Women's Theatre Festival's 2017 Season Line-Up Revealed

The Members have spoken! The voting period has ended and we couldn't be more excited to introduce you to the shows comprising our "Women Are Funny" season.

The first two comedies were chosen by Artistic Director, Ashley Popio for their artistic excellence and wealth of comedic female roles.

Mora V. Harris' Space Girl will be brought to you by the "brilliantly twisted" team behind the "exciting, powerful, and entertaining" production of The Amazing Cunt and Lil'Bitch from last year's Festival, Katy and Sarah Koop. "The Sisters Koop" are back not only to bring you into the wonders of space, but to the surreal horrors of high school. Directing a blended cast of high school aged and professional actors, the show tackles the not-so-unique story of a teenage lesbian alien just trying to fit in. From roller derby sequences to planetarium style light shows, and to the orchestral sounds of deep space, come back to high school with Arugula Suarez.

The winner of the 1921 Pulitzer Prize, Miss Lulu Bett by Zona Gale will be directed by Garner native and UNC-G grad NaTasha Thompson. With NaTasha's passion for creating work that challenges social norms, this production will be WTF at its best featuring the historically inaccurate, role re-defining casting we are known for. Lulu Bett, an unmarried woman living with her sister's family, during a time when women had few choices, finds herself married to her ne'er do well brother-in-law. When her new husband vanishes, what will become of Lulu Bett and her family?

The trend in the shows chosen by WTF voting members: ALL LOCAL WRITERS!

Chapel Hill based playwright Steffi Rubin brings us The Woodstock Tontine, a play about six women who meet at Woodstock. When the first one dies, the remaining gals decide to invest financially in their friendship by forming a tontine so the last friend standing receives a life-changing windfall. With only the two women with the most friction between them remaining, they discover that their commitment to friendship and the special memories they shared has changed them in ways that remind us that we can surprise ourselves at any age. Who will inherit the tontine? You'll have to come to the show to find out! Illustrious local director Lucia Foster is on tap to direct and the show will be produced by Dannibeth Farnum.

Maribeth McCarthy, who also brought us last summer's "touching, hilarious, heartbreaking, real" Bruisers, will debut her latest work, Sweet Tea & Baby Dreams, which she penned with very specific hopes of being included in the "Women Are Funny" season. This show gives us a bird's eye view of all of the power dynamics and Culture Clashes in play at a seemingly sweet baby shower. McCarthy, known for creating complex female characters with emotional breadth, will also direct and be joined with producer Hannah Marks.

The final mainstage selection will be a brand new original devised work written collaboratively by the company under the direction of Raleigh native Johannah Maynard Edwards. Licked Cupcake, inspired by a common modesty teaching for girls in the Mormon faith, explores the impact organized religions have on the weird and wonderful journey from girl- to womanhooD. Edwards' work has been touted as "visually arresting," "emotionally gripping," and "filled with an enviable poetic economy." Produced by Loni Lyn Price and co-conceived by local theater powerhouses Lorelei Lemon, Maxine Eloi, Ren Cleveland, and Maggie Lea as well as celebrated fiction author Cori Vella, this darkly delicious production is not to be missed! The saying goes "Nobody Wants A Licked Cupcake," but we think YOU DO!

Auditions for all of the shows will take place on April 7-8, with callbacks on the 9th, at Cary Arts Center. For more information on auditions, check out our website at www.womenstheatrefestival.com, find us on Facebook @WTFNC, or sign up here: https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/30e0a45a5ad2ba5f85-auditions.

Performances will take place during the month of July all over the Triangle--dates, times, and locations, as well as all of the exciting details for Occupy The Stage and our other offerings, will be updated as soon as that information is a. vailable.

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