Feature: CALL FOR WOMEN PLAYWRIGHT SUBMISSIONS FOR DEBUT OF VOICES OF WOMEN THEATRE FESTIVAL at Powerstories Theatre

Celebrating their 21st anniversary this year and return to live in-theatre productions, Powerstories Theatre is debuting the Voices of Women Theatre Festival, the final in a trilogy that includes March's Voices of Truth and the upcoming Voices of Youth in July.

In collaboration with Thrϋ-Line Theatrical Production Company, Powerstories is currently seeking submissions from female playwrights around the world of any age and level of experience. The submission deadline is July 15, 2021. Ten selected productions will be performed live in the theatre and live-streamed worldwide or produced virtually online in the Festival's debut on October 6-17, 2021.

In a world dominated by male creation where statistics show that men write 80 percent of produced plays, the theatre's goal is to amplify and recognize the voices of female playwrights.

"The Festival is central to our mission of empowering women. It's critical that we continue to give women an opportunity to use their voices because that's who we are," explained Fran Powers, founder of Powerstories Theatre. "I'm excited to hear what women have to say. I want to know what's on their minds. I want to give women a chance to speak out and give our audience a chance to hear them. Often when we talk to young girls, we say, 'keep listening.' Women have important things to say."

Submissions to Voices of Women Theatre Festival may be short works or full-length plays, a staged reading, or fully-produced production. Powerstories' objective is to give women a stage and celebrate the contributions of female writers with two weekends of highlighting eye-opening, conversation-starting, humorous, heartbreaking, real-life, and fictionalized plays and musicals.

The Festival will empower, encourage, and enable diverse voices to inspire audiences worldwide. An artistic committee will review all submissions, and selections will be announced by August 1, 2021, based on the following criteria:

• The submission is congruent with the mission of the Powerstories and the Voices of Women Theatre Festival.
• The submission supports diversity and inclusion aligned with the festival mission.
• The submission meets Powerstories' requirements for the overall quality and development of sharing vibrant theatrical productions.

While Powerstories invested in providing global patrons an opportunity to take a virtual seat without leaving their homes during the pandemic, on October 6, 2021, the theatre is excited and more than ready to re-emerge from its extended interlude. Powerstories will return as a hybrid live and professionally live-streamed film theatre venue.

What Fran is most looking forward to has nothing to do with the theatre's latest and greatest technology. After having a dark stage for 19 months, she can't wait to see people filling the seats of the intimate theatre on Kennedy Boulevard.

"I am most looking forward to reopening our doors and saying 'welcome' in our beautiful little spot, hugging people if they're willing, and if not, smiling and knowing that we have withstood this, that we have survived. Nowadays, when people look at each other after this pandemic, it's just looking in their eyes, and you know, we survived this together. After an unexpected intermission, we're back with the Voices of Women Theatre Festival, and we're going to be stronger than ever."

Registration cost for the Voices of Truth Festival is $20 per submission. Complete details and registration form are available online. To learn more or to register, visit powerstories.com/voices-of-women-theatre-festival Powerstories is proud to be sponsored by Hillsborough County Commissioners and Arts Council.

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