The Roots and Wings Project and Houston Coalition Against Hate to Present MATRIARCH

Co-Executive Producers The Roots and Wings Project (Jesse Bliss and Gabriela López de Dennis, Co-Producers) and Houston Coalition Against Hate (HCAH) will present MATRIARCH, a transformative theatre experience that explores the roles women play in our patriarchal society, and the urgent need to transform that dynamic.

The show, pre-recorded from live performances at the MKM Cultural Arts Center in Los Angeles, will premiere online on Friday, October 8th at 6pm CT/7pm ET/4pm PT followed immediately by a live panel discussion moderated by Marjorie Joseph (Executive Director of HCAH) featuring Jesse Bliss (Founder and Artistic Director of The Roots and Wings Project) and local domestic violence prevention advocates including Dr. Nusrat Ameen (Senior Director of Legal Services for Daya) and Barbie Brashear (Executive Director of the Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council). To register for the October 8th livestream, which will be available on HCAH's Facebook page and on YouTube, please visit www.houstonagainsthate.org/events.

The performance and panel conversation will also be streamed online for FREE on The Roots and Wings Project's Facebook Page, October 15-30, Friday and Saturday at 7pm CT/8pm ET/5pm PT. The performance will run approximately 90 minutes, with no intermission.

During a time when the patriarchy continues to oppress matriarchal roles across all color lines, this powerful work by female artists and their allies speaks to the critical need for women in our society to be honored and respected. MATRIARCH is intersectional, uniting artists and audiences from all around the world, inside and outside of prison, across all lines of race, class, background, sexual orientation and artistic discipline.

The all-star lineup of theatre legends and literary giants includes Perfecta written by Diane Rodriguez (Living Large at Teatro Luna in Chicago; The Sweetheart Deal at Los Angeles Theatre Center) and performed by Cristina Frias (Real Women Have Curves at Pasadena Playhouse; The Motherf*cker with the Hat with South Coast Rep), The Formula written by Taylor Lytle (California Coalition for Women Prisoners) and performed by Morgan Danielle Day (Underneath the Freeways of Los Angeles with Echo Theatre Company; The Hendrix Project at The Public; The Karens with The Muse Collective), Code, Decode, Recode written and performed by Jesse Bliss (The Joy Ride), Age, Sex, Location written by Roger Q. Mason (Kilroys List Honoree for Lavender Men; The Duat with Center Theatre Group) and performed by Ramy El-Etreby (The Ride at Hudson Guild, Hollywood Fringe Festival), Remember This written by Sigrid Gilmer (Slavey with Clubbed Thumb; "Claws" on TNT; "A Series of Unfortunate Events" on Netflix) and performed by Bahni Turpin (ensemble member of Cornerstone Theater Company; narrator of Baby Girl: Better Known as Aaliyah audio book), and Gabriel's Monologue a eulogy written by Tamar Halpern (Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life starring Mira Sorvino and Joe Pantoliano) and performed by Gabriel Diamond (co-creator of the Vulnerable Rally) for his mother. This riveting theatrical work also includes an opening song written and performed by vocalist Sheila Govindarajan Lady of the Lake).

The Roots and Wings Project (RAW) is a politically charged, socially transformative, project-based theatre company that brings attention to truth and provides stage and space for voices of the unnamed, unknown and misunderstood. www.therootsandwingsproject.com