Athena Project Festival Opens Tonight with TELL MARTHA NOT TO MOAN World Premiere

Athena Project presents a Plays In Progress Series, a full production of a new play and, in partnership with Girls Inc., a playwriting and play development experience for girls beginning tonight, March 15 at The Aurora Fox Studio Theatre, 9900 E. Colfax Avenue in Aurora.

The World Premiere of the beautiful and heart-wrenching play Tell Martha Not to Moan by Clinnesha D. Sibley will debut in its first-ever production tonight, March 15 and March 16, 22, 23, 29, 30 at 8pm ; March 17, 24, 31 at 2pm.

Tell Martha Not to Moan takes place in a family home in Detroit, 2007. As the presidential election campaign plays out on the national stage and the 40th Commemoration of the Detroit Riot is marked, a series of memories takes us on a unique and personal journey with a devoted and desolate elderly couple. With compelling dialogue and complex relationships, Tell Martha Not to Moan is a glimpse into the changing world as viewed from one African American home.

Opening night reception tonight, March 15 from 5-8 p.m. at The Collection Studio, 9801 E. Colfax in Aurora. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for students/seniors/military.

This is one of the workshop productions of four new plays by women, called the Plays In Progress, or PIP, Series. Each play will get 2 workshop readings. Workshop level productions are designed with minimum sets, lights, sound, etc. and they also allow for an audience to give feedback. One play will be selected from this Series to be produced in the Athena Project Festival in March of 2014. Your vote counts! The plays are:

"Government Issued Long Johns" by Erin Wagoner
"Echo" by Barbara Lhota
"Trespassing" by Catherine Wiley
"Let All Mortal Flesh" by Pat Montley

Tickets are $10 for each play or you can buy a PIP Play Pass to see all 4 for $50 which includes a ticket to the World Premiere, Tell Martha Not to Moan. All tickets are on sale at www.athenaprojectfestival.org or by calling the Aurora Fox box office at 303-739-1970.

Additional Festival Events:

- Art gallery showing by female visual artists at The Collection Studio, 9801 E. Colfax in Aurora. Open one hour before every evening performance of the Festival Events; also open an hour after matinee performances.

o Art pieces will be shown at The Collection from March 15 - April 26. All art chosen for the showcase will pertain to the theme of change and all artists will be women.

o There will be an opening night reception on March 15 from 5-8pm.

o The Collection Studio returns to regular hours on April 1

There is no admission charge but the artwork is available for sale; proceeds benefit the artist, Athena Project, and The Collection.

- An Evening of Dance, March 20 @ 8pm

o Female choreographers will present dance pieces they have created at the Aurora Fox Studio. Though the dancers can be men, the choreographers must be women. The pieces may range from ballet to hip hop, lyrical to tap, and anything in between.

Tickets are a flat $10.

- Girls' Write PIP Series - Evening of Staged Readings by members of Girls' Write, March 25 @7pm

o We are pleased to showcase at least 4 short works-in-progress by the girls in our Girls' Write Program. Girls' Write is our youth playwriting program run in conjunction with Girls, Inc. This program provides underserved pre-teens and teens with role models in the arts who teach them how to write a play, and it helps to build future audiences and writers.

There is a suggested donation of $10 for adults for this event and $5 for students.

- A Night of Music, March 26 @ 8pm

o During this evening, female musicians and/or songwriters will have the opportunity to play their music for all to hear at the Aurora Fox Studio. In addition, we hope to have musicians at The Collection gallery every hour that it is open.

Tickets are a flat $10.

- Five Elements Fashion Show (Fundraiser), March 27, doors open @ 7pm, show starts @ 8pm

o We will present a Fashion Show of female designers celebrating the five elements and benefiting Athena Project. This event is co-sponsored by Three Little Birds Salon and Fashion Denver.

Tickets are a flat $20 ($15 if you come dressed as a god or goddess.)

Athena Project is a professional group of artists dedicated to supporting and expanding women's artistic contributions to the Denver stage and the wider community. Athena Project envisions a world in which women's voices are powerfully expressed and fully integrated into the creative life of every community. Athena Project's mission is to empower women and strengthen the Denver community through developing and showcasing women's and girls' artistic contributions, while inviting new audiences into the creative process.

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