For Your (Re)Consideration

Curated by Holly Robison
Readings directed by Christina Casano, Andrew Coopman, Angelisa Gillyard, Elizabeth Lovelady and Holly Robison

An ongoing staged reading series, For Your (Re)Consideration will explore the works of historically overlooked female playwrights. Featuring a variety of distinct voices and styles from different historical periods, the virtual readings seek to bring attention to these remarkable women who have been sidelined by history for reasons that had nothing to do with their talent and everything to do with their gender and, in many cases, their race.

Sometimes referred to as the Other Canon, the work of these early female playwrights dates from Hrotsvitha in the 10th Century to Dorothy C. Guinn in the 1920s. Their plays are as much the building blocks of modern theatre as those of their male counterparts. Some good, some great, some successful in their time, some way ahead of their time, these women have found themselves all but erased from history and rarely, if ever, produced today.

Among the works that Ghostlight will be producing in 2021 is The Enchantment by Victoria Benedictsson, who was said to be an inspiration for Hedda Gable and Miss Julie. Benedictsson wrote this tale of an obsessive, tragic love affair that asks questions about a woman's agency, independence and passion in the balance of a relationship and its aftermath. Clearly inspired by her own life, it is fascinating examination of a woman's capacity for love and yearning for a sense of her self. Ensemble Member Holly Robison will direct.

Upcoming readings include:

  • April 4: The Convent of Pleasure by Margaret Cavendish, directed by Andrew Coopman. Cast: Song Marshall, Lotus Lindez, Cynthia Becker, Sagen Berry, Sebastian Summers, Aria Caldwell, Ira McIntosh and KJ Snyder.

  • April 11: Distinguished Villa by Kate O’Brien, directed by Elizabeth Lovelady. Cast: August Forman, Christian Cook, Micah Figueroa, Allison McCorkle, Jordan Ford and Kim Fukawa.

  • April 18: Mine Eyes Have Seen by Alice Dunbar Nelson and War Brides by Marion Craig Wentworth, directed by Angelisa Gillyard. Cast: Ben Lauer, Charles Franklin, Bryanda Minix, Marcus John, Sydney Johnson, Deidre Staples, Lindsay Williams and Ivana Alexander.

  • April 25: Warp and Woof by Edith Lyttelton, directed by Christina Casano. Cast: Justin Broom, Norm Burt, Song Marshall, Sydney Ray, Kylie Anderson, Eileen Doan, Jay Españo, Reagan James, Serina Johnston, Stephen McClure, Cat McKay, Nevada Montgomery, Jessye Mueller and Brittani Yawn.

  • May 2: The Enchantment by Victoria Benedictsson, adapted by Clare Bayley, directed by Holly Robison. Cast: Andrew Bosworth, Rebecca Flores, Madeline Pell, Nina Romeo, Janice Rumschluag, Daniel Stewart and Robert Von.

Details
Where: Anywhere there’s an internet connection
When: A new reading will be available each Sunday in April (plus May 4), 2021. Performance will be available for streaming at your convenience afterward.
What time: 2 p.m. (for initial performances)
How much: Tickets are pay what you will, with a minimum of $5 per reading and the average donation for such virtual offerings at $15. By donating more, if you are able, you help offset the cost for those who can’t afford to give.

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