OVERCOMING, A New Play Festival Announced At 18th & Union

18th and Union Arts Space, Mampsh Productions, and Starstrewn Productions present the world premiere production of Overcoming, a collection of short plays by womxn playwrights. Running October 10 - 14 and 17 - 19 at 18th and Union Arts Space (1406 18th Avenue), Overcoming showcases work by up-and-coming playwrights as well as Seattle favorites of the stage.

Tickets are available in advance at: http://bit.ly/WomxnOvercoming.

The powerhouse playwrights who created pieces for this production include Lenore Bensinger, Kelleen Conway Blanchard, Robin Brooks, Anuhea Brown, Emily Conbere, Elizabeth Coplan, and Keiko Green.

Skillfully directed by Rachel Delmar (of 14/48 Projects fame), with help from Stage Manager Emi Faltinson, you'll lol at a cadre of ladies who accidentally discover the strange powers of psychoactive drugs, and be transported to the future by a magical elixir where dreams (and possibly nightmares) come true.

Overcoming also features an outstanding cast including Megan Ahiers, Joanne Burger, Monica Domena, Cristina Key, Shane Regan, Sara Schweid, Kendall Uyeji, and Andy Walker.

Gavin Reub of the Umbrella Project has served as dramaturg for the pieces, and the Project will host a talk-back on opening night, which is free to attend!

Come cheer for the artist who, despite racial discrimination, endeavors to make it big in a mouse's world, and hold onto your heartstrings for the mother who faces unthinkable grief and loss. Experience the strange and compelling ways that people find to express their love for one another when battling cancer, and bear witness as a non-mom and her non-kid create a bond that surpasses their differing blood.

Finally, frankly we're not responsible for anything that happens to you while you watch the comic masterpiece that explores child-rearing, competitive mommy-dom, and a teensy nip on the bottle - just come see it.

"There's an incredible satisfaction that comes from watching people overcome obstacles - it's exciting and empowering and positive and something that the world needs more of," said Robin Brooks, artistic director of Starstrewn Productions. "It's been such a pleasure to help produce this show and get these experiences and voices on the stage."

Co-producer and Founder of Mampsh Productions, Elizabeth Coplan recalls Overcoming's early days: "It started, as these things do, by chance. Two women, one need to overcome the fact that plays written by women, and those who identify as women, are rarely produced. Read "yes". Produced "no." To surmount this fact, we plotted our new course by inviting five other womxn playwrights in this joint endeavor. Together we gave birth to Seattle's first Womxn Playwright Festival!"