BEASTLY: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL FEMINIST FOLK TALE at Boston Center for the Arts Plaza Theatre

BEASTLY: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL FEMINIST FOLK TALE 

CREATED AND PERFORMED BY MELISSA HALE WOODMAN

Three Benefit Performances February 28, March 1, and March 2 

at the BCA Plaza Theatre 

All Proceeds GoTo Corporate Accountability, Brew & Forge, and Neighborhood Birth Center.

BOSTON, MA. - Beastly: An Autobiographical Feminist Folk Tale returns to the BCA Plaza Theatre, 539 Tremont Street, South End Boston, for three benefit performances on Friday, February 28 (7:30 PM), Saturday, March  1 (7:30 PM), and Sunday, March 2, 2025 ( 2 PM).  

Created and performed by Melissa Hale Woodman, Beastly blends standup comedy, poetic reverie, and a strategic call to action. In Woodman’s own words, “Imagine if The Vagina Monologues and Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes had a baby with Bernie Sanders —that’s Beastly.” 

Beastly begins in the not-too-distant future, as tech bros and the oil tycoons tally their loot from hidden bunkers while the world burns outside. Our heroine travels back in time, mining experiences from her rebellious teenage years, spit-up-spattered motherhood, and an unexpected pivot to social justice organizing as she races to turn back the clock and set us on a better path—before it’s too late.

Anchored by these whimsical poems, Woodman takes audiences on an increasingly dark journey–imploring them/us? To commit to the vision of a future that they/we all deserve–invoking humor to shatter paralysis and guide audiences beyond helplessness to action. “We need humor right now to counter the despair and the overwhelm engendered/driven by the power-hungry corporate and political elites,” says Woodman. “The stakes are too high to stand idly by. That's why Beastly exists– to light a fire under us with joy, laughter, and raunch.."
 

Woodman performed the show in October, as the 2024 Presidential campaign ended, to a sold-out house and a standing ovation. The show raised $6,000 for three NGO partners: Corporate Accountability, Reproductive Equity Now, and Movement Voter Project. However, updated to reflect the current political situation, its fundamental message remains unchanged. Perhaps the most accurate reflection of the show's impact is a review on Slowmuse.com, in which an audience member observed, “We came in as strangers, and we left as a tribe."

All performances are fundraisers! Ticket proceeds from this run will again benefit Corporate Accountability, Brew & Forge, and Neighborhood Birth Center. The performance runs for one (1) hour with no intermission.  For more performance and ticket information, visit BostonTheatreScene.com  or call 617-933-8600.

###

ABOUT THE CREATOR

Melissa Hale Woodman has had a diverse and accomplished career. She grew up in London before moving to the U.S. to attend Princeton University, where she [participated in numerous plays during her undergraduate years/was a feature on the undergraduate stage]. Currently, she serves as the Director of Strategic Partnerships at Corporate Accountability, focusing on fundraising from large institutional funders for its climate campaign. Previously, Melissa was the Director of Communications at Culture Project, now closed. In this role, she worked on notable productions, including George Packer's "Betrayed," "The Atheist" starring Campbell Scott, and "Blueprint for Accountability" with Rachel Maddow, John Leguizamo, Liev Schreiber, and others. which theater enthusiasts may recognize. Melissa holds a Master's in Drama Therapy from New York University (NYU). Her background includes working with war veterans suffering from PTSD at the New Haven VA Hospital and directing a play with clients at an outpatient mental health clinic in the Bronx, NY. She also served as a Resource Developer, specializing in fundraising and communications, at the International Rescue Committee in Boston and worked as a festival producer for the Somerville Arts Council's summer festival in Union Square. In the earlier stages of her career, Melissa held various positions, including Art Department Assistant on the film *From Dusk Till Dawn*, casting assistant for several prominent casting directors in Los Angeles, assistant to the CEO at Penguin Putnam Publishing, and brand planner at Bozell Advertising. She also earned a certificate in creative nonfiction from the Salt Institute of Documentary Studies in Portland, Maine. She lives in Brookline with her kids, a  lab/pit mutt, and a very patient husband. 

ABOUT THE BENEFICIARIES

Neighborhood Birth Center reimagines healthy birthing and maternal care, liberating trauma and pain for women in Boston through policy advocacy and a new community birth center in Roxbury. Please watch their inspiring video showcasing their beautiful vision!  

Brew & Forge is dedicated to fostering connections between activists and writers, leveraging the creative imagination to foster strong and sustainable movements.

Corporate Accountability, founded as Infact in 1977, challenges the abuses of corporate power, including through its climate campaign, which is beating back the obstructionism and greenwashing of the fossil fuel industry through Kick Big Polluters Out.