MATRONYM to Make U.S. Premiere at New Stage Performance Space

New Stage Performance Space will present the U.S. Premiere of Matronym created and written by the Danish theatre artist Amanda Langberg Hermansen. The production runs November 5th - 15th, 2026 in a limited engagement.

Matronym: A last name created from the name of a female ancestor. Matronym follows three sisters who come together after their grandmother's death to create a ritual honoring their female ancestors. The sisters' surname, Eigilsen, is a product of an old Danish naming tradition based on the paternal lineage. To challenge this patriarchal tradition, they decide that their ritual will culminate in changing their surname to a matronym, based on one particular foremother. There is just one problem: they don't know her name. And so the search begins.

Armed with a collection of family heirlooms and diaries, they stumble across stories of disempowerment, pain, liberation and joy as they summon the voices of their foremothers. Drawing connections to their own lives, the sisters try to understand how their foremothers' legacy has shaped their place in the world. But throughout the search, it becomes evident that each sister has her own agenda for the ritual, and a central conflict is born: Do they themselves want to carry their lineage forward?

Blending naturalistic, dialogue-driven theatre with 3D animated projections and original music, Matronym is an immersive performance that summons and celebrates our female ancestors.