WOMEN+ ON THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY Readings to Take Place in Providence

WomensWork Theatre Collaborative, in association with LitArtsRI, will present readings of select plays from Women+ On The Edge of Democracy, a groundbreaking initiative encouraging conversation about American democracy initiated by the Flynn Center (Jay Wahl, Executive Director) in Vermont and The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize (Leslie Swackhamer, Executive Director).

WomensWork's presentation will take place on Sunday, October 25, 2026 at 2:00PM at LitArtsRI, 400 Harris Avenue, Unit E, Providence, Rhode Island 02909. The event is free to the public, but space is limited and reservations are required. Reservations can be requested via e-mail to: WomensWorkTheatre@gmail.com.

The event will feature readings of work from 5 of the anthology's 36 playwrights:

THE PARDON by Jane Anderson

CAST: Paula Faber & James Lucey

BECAUSE WHO KNOWS? by Deb Margolin

CAST: Cherie Rowe

AN UPLIFTING HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION SPEECH by Sarah Ruhl

CAST: Rae Mancini

AND WHERE HAS IT GONE THAT THICK AND HEAVY HISTORY BOOK WE CARRIED THROUGH THE HALLS OF LEARNING, SKINNIED NOW, PAGES AND PAGES YEARS AND YEARS ERASED. WASN'T IT BEAUTIFUL? by Susan Miller

CAST: Lee Rush & Sofia DaSilva

SEARCHING FOR ELSIE PARRISH by Heidi Schreck

CAST: Sharon Carpentier

The event is produced for WomensWork Theatre Collaborative by Lynne Collinson and
Gayle Hanrahan in association with Christina Bevilacqua, Executive Director of LitArtsRI. The Production Stage Manager is Lily Cox.

A post-reading discussion will be moderated by Juli Parker, PhD.

The Flynn, an artistic catalyst in Burlington for nearly 100 years, created this groundbreaking cultural and civic initiative which commissioned 36 prominent women+ playwrights from around the world to write ten-minute plays or monologues in response to these urgent questions: What is the current state of democracy in America? What can history, global context, or futurism offer us in this pivotal moment?

Women+ on the Edge of Democracy sets out to form a collective portrait of a nation in doubt and transformation - seen through the eyes of women+ playwrights from around the world who have long chronicled America's contradictions and dreams. The commission welcomes work from across the political spectrum. Through comedy and tragedy, rage and tenderness, hope and fear, these writers will map a picture of America today - revealing how democracy feels to those who have spent their lives giving voice to the unseen and unheard.

As the United States marks its semi-quincentennial, the Flynn will publish the complete collection of plays as an anthology - free to perform - inviting artists, community groups, and citizens across the country to stage readings and performances between October 23 and November 3, ahead of the U.S. Midterm Elections. The anthology will be available for purchase in September with rights waived for individuals and non-profit organizations who would like to present the plays free of charge to the public. Organizations and individuals wishing to participate can sign up at www.democracy.flynnvt.org.