WTFestival23 Program

the national women's theatre festival the national women's theatre festival thanks our funders, sponsors, donors, & partners! thanks our funders, sponsors, donors, & partners!

The National Theatre Festival is produced in partnership with TheatreFEST 23.

The National Women's Theatre Festival is supported by the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County.

National Women's Theatre Festival is supported by the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation.

This project has been made possible with a grant from Triangle Community Foundation's Cultural Arts Grant Program.

This project was supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. The arts are back in North Carolina. The Spark the Arts grant promotes audience inclusion and reengagement in the arts

h i n g b u n d t c a k e s

Frances Bendert, Pamela Blizzard, Rebecca Blum, Carly Bodnar, Christina & Ned Boyd, Julianne & Norman Boyd, Sarah Boyd & Jennifer Rothman, Lauren Brady, Timothy Caso, April & Luis Castillo, Peppur Chambers, Molly Claassen, Candis Cox, Carolyn & Richard Dahab, Jane Dewey, Jenn Dodd, Maria Dorazio, Lauren Dudley, Ellicia Elliott, Empire of Australia, Stephen Fulchino, Laura Griffin, Emily Grimany, Loralie Heim, Freyja Helmer-Sindemark, David Henderson, Susannah

Hough, Candice Houley, Christine Toy Johnson, Nancy Lee, DeBorah Elizabeth M , Dani Maynard, Catherine & Ryan

McGarvey, Bronwen Mischel, Serena Norr, Chelsea Pace, Candace Perez, Jacqueline & David Peterson, Tara Peterson, Stephanie Pieper, V Efua Prince, Nancy Rich, Darren Ryan, Annette Sanchez, Robert Singleton, Willow Stelzer, Katy

Sullivan, Kelly Taylor, Ken J. Walsh, Katie Weeks, Natasha Yannacañedo, Charles Yannacone, Aaron Ybarra, Libby Zietz

join the conversation! join the conversation!

This Festival is for YOU! We want you to be able to participate fully in all of our spaces, as well as sharing what you're learning and experiencing here!

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@wtfestivalnc @wtfestivalnc

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#nationalwtf #nationalwtf

#wtfestival2023 #wtfestival2023

@WTFNC @WTFNC

#wtfringe23 #wtfringe23

#wtfcon23 #wtfcon23

@WTFnational @WTFnational

#WTFamily23 #WTFamily23

#genderparity #genderparity

@wtfestivalnc @wtfestivalnc

Thanks to our partners Seed Art Share + PAAL, the Parent Artist Advocacy League, onsite child enrichment programs are available for all events!

OPENING DOORS DEVISING

CAMP taught by Dylan Bailey will share their performance at the Closing Ceremony on Friday 6/23 at 5:30 PM!

The National Women’s Theatre Festival (WTF) is a group of artists who seek to address gender parity, diversity, & inclusion in the theatre community.

We are based out of Raleigh, NC, on the stolen, unceded lands of the Tuscarora Nation, Lumbee, and Coharie peoples. We recognize these peoples as the past, present, and future stewards of this land, and we hope to honor and welcome the indigenous peoples of our community and all communities through our work.

The following acknowledgment, as we also participate in digital space, is written by Adrienne Wong of SpiderWeb:

“Since our activities are shared digitally to the internet, let’s also take a moment to consider the legacy of colonization embedded within the technology, structures, and ways of thinking we use every day. We are using equipment and high-speed internet not available in many indigenous communities. Even the technologies that are central to much of the art we make leave significant carbon footprints, contributing to changing climates that disproportionately affect indigenous people worldwide. I invite you to join us in acknowledging all this, as well as our shared responsibility to make good of this time and for each of us to consider our roles in reconciliation, decolonization, and ally-ship.”

Finally, while we began as a women-specific group of creators, we have realized and recognized that in order to truly work for and achieve gender parity, we must be committed to representing all historically excluded genders. Our name reflects our original intent, but we are committed to more than just cis women. We are committed to any theatre artist who does not feel their gender has been equitably represented either on stage or off in a traditional theatre space. We welcome you, we want to hear your story, and we want to see you on our stages.

you are welcome in this space you are welcome in this space

who we are who we are

The National Women’s Theatre Festival (WTF) was founded as the Women’s Theatre Festival in 2016 to address gender disparity on & off stages across North Carolina.

Since then, we’ve been a catalyst for change in the gender parity movement, both locally and nationally. Our annual Festival is the nation’s largest symposium on gender in theatre and provides a platform for amplifying & celebrating the contributions of women, non-binary, TGNC, and other underrepresented gender artists in the field.

