January 22 marked the 50th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade ruling. As we reflect, we proudly look back upon our October production of My Body No Choice which not only made a lasting impact on local audiences, but also spread and impacted audiences nation-wide.
When we announced My Body No Choice would be going national, we were thrilled that this production would have a life beyond our stage. Seeing these powerful monologues shared across America—from New York to Hawai’i—was empowering and humbling. My Body No Choice readings were produced by almost 30 theater companies and universities all over the country, performed in sold-out auditoriums, and in coffee shops and bars.
We received incredible stories from all of these readings. Much like our Whisper Room and Whisper Wall here at Arena, many partners created their own audience engagement activities to allow as many people as possible to tell their stories. Many also hosted talkbacks with their cast, some with guest speakers from organizations such as Planned Parenthood.
UP Theater Company in Manhattan raved that their production was “a smashing success.” Emily Rasmuss of Montana State University wrote of their reading, “Mostly, I liked gathering with friends and strangers to witness these stories, so beautifully written, so impactful, so true. Truth like this is a gift and our best weapon against the assault on our rights and our bodies. Thank you so much for sending this experience across the country to us. We loved it.”
Gateway Regional Arts Center of Kentucky shared their excitement following the midterm elections: “We are excited that Kentuckians REJECTED a constitutional amendment that bans abortions outright in Kentucky!”
"It is our responsibility to make space for those who are grieving, who are struggling, who are angry and worried and desperate to be heard."
Alex Lonati, director of the SpeakEasy Stage production in Boston, wrote about her powerful experience, “I have spent the past few months unbelievably angry and deeply worried for those who do not have the privilege of living somewhere like Massachusetts, where reliable reproductive healthcare is still accessible. It has been difficult not to feel helpless when it feels like our rights are stripped and our voices are ignored every day.
Then I read My Body No Choice and realized that SpeakEasy could do something tangible to make a difference. This piece so beautifully and necessarily uplifts the voices of those directly affected by the overturning of Roe v. Wade, illustrating the breadth of experiences related to this decision.
It is our responsibility to make space for those who are grieving, who are struggling, who are angry and worried and desperate to be heard. This is the time for us to be loud, to take up space, and to make lawmakers comprehend that we will not sit back and simply accept this injustice. So please – listen to this work, use your voice to spread the word, and show up to the polls. We must demand the bodily autonomy that is so rightfully ours.”
We extend our deepest thanks to these theater companies and universities for spreading the message of My Body No Choice. And we hope audiences, actors, and blog readers alike have been empowered to talk about their own difficult choices. Now is the time to be loud, to tell our stories.
Read on for the full list of theater companies and universities who participated, and to see photo highlights from this national movement.
Frostburg State University
Amaya Hatcher, Trina Redmond, Kimberli Rowley, Dominique Little, Nicole Halmos, and Robin Wynder perform in a reading of My Body No Choice at Frostburg State University in Frostburg, Maryland. Photo credit: Nicole Mattis
Perseverance Theatre
The ensemble of Perseverance Theatre’s reading of My Body No Choice gathers for a photo at their performance in Juneau, Alaska. Photo credit: Marta Lastufka
Open Theatre Project
Lindsay Eagle performing “An Uplifting High School Graduation Speech,” by Sarah Ruhl at Open Theatre Project in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo credit: Sarah Jacobs
The New Mexico Actors Lab
Ali MacGraw performing “Things My Mother Told Me,” by Lee Cataluna at The New Mexico Actors Lab in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Photo credit: Lynn Roylance
The Bridge Initiative
Cherylandria Banks performing “A Rest Stop,” by Fatima Dyfan at The Bridge Initiative in Phoenix, Arizona. Photo credit: Laura Durant
Perseverance Theatre
The ensemble of Perseverance Theatre’s reading of My Body No Choice gathers for a photo at their performance in Juneau, Alaska. Photo credit: Marta Lastufka
Open Theatre Project
Open Theatre Project’s Audience Engagement Rock and Shell altar to represent women’s experiences (photo credit: Sarah Jacobs)
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University’s Audience Engagement Poster (photo credit: Maraika Lumholdt)
Arena Stage
Arena Stage’s “Whisper Wall
Coastal Carolina University
Back Row (left to right): Kris McIntyre, Katie Todd, Monica Bell, Juliette Martin Front Row (left to right): Temperance Russell, Dory Sibley, Sanaa Chambers, Amie Barr, Shawna Roessler Alison Levenberg
Sam Houston State University
Left to Right: RB Reynolds, Zara Hernandez, Erisha Jones, Nadya Mercado, Madi Portales-Krause
SUNY Geneseo
The SUNY Geneseo ensemble
University of Hawai’i at Manoa
Jasmine Haley Anderson performing Mary Hall Surface’s monologue, “Chance.” Photograph by Lurana Donnels O'Malley
Cactus Woman
Bottom row Yasemin Kurama, Lia Gladstone, Charu Morgan Back row Amanda Mccullough, Kristine Alcamo
Fountain Theatre
My Body No Choice reading at Fountain Theatre
Gateway Regional Arts Center
Reading of My Body No Choice at Gateway Regional Arts Center
New Mexico Actors Lab
Ali MacGraw performing Lee Cataluna’s monologue, “Things My Mother Told Me.” Photograph by Lynn Roylance
Mann Woman Productions
Pictured: Margo Moorer, Karen Beyer, Allison Upshaw, Ava Davis, Jennifer Skura Boutell, Aminah Williams, Sheri Mann Stewart
UP Theater Company
Kirsten Hopkins performing Mary Hall Surface’s monologue, “Chance”
Partner Universities and Theater Companies:
- Bowling Green State University – Bowling Green, OH
- Carnegie Mellon University – Pittsburgh, PA
- Central Michigan University – Mount Pleasant, MI
- Coastal Carolina University – Conway, SC
- Frostburg State University – Frostburg, MD
- Louisiana State University’s Theatre Alliance – Baton Rouge, LA
- Montana State University – Livingston, MT
- Sam Houston State University – Huntsville, TX
- SUNY Geneseo – Geneseo, NY
- Texas Women’s Interactive Theatre Troupe – Denton, TX
- University of Alaska Anchorage – Anchorage, AK
- University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa – Honolulu, HI
- University of Wisconsin at Green Bay – Green Bay, WI
- Virginia Tech – Blacksburg, VA
- Ashe Cultural Arts Center – New Orleans, LA
- Ballyhoo Theatre – Edmonds, WA
- The Bridge Initiative and Ronin Theatre Company – Phoenix, AZ
- Cactus Woman Productions – Nevada City, CA
- Clocktower Players – Irvington, NY
- Fountain Theatre – Los Angeles, CA
- Gateway Regional Arts Center – Mt. Sterling, KY
- Mann Woman Productions – Atlanta, GA
- The New Mexico Actors Lab – Santa Fe, NM
- Open Theatre Project – Boston, MA
- Perseverance Theatre – Juneau, AK
- Radial Theater Project – Seattle, WA
- SpeakEasy Stage Company – Boston, MA
- Upstairs at Midnight Theatre Project – Lexington, KY
- UP Theater Company – New York, NY
