Women in Theatre and Screen Announces Festival Fatale's Inaugural Program

Women in Theatre and Screen (WITS) is thrilled to reveal Festival Fatale's inaugural program on 22 August, 7pm at Cake Wines, hosted by Variety Fair.

Six staged productions, four play readings and 11 cabaret acts will be announced, making up a two-day theatre festival celebrating female-driven theatre works on 29 and 30 October at the Eternity Playhouse.

Festival Fatale comes as a response to the wider movement within Sydney's theatre community to celebrate and enhance the ways we tell 'Her Story' in theatre.

"Festival Fatale's program includes diverse, relevant and ground-breaking work that champions women artists and women's stories. By not providing women with equal opportunity - as we have seen in historically male-heavy theatre season programming - Sydney audiences have been missing out," said Festival Fatale Artistic Director and Co-Founder of WITS Lizzie Schebesta. "WITS hopes that by showcasing women in theatre, more companies will follow our lead and give greater volume and quality voices to women on stage," Schebesta said.

On the night, director Kate Gaul - representing the selection panel - will announce the women-led independent theatre companies and their female-majority creative teams that will make up Festival Fatale.

"Under 30% of plays produced on Australian stages are written or directed by women, and of those many are at the smaller, often independent theatres where remuneration is minimal. In 2016 we are still educating theatre producers that women are capable and eager to contribute in all areas of theatre, including writing, directing, designing and producing. Festival Fatale encourages theatre goers to see performance work by women and reminds producers that equity matters to their audiences," Gaul said.

A variety of live performances hosted by Variety Fair will showcase some of Sydney's best female musicians, comics and cabaret artists in between announcements.