Since June of 2021, we have embraced our new identity as the NATIONAL Women’s Theatre Festival. With core staff hailing from NC, KY, OH and NY, 90% of the time we’re a fully remote workplace that spans half the nation.

Along with the representation of marginalized genders, NWTF prioritizes accessibility in every aspect of our organization – from our workplace culture, to our events and performances, and our educational offerings. Our last festival programming featured artistic shadow ASL-interpreting for the deaf and hard-of-hearing, and Braille programs and audio-description for the blind and lowvision, as well as sensory spaces and kits for those with sensory needs. All of our shows are open-captioned for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.

We also pride ourselves on maintaining a child-positive and caregiver-friendly environment. This means any and all calls or meetings welcome all sounds of lifechildren, pets, etc. - and we speak transparently about the ebb and flow of caregiving while participating in the workforce.

core staff

Executive Artistic Director

Johannah Maynard Edwards

Artistic Producer

Emily Boyd Dahab

Grants Manager

Cheryl Edson

Communications & Engagement Director

Kyra Montemayor Kelley

Director of Operations

Chelsea Russell

Managing Director

Hannah Williams

festival staff

WTFringe Production Manager

Ariel Fay Gray

Technical Director

Mikki Marvel

Media Specialist

Dillon Heape

Production Assistants

Kat Cupp + Tara Spencer

Technical Consultant

Pimpila Violette

Audio Consultant

Marshell Mulkey

Photographer

Gabrielle Devereaux

Photography

board of directors

Board Chair

Stephanie Pieper

Secretary

Cindy Marie Jenkins

Treasurer

Laura Griffin

Outgoing Treasurer

Maren Stephenson

Members At Large

Rene Cummins

Simone Tetrault

Natasha Lorca Yannacañedo

Serena Norr

interns

Ali Brady

Sarah Emanuels

Katie Fitz

Sophia Foster

Marissa Holland

Kat Kimbrell

Harper Caroline Lee

Grace Wagner

opening doors

Recently we find ourselves opening our doors out onto a world that seems to have exited pandemic stasis, whether we’re ready or not. Metaphorically, we open doors all the time - into a new gig, career, role or phase in our lives. Often, underrepresented-gender people find ourselves opening these metaphorical doors into places where we haven’t been or been expected before. How do we make sure to leave them open behind us so someone else like us can get through, too? To open a door for someone else can be an act of kindness, or a paternalistic act denoting you don’t believe them capable of opening it for themselves.

In all its panoply of meanings, our theme this year considers and acknowledges liminality, transition, change, and that feeling of being poised on the brink of something but not quite having stepped into it yet - and all the excitement, anticipation, trepidation, and hope this can bring.

w h a t d o e s i t m e a n t o o p e n a d o o r ?

what is festival 2023? what is festival 2023?

WTFringe23 is a performance festival spanning two weekends of the 8th Annual National Women’s Theatre Festival. Our curated fringe festival offers a platform for new & developing works that are experimental, innovative, and collaborative. In other words, productions that push boundaries and embrace parity! WTFringe23 prioritizes accessibility by featuring in-person, virtual, and hybrid performances, each running between 20-90 minutes.

WTFCon23 is a place for our community to connect and learn from and with each other; to advocate for our needs and the needs we see around us; to deeply, intentionally, and thoughtfully explore our work; and to surround ourselves with others who champion gender parity and equity in our field. More than a conference, our goal is for WTFCon23 to be a revitalizing selfenrichment experience for theatre artists and academics: an experience that involves humanity, belonging, and a shared sense of purpose, with opportunities to instigate and incubate

WTFamily is three distinct on site programs to meet your family’s needs while attending Festival 2023! WTFamily23 will comprise of the Opening Doors Camp for ages 3-11 and the Seedlings Nursery Program for ages 3 and under during WTFCon; and Seed Sitters, à la carte onsite babysitting during our WTFringe shows for kids ages 0-13 years.

how to "festival how to "festiva

SCHED SCHED SCHED

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Scan here to view the Festival 2023 Sched or go to Festival2023.Sched.com

frank thompson hall frank thompson hall

frank thompson hall

Festival 2023 takes place on NC State’s campus in Frank Thompson Hall, home of NC State University Theatre, located right off Dunn Avenue and Jensen Drive. WTFringe23, WTFCon23, and the Seedlings Nursery take place on the second floor of Thompson Hall. Important locations and theatres are highlighted on the map below. Some WTFCon sessions take place on the third floor in Classroom 300. WTFamily23 camps take place on the first floor of the building in the Rehearsal Room, which can be accessed through the exterior entrance on Jensen Drive

