 THEATERS IN THE GREATER D.C. AREA
CONFIRMED TO PARTICIPATE IN
THE WOMEN’S VOICES THEATER FESTIVAL
WORLD-PREMIERE PROJECTS AND PLAYWRIGHTS ANNOUNCED
FOR TWO-MONTH FESTIVAL, SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015
(Washington, D.C.) The seven originating theaters of the Women’s Voices Theater Festival are pleased to announce preliminary details for productions as part of the unprecedented effort that will unite more than 50 professional theater companies in the nation’s capital region, September-October 2015. Participating companies will each present world-premiere productions of a work by one or more female playwrights, highlighting both the scope of plays being written by women and the range of professional theater being produced in and around the area.
For developing information about artists, venues and tickets visit: womensvoicestheaterfestival.org.
Molly Smith, Paul R. Tetreault, Ryan Rilette, Michael Kahn, Eric Schaeffer, David Muse and Howard Shalwitz—the artistic directors of Arena Stage, Ford’s Theatre, Round House Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Signature Theatre, Studio Theatre and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company—generated the concept of the Festival as a way of crafting a response to one of the most pressing issues facing the field: the fact that far fewer female writers’ plays receive full productions on American stages than those of their male counterparts—only 24% of productions in the 2014-2015 season, according to American Theatre Magazine’s October 2014 issue. The idea of a region-wide event grew, and soon the entire community became part of the discussion.
In a joint statement the originating artistic directors shared the following:
“We believe the Women’s Voices Theater Festival will be the largest collaboration of theater companies working simultaneously to produce original works by female writers in history. The scope of the project—and the speed with which theaters signed on to participate when we first started shaping it in the fall of 2013—is a testament to the desire so many have to hear more women’s voices represented in theater. This massive undertaking, through the productions and supporting events, is ultimately a celebration of the female voice.”
In addition to a kickoff party at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, each of the seven originating theaters and many of the other participating theaters will host ancillary events such as discussions and workshops with playwrights, producers, collaborators and scholars to discuss the many facets of women in theater and to examine their impact on the future of the art form. A full schedule of events will be available at a later date.
The Festival will be marked by two industry weekends—October 2-4 and October 23-25, 2015—to share the work with theater colleagues from around the country. During this time performances and events will be scheduled to accommodate the possibility for patrons to attend a high volume of Festival programming.
As of March 31, the Honorary Committee for the Women’s Voices Theater Festival includes Jane Alexander, Heidi Lennard Dupler, Senator Dianne Feinstein, Zelda Fichandler, Marg Helgenberger, Wilhelmina Cole Holladay, Allison Janney, Téa Leoni, Marsha Mason, Audra McDonald, Senator Lisa Murkowski, Julie Taymor, Kathleen Turner and Mare Winningham. Serving as coordinating producers for the event are Jojo Ruf and Nan Barnett.
All venues will handle their own ticket reservations.
A Festival Pass will be available, and will provide a discount of up to 50% on single tickets, based on offers from each participating theater for Festival productions and events.
Tag mentions on social media with #WomensVoicesFest.
Opening Celebration:
September 8, 2015 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts
*Women’s Voices Theater Festival Programming, as of March 31, 2015:
1st Stage
Adventure Theatre MTC
Caps For Sale, The Musical based on the children’s book by Esphyr Slobodkina, adapted by Ann Marie Mulhearn Sayer & Michael J. Bobbitt, music & lyrics by William Yanesh, 9/11-9/27
Alliance for New Music-Theatre
Women of Troy/Voices from Afghanistan by Susan Galbraith, 10/14-11/1
Arcturus Theater Company
The Point by Marilyn Ansevin Austin, 9/24-10/10 in Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater
Destiny of Desire by Karen Zacarías, 9/11-10/18 in the Kreeger Theater
Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End by Allison Engel and Margaret Engel, 10/16-11/8 in the Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle
Atlas Performing Arts Center
Stay Awake by Mary Hall Surface, 10/2-10/12
Compass Rose Theater
dog & pony dc
Sing Me A Song by Wyckham Avery
Doorway Arts Theatre Company
The Colony by Allyson Currin
FABUM, Inc.
Faction of Fools Theatre Company
Frankenstein by Lindsey D. Snyder, 10/8-11/1 at Eastman Studio Theater at Gallaudet University
Factory 449
Memory Like Water by Allyson Currin, 9/3-9/27 at the Anacostia Arts Center
First Draft at the Rose Theatre
Stolen Beauty by Leslie Kobylinski, October-November at the Andrew Keegan Theatre/Arts Club of Washington
Flying V
The Oregon Trail by Bekah Brunstetter, 9/4-9/20 at The Writer’s Center
Folger Theatre
texts and beheadings/Elizabeth R devised and directed by Karin Coonrod, 9/19-10/4
Ford’s Theatre
The Guard by Jessica Dickey, 9/25-10/18
Forum Theatre
Guillotine Theatre
Hootenanny by Monique LaForce, 10/2-10/11 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, 10/16-10/18 in the Receiving Vault at Ivy Hill Cemetery
The Highwood Theatre
Duir-wyyd: The Dreamer’s Doorway by Sandra Kammann, 10/2-10/25
Imagination Stage
When She Had Wings by Suzan Zeder, 9/23-11/1 at The Annette M. and Theodore N. Lerner Family Theatre
The Interrobang Theatre Company and The Strand Theatre Company
Kerrmoor by Susan McCully, 10/29-11/14 at The Mercury Theatre
The Keegan Theatre
The Magic Tree by Ursula Rani Sarma at the Andrew Keegan Theatre
The Dealer of Ballynafeigh by Rosemary Jenkinson at the Andrew Keegan Theatre
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Darius & Twig by Caleen Sinnette Jennings, 10/31-11/8 in the Kennedy Center Family Theater
Live Garra Theatre
A Matter of Worth by Marcia E. Cole, 10/12-10/27
Longacre Lea
Bones In Whispers by Kathleen Akerley, 8/12-9/6 at The Callan Theatre
How We Died of Disease-Related Illness by Miranda Rose Hall, 8/12-9/6 at The Callan Theatre
MetroStage
Uprising by Gabrielle Fulton
National Museum of Women in the Arts
NextStop Theatre Company
The Maternity Project by Ginna Hoben, 9/24-10/11 at The Industrial Strength Theatre
Olney Theatre Center
Bad Dog by Jennifer Hoppe-House, 9/30-10/25 in the Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab
Pallas Theatre Collective
Clover by Laura Rocklyn and Ty Hallmark
Pinky Swear Productions
Playwright Donna Reinhold
Pointless Theatre
Gimme a Band, Gimme a Banana! The Carmen Miranda Story by Mel Bieler and Patti Kalil, 10/16-11/14 at Capital Fringe’s Trinidad Theatre
Quotidian Theatre Company
Maytag Virgin by Audrey Cefaly, 10/2-11/1 at The Writer’s Center
Rep Stage
Technicolor Life by Jami Brandli, 10/21-11/8 at Rep Stage Smith Theatre/Horowitz Center for the Arts
Round House Theatre
Ironbound by Martyna Majok, 9/9-10/4
Scena Theatre
Lady Lay by Lydia Stryk
Shakespeare Theatre Company
Salome adapted and directed by Yaël Farber in the Lansburgh Theatre
Signature Theatre
Cake Off based on the original play by Sheri Wilner, book by Sheri Wilner & Julia Jordan, lyrics by Julia Jordan & Adam Gwon, music by Adam Gwon, 9/29-11/22
Single Carrot Theatre
Phoebe in Winter by Jen Silverman
Spooky Action Theater Company
Can’t Complain by Christine Evans, 10/1-10/25
Studio Theatre
Animal by Clare Lizzimore
Synetic Theater
Alice in Wonderland by Lloyd Rose, 9/30-11/8
Taffety Punk Theatre Company
Playwright Liz Maestri, 9/18-10/10
Theater Alliance
Night Falls on the Blue Planet by Kathleen Akerley, 9/3-9/28
Theater J
Queens Girl in the World by Caleen Sinnette Jennings, 9/16-10/11
Thelma Theatre
Whenever You’re Near Me I Feel Sick by Jennie Berman Eng, 9/17-10/4 at Trinidad Theatre
Princess Margaret by Patricia Connelly, 9/17-10/4 at Trinidad Theatre
Tonic Theater Company
A Hero of the Revolution by D.W. Gregory
Unexpected Stage Company
Trish Tinkler Gets Saved by Jacqueline Goldfinger, 10/8-10/18 at Randolph Road Theater
Venus Theatre Company
Witches Vanish by Claudia Barnett, 8/20-9/13 at Venus Theatre Play Shack
Raw by Amy Bernstein, 10/22-11/15 at Venus Theatre Play Shack
Washington Improv Theater
The October Issue by Jaci Pulice and The October Issue ensemble, 9/17-10/10 at Source
Washington Women in Theatre
Just Between Us by Marilyn Hausfeld
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Women Laughing Alone With Salad by Sheila Callaghan, 9/7-10/4
Young Playwrights’ Theater
Girls Write Out! by four young female playwrights
*Plays, artists and dates are subject to change.
The Women’s Voices Theater Festival is grateful for the generous support of individuals and foundations across the national capital region, including Heidi and Mitch Dupler, the National Museum of Women in the Arts and The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, as well as media sponsors L2 Interactive, The Washington Post, WTOP and WUSA9.
The Women’s Voices Theater Festival is an unprecedented two-month effort dedicated to featuring new work by female playwrights with participation from more than 50 theaters throughout the nation’s capital region. Each theater will present a world-premiere play or musical that is written, devised or adapted by a female playwright, highlighting the scope of plays being written by women and the range of professional theater being produced in and around the D.C. area.
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