This story was originally published by ArtsATL.
For those who support the creative endeavors of women and want to see original work the minute it hits the stage, the SheATL Summer Theater Festival runs Thursday, Aug. 17, through Sunday, Aug. 20, at Theatrical Outfit to debut two new plays plus its first musical, all written and directed by women.
Now in its fourth year, SheATL is an extension of SheNYC Arts, created in 2015 to support and showcase the work of female, transgender and nonbinary writers, composers, producers and directors. It is spearheaded by two executive producers: Caitlin Hargraves, who is an assistant teaching professor at Emory University and co-artistic director and resident actor/director at Theater Emory, and Erika Miranda, a Mexican-Norwegian actor and producer, founder of Cafecito Productions and part of the Weird Sisters Theatre Project.
SheATL serves a dual purpose: to mentor female and nonbinary playwrights through the process of getting their work off the page and into the theater and to showcase the work of marginalized groups to a theater-going audience and show its commercial viability.
“Atlanta is a new play city. What we’re interested in doing is bringing voices that those larger commercial theaters wouldn’t necessarily recognize or hear,” Hargraves said.
The festival selection process began in December with 40 submissions. The final lineup includes three captivating works: “A Shy Redemption” by K. Parker, “Chicana Legend” by Alexis Elisa Macedo and “Rathskeller: A Musical Elixir” with book, music and lyrics by Brianna Kothari Barnes and produced by Dame Productions. “Rathskeller” is the first-ever musical production at SheATL.
Credit: Jessica Dynelle
Credit: Jessica Dynelle
“I think their common tie is … I’m trying to find the appropriate word to describe them … badass,” Miranda said. “These plays are really poignant; they’re really sharp.”
“Although they are each wildly unique and individual, they have really strong world-building, which I think is an important element when you’re talking about a workshop production,” Hargraves said. “You want the world inside of the words to be rich and full, and all three of these plays accomplish that.”
To date, more than 75 full-length productions have been launched through the She festivals in New York City, Atlanta and Los Angeles. Additionally, SheNYC Arts provides year-round resources and the CreateHER program for high school students interested in playwriting and producing.
Credit: Courtesy of SheATL
Credit: Courtesy of SheATL
This year marks a major milestone for SheATL, which featured an educational and collaborative component thanks to a new partnership with Working Title Playwrights. Each playwright was matched with a dramaturg mentor to help prepare the plays for production. SheATL also offered a casting callback session and access to a lighting and sound designer as ways to alleviate roadblocks to putting on a production.
“Our dramaturg, Nathan (Jerpe), with his gaming background, was truly instrumental in helping me fine-tune the rules of the world while also exploring all of the pixelated possibilities,” said Macedo, regarding the production process of “Chicana Legend.”
Meanwhile, Parker attributed her dramaturg, Dalyla McGee, for helping “A Shy Redemption” find its intended purpose. “She read each draft of my play (while) providing me with notes. She let me know what moments needed clarity and served as a general sounding board as I went through the process of re-writes,” she said.
Credit: Courtesy of SheATL
Credit: Courtesy of SheATL
“This play was inspired by the Supreme Court overturning the landmark ruling of Roe v. Wade this past year and the conversation swirling in the media about bodily autonomy and religious influence in legislation,” she added. “It’s a cautionary tale of the dangers of letting so much of our personal religious and moral beliefs slip into legislation that others are affected. I hope people are inspired to fight harder for our rights.”
“Chicana Legend” is a Latina coming-of-age story about Lulu, who lives in a video game reality and is on a mission to become a Chicana legend and make her ancestors proud. With major themes of identity, breaking and healing, the uplifting story is personal to Macedo, who started to investigate her heritage.
“I grew up very assimilated, and it helped me survive within the educational pipeline but very disconnected from my Mexican roots,” Macedo said. “Internally, I felt I wasn’t brown enough for my community, but, externally, I was too brown to be accepted by society. I felt like I didn’t belong anywhere. To me, being Chicana feels like I’m playing a game that wasn’t designed for me to win. That’s when it hit me: The world of this play needs to be a video game.”
Barnes was commissioned to shape “Rathskeller” as script writer, composer and lyricist. A rock musical set between heaven and hell, the first SheATL musical encourages audiences to think more empathetically about artists and their art.
“There is so much conversation right now around cancel culture and accountability,” Barnes said. “I’m interested in exploring how we talk about justice and mercy and investing as an artist in the nuance around these themes -- the gray area of people’s lives that is often oversimplified into categories like Black and white, right and wrong, hero and villain. The reality is, we are all imperfect humans facing our own individual battles and making our own mistakes.”
THEATER PREVIEW
SheATL Summer Theater Festival
Through Sunday, Aug