54 Theaters and Organizations to Participate in WOMEN+ ON THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY

 

You can now see the current list of 54 unique theaters and organizations - spread across 30 different states and representing nearly two-thirds of the United States - who are confirmed to host a reading or performance of Women+ on the Edge of Democracy, in partnership with The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize (Leslie Swackhamer, Executive Director).

With participants spanning the geographical and political spectrum, Women+ on the Edge of Democracy aims to bring people together and spark conversation ahead of the midterm elections on November 3 in a nationwide act of listening.

Intended to reach community gatherings of every size, the confirmed organizations in this growing movement include professional theaters, university drama departments and history classes, retirement communities, libraries, book clubs, dinner party-style readings hosted by independent artists, community theater troupes, and more. An interactive map of the participants is available online.

Alabama

tiny_Theatre

Alaska

Perseverance Theatre
With Love, Alaska

California

The Moxie with partner organizations around San Diego
University of Southern California: Visions and Voices, Arts in Action, and Institute for Theatre and Social Change
(Unofficial) Obama Alumni in Los Angeles

Colorado

Athena Project Arts

Florida

The Ensemble Company

Georgia

The Alliance Theater

Illinois

American Blues Theater
Pipe Dreams Studio Theatre
A group of organizers in Chicago

Indiana

Shades of Orange

Kansas

Salon-style reading event at Maceli's Lounge organized by Theresa Buchheister and Jane Barnette, with a lot of help from our friends.

Kentucky

Centre College
A classroom in Eastern Kentucky

Massachusetts

Mount Holyoke College
Shakespeare & Company

Minnesota

Twin Cities Theatres, including: Frank Theatre, Full Circle Theatre, Mixed Blood, Prime Productions, Sod House, Ten Thousand Things, Theatre in the Round Players, The Capri
A group of community members in the Twin Cities
Southwest Minnesota State University, Entertainment & Theatre Arts Program

Mississippi

New Stage Theater

New Jersey

Vivid Stage
Vivia Font

New Mexico

A collection of theater makers connected with a variety of organizations in Albuquerque
Helen Rynaski in Taos, New Mexico

New York

Alleyway Theatre
Dixon Place (presented by Miranda Jackel)
Syracuse Stage + Redhouse Arts Center + Breadcrumbs Productions + Department of Drama at Syracuse University
Professional Children's School
SUNY Brockport Department of Theatre & Music Studies
A group of organizers in NYC

North Carolina

Wake Forest University, Department of Theatre and Dance and Anthony Aston Players

Ohio

Broadview Heights Spotlights
Ohio University School of Theater

Oklahoma

OKC Rep Theater

Oregon

100 Lives Repertory

Pennsylvania

Carpenters' Hall and Theatre Exile

Rhode Island

WomensWork Theatre Collaborative

South Dakota

Augustana University Theatre Department

Texas

Rec Room Arts (Happy Hour Readings)
Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts at Texas A&M University

Vermont

The Flynn
Dream Stages
Middlebury College and Town Hall Theater
First Congregational Church of St. Albans

Virginia

Shenandoah University-Shenandoah Conservatory BFA Acting Program
Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Theatre and Dance

Washington

SIS Productions
Union Arts Center
ACT Theater / Seattle Shakes

Washington, DC

The Alphabet Cookout

West Virginia

Contemporary American Theater Festival

Wisconsin

Forward Theater Company
Speck of Dust Theatre Company

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.

In a celebration of free speech and accessibility, performance rights to the Women+ collection of plays will be waived for all nonprofit organizations across the country who stage any of the plays free of charge to the public between October 23-November 3.

How to Participate

Step 1: Sign up to participate, or to receive more information, at democracy.flynnvt.org.

Step 2: The plays will be published in anthology form by Theatre Communications Group on November 3, with pre-orders available in September and advance digital copies provided to anyone presenting a reading or performance between October 23 and November 3, 2026. Theaters and organizations can choose one play, several, or all of them.

Step 3: Between October 23 and November 3, bring people together to read or hear the plays and talk about the questions they raise. Gatherings can be a few friends around a table, a classroom discussion, a community reading, or a professional theater performance.

Approaching fifty years, the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize is the largest and oldest international playwriting prize recognizing and celebrating women+ playwrights writing for the English-speaking theater. The commissioned playwrights include Jane Anderson, Leslie Ayvazian, Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, Moira Buffini, Lucy Caldwell, Bridget Carpenter, Paula Cizmar, Migdalia Cruz, Erika Dickerson-Despenza, Elizabeth Diggs, Hannah Doran, Stella Feehily, Lauren M. Gunderson, Zinnie Harris, Justice Hehir, Beth Henley, Elizabeth Kuti, Haruna Lee, Kimber Lee, Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Lisa Loomer, Sarah Mantell, Deb Margolin, Ellen McLaughlin, Susan Miller, Rona Munro, Lynn Nottage, Ife Olujobi, Dael Orlandersmith, a.k. payne, Heather Raffo, Sarah Ruhl, Heidi Schreck, Jenny Schwartz, Judith Thompson, and Else Went.