The Women’s Theatre Festival is dancing, strutting and fretting across the stage of the Millibo Art Theatre this coming weekend (March 19-22) with a lively mix of original plays, poetry, monologues, movement, and dance created for the theatre.
Now in its 20th year, the WTF (fun acronym, eh?) has grown into one of the best talent showcases in the region, and this production is no exception.
The big discovery in this year’s outing is young actress Carla Brown, who had already wowed audiences with her dynamic personality in Theatreworks’ “Sense and Sensibility,” and takes things further with her WTF monologue “DO.”
“DO” takes on the idea of mom as superhero. It’s about a mother already stressed to the limit with her kids when she gets pulled into an emergency at her neighbor’s home. This is Brown’s first time on stage with her own words, and she is a one-woman dynamo.
WTF’s entire mix of dance, music, film and theatre proves both thought provoking and entertaining.
“Made from Scratch,” written by Marty Rapp and directed by Joye Levy, features the production’s most delightful ensemble. Kara Carroll, Leslie O’Neil, Mary Sprunger-Froese and Barbara Summerville play such loveable wine-swilling wives who are envious and disturbed by their new neighbor (Ari Flatt), whose homemaking dedication would intimidate Martha Stewart.
Other highlights include a pair of “Laundry Monologues,” written by Lisa Siebert, directed by Lynne Hastings and performed by Grace O’Neill. O’Neill draws us in with such an understated, natural acting style as she uses her washing and drying clothes as a metaphor for life’s greatest joys and challenges.
Topping it off is local singer-songwriter Kiera Lynn, who charges through some fierce, otherworldly original songs. Her passionate performances alone are worth the price of admission.
The Women’s Theatre Festival runs 7:30 p.m. on March 19, 20 and 21 and 2 p.m. March 22. Tickets are $25-28 at themat.org.
