SEX/WORK by Kristen Field is Coming to TheatreWorks@TheSquare
sex/work takes us on a journey of what happens when women are forced to navigate a world built on transactions.
Playhouse on the Square will present sex/work, running January 9th - January 25th, 2026. A thirty-year-old virgin, an escort, an aging conservative news anchor, and a stripper, desperately pursue what it means to be a woman on their own terms. Questions of their sexuality arise, their place in their community begins to come into focus, and the internal secrets that become harder to hide lead them into deeper conversations in what is often perceived as shallow interactions. Exploring themes of self worth, identity, and female empowerment, sex/work takes us on a journey of what happens when women are forced to navigate a world built on transactions.
About the Playwright:
Kristen Field is a queer, non-binary playwright who hails from Melbourne, Australia. She is a graduate of Northwestern's Dramatic Writing program and has worked with Chicago Dramatists, Facility Theatre, Renaissance Theaterworks, and Three Cat Productions, among other collectives. Her full-length play she will fade at the finish was part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival in 2014 where she and her director, Jessie Labiris, acted as co-producers. Kristen participated in Theatre Masters' National MFA Playwrights Conference in 2017, was a finalist for the KCACTF Region 3 Conference in 2025, and she has helped to coordinate short play festivals and readings at both Northwestern University and Western Michigan University, including a recent showcase at the Dormouse Theatre in Kalamazoo. Her scripts have been published by Concord Theatricals, Hayden's Ferry Review, Qu Literary Magazine, and Feels Blind Literary, and she is currently pursuing a PhD in Playwriting and working as the Drama Editor at Third Coast Magazine. She is a proud member of the DGA.
The cast features Temara K. Payton as Stella; Aa'liyah Green as Morgan/Penny; Naiya Nolan-Dillard as Emma; and Anne Marie Caskey as Kate, with Lauren Larson (Stella/Kate Swing)
The production is directed by Jamie Boller, with Lymonte’ Thomas serving as assistant director. Emmie Porter is the stage manager, Rachel Martin is the lighting designer, and Raven Raleigh serves as electrician. The scenic design is by Lex van Blommestein, with Meara Kronsberger as scenic assistant. Costumes are designed by Waverly Strickland, props by Iza Bateman, and sound by Joshua Crawford. Mike Jurkovic serves as technical director, and Phillip Hughen is the production manager.
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