Ilene Chaiken, Creator of the "L-Word," Visits Brava to Celebrate Women's History Month

Brava continues its celebration of Women's History Month with an exceptional month of programming. After closing Penny Arcade's infamous sex and censorship show, Bitch! Dyke! Faghag! Whore!, Brava is opening Machinal this week, directed by Evren Odcikin and written by Sophie Treadwell, one of the most prominent women playwrights of the 20th century. Then on March 20th, Brava will be hosting "An Evening with Ilene Chaiken," producer and creator of the L-Word, one of the most popular television shows about women.

Machinal
Written by Sophie Treadwell
Directed by Evren Odcikin
March 11 - 22 , 2009 at 8pm
Tickets $10-$25
On March 11, Machinal will open to continue Brava's 2nd Stage "Shout Out Loud" Series. Machinal, written in 1928 by early 20th Century playwright and journalist Sophie Treadwell, was inspired by the real life case of convicted and executed murderess Ruth Snyder. A story of isolation, Machinal introduces us to Helen, a woman whose entire life has been dictated by the people and machines around her. She follows the rituals that society expects of a woman and subsequently marries her boss. As Helen begins to discover her own desires and needs, the story takes a turn to the unthinkable. Machinal is considered one of the highpoints of expressionist theatre in American theater history. Sophie Treadwell is considered one of America's most prominent women playwrights of the first half of the twentieth century.

A Brava Benefit
An Evening with...Ilene Chaiken
Friday, March 20, 2009, 8pm
Tickets $25-$50
The creator of one of the most popular television shows about women, Ilene Chaiken creator of The L Word, joins Brava's Artistic Director, Raelle Myrick-Hodges, for an intimate and candid conversation about being an female artist and the pressures and delights of being an artist at the forefront of the 'contemporary' lesbian community. Come, ask questions and have a laugh with a wonderful creator, writer, and director. "I just want to tell great stories that people are really moved by...The challenge is to show the universality of our lives and to show things they have never seen." -Ilene Chaiken. The show portrays a group of lesbian women living fully "out of the closet" lives, and the friends and family members that either support or loathe them. All proceeds benefit BRAVA.

5 Reasons why you should come see to Brava this month:
It is Women's History Month and Brava is celebrating!
The work is going to be amazing! You will enjoy yourself!
Brava hires 95% of their actors, designers and crew from San Francisco. (most theaters in SF don't do this) Support the local actors!
Under the direction of our new Artistic Director, Machinal continues the extraordinary "Shout Out Loud" season unlike Brava has ever seen.
There has been no better time then now to support the arts. The arts aren't getting bailed out like the corporations and banks and they are SUFFERING because of this economy. We need your support!

All are welcome! Tickets for all these events are available on our website at www.brava.org.

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