We’ve created an icon system to help you determine things like the location of an event, the type of workshop session, or the genre of a Fringe production, as well as some accessibility symbols

At the National Women’s Theatre Festival, we understand that everyone has unique needs that must be met in order to fully participate in our programs We invite you to share your access needs with any of our staff members or volunteers and we will do our very best to help meet your needs. Here’s some information and resources to help you navigate your way through Festival 2023

We’ve created a series of orientation guides to welcome you to Festival, NC State’s campus, and the surrounding areas. Scan the codes here to view our Travel, Family, and Accessibility Guides or ask for a paper copy at the Information Desk

Accessibility Guide Travel Guide Family Guide

open captioning

Open Captioning is provided for all WTFringe 23 performances as super titles projected on the back wall. For maximum visibility, we recommend choosing seats in the center. Captioning is also available during WTFCon23 sessions through Zoom.

assistive listening devices

Hearing loop style ALDs are available for use in Titmus or Studio Theatre Spaces

sensory friendly + relaxed performances

Sensory Kits are available for check out at the front desk. Items include noise reduction headsets, visors, sunglasses, tactile fidgets, and weighted lap pads.

ALL PERFORMANCES ARE RELAXED PERFORMANCES. WE INVITE YOU TO VOCALIZE, MOVE, EXIT THE SPACE, AND CARE FOR YOUR OWN ACCESS NEEDS.

ACCESSIBILITY COORDNATOR

A designated Accessibility Coordinator will be onsite at all times If you need any assistance meeting your access needs, ask to speak to them.

WTFCon23 keynote presenters

chelsea pace chelsea pace

Chelsea Pace (she/her) is an intimacy choreographer, coordinator,

Chelsea Pace (she/her) is an intimacy choreographer, coordinator, and educator with more than a decade of dedicated research in the and educator with more than a decade of dedicated research in the field of intimacy work. As Co-Founder and Head Faculty of field of intimacy work. As Co-Founder and Head Faculty of Theatrical Intimacy Education, she has shared her work with Theatrical Intimacy Education, she has shared her work with thousands of theatre and film artists around the world. Her work thousands of theatre and film artists around the world. Her work appears in studio and independent film and television projects, and appears in studio and independent film and television projects, and from academic theatre, to regional theatre, to Broadway. from academic theatre, to regional theatre, to Broadway.

christine toy johnson

christine toy johnson

Christine Toy Johnson is a Tony-honored, Obie, Rosetta LeNoire,

Christine Toy Johnson is a Tony-honored, Obie, Rosetta LeNoire, JACL, and Asian American Arts Alliance award-winning writer, actor, JACL, and Asian American Arts Alliance award-winning writer, actor, director, and advocate for inclusion. Her written works are included director, and advocate for inclusion. Her written works are included in the Library of Congress Asian Pacific Islander Performing Arts in the Library of Congress Asian Pacific Islander Performing Arts Collection and have been produced and/or developed at such places Collection and have been produced and/or developed at such places as the Roundabout, the O’Neill, The Barrow Group, Ars Nova, as the Roundabout, the O’Neill, The Barrow Group, Ars Nova, Abingdon, Prospect Theatre Company, Village Theatre, Greater Boston Abingdon, Prospect Theatre Company, Village Theatre, Greater Boston Stage Company, Weston Playhouse, National Women’s Theatre Stage Company, Weston Playhouse, National Women’s Theatre Festival and more. Treasurer, Dramatists Guild. Host, “The Festival and more. Treasurer, Dramatists Guild. Host, “The Dramatists Guild Presents Talkback” on the Broadway Podcast Dramatists Guild Presents Talkback” on the Broadway Podcast Network. Network.

Katy sullivan Katy sullivan

Katy Sullivan is an award-winning actress, producer, writer, Katy Sullivan is an award-winning actress, producer, writer, athlete, bilateral above knee amputee and is the first actress athlete, bilateral above knee amputee and is the first actress who is an amputee to ever star on Broadway. She grew up in who is an amputee to ever star on Broadway. She grew up in Alabama, performing in theatre and received a BFA in acting Alabama, performing in theatre and received a BFA in acting from Webster University’s Conservatory in St. Louis. Sullivan from Webster University’s Conservatory in St. Louis. Sullivan originated the role of Ani in the 2018 Pulitzer Prize winning originated the role of Ani in the 2018 Pulitzer Prize winning play, COST OF LIVING. She has starred in 5 productions from play, COST OF LIVING. She has starred in 5 productions from New York to Los Angeles to London and all the way to New York to Los Angeles to London and all the way to Broadway. Broadway.

WTFCon23 keynote presentations

knowing what you know: knowing what you know: on qualification, power, & on qualification, power, & imposter syndrome imposter syndrome

by chelsea pace by chelsea pace

wed june 21 @ 2:30 pm wed june 21 @ 2:30 pm titmus theatre titmus theatre

The discipline of intimacy choreography is one of the most recent roles to crystalize in the theatrical landscape. As the field of intimacy work develops, there is ongoing conversation and debate about who is qualified to do intimacy work This critical debate about qualification has led Chelsea to reflect and research more broadly on the ways we think and talk about qualification in theatre-making This keynote will speak to some of the issues with existing models for gatekeeping power and access, why it is so tempting to hold on to and defend those models, and what we can do, institutionally and individually, to let them go and build a new way.

For too many years, artists from historically excluded communities have been kept out of spaces that do not include their unique lived experiences. Sometimes we just have to make our own so we can open them ourselves (metaphorically and literally) and flourish our way through them (metaphorically and literally). This Keynote will include a few case studies of some of the gates writer/actor/advocate for inclusion Christine Toy Johnson has created and opened for her own work, and how she’s been determined to reimagine barriers in the process. She will share grant writing advice, ideas on finding inspiration in your community, and thoughts on how to nurture your own creative soul This session will take the form of an informal interview between Christine and National WTF Executive Artistic Director Johannah Maynard Edwards along with a conversation with the attendees that will include questions. It will also include excerpts from Christine’s new musical in development

opening doors to disability inclusion opening doors to disability inclusion

by katy sullivan by katy sullivan

ffri ri june 23 @ 3:00 pm june 23 @ 3:00 pm

by christine toy johnson by christine toy johnson

tthurs hurs june 22 @ 2:30 pm june 22 @ 2:30 pm titmus theatre titmus theatre

Being born without the lower halves of her legs, embarking on a career path that would include film, television and Broadway (with a stop off at the Paralympics) seemed very unlikely for Katy Sullivan. Life experience that has taken her from trying to hide her disability by practicing the ‘art of blending in’ to running on ‘blades’ at the 2012 Paralympic Games. In this presentation, Katy will share the life lessons she’s learned along this road, the obstacles that she has faced, and how growing up a ‘theatre kid’ changed the course of her life.

Join Chelsea Pace, one of our 2023 Keynote Speakers, for this 3 hourlong workshop where you create your own qualifications for your dream career and a pathway to get there! Let's dream big and make a plan to achieve our artistic goals - together! Building off of the ideas from the keynote about determining qualification, this workshop will take participants step-by-step through a framework for rethinking, defining, and creating a path forward for artists in any discipline.

keynote conversation: keynote conversation: on opening doors on opening doors

standing in your experience: standing in your experience: reimagining, determining, & reimagining, determining, & communicating qualification communicating qualification

Katy Sullivan moderates this conversation with our Keynote Presenters and special guest Candis Cox on our festival's theme, Opening Doors.

titmus theatre titmus theatre

by chelsea pace by chelsea pace tthurs hurs june 22 @ 10 am june 22 @ 10 am studio theatre studio theatre

katy sullivan / christine toy johnson / chelsea pace / candis cox katy sullivan / christine toy johnson / chelsea pace / candis cox ffri ri june 23 @ 9:30 am / titmus theatre june 23 @ 9:30 am / titmus theatre

Period Products Sponsored by:

wtf is happening wtf is happening wtf is happening

Fall EducationPrograms!

KEEP THE CHANNEL OPEN

A radically parent inclusive pwyc drop-in writing workshop faciliated by Emily Boyd Dahab

NO EXCUSES NOVEMBER

A month-long journey for artists to get it together and make their mark!

& MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON!

The Parity

comes to YOU!

Party

The PARITY PARTY is a kit for an instant DIY GENDER PARITY discussion lead by YOU!

Kyra Montemayor Kelley will guide you in making mini WTF MOMENTS with your community!

Festival 2024!

PART LIT MAG, PART SCHOLARLY JOURNAL, PART ZINE, the quarterly WTF JOURNAL launches this year to provide another exciting platform to get this community's work into the world!

We'll be back in JUNE 2024!

Look out for submission invitations and all the details coming soon in FALL 2023!

And much, much more!

Look out for more announcements, more local + national parternships, more opportunities for underrepresented artistis to shine! The very best way to keep in touch is by joining our mailing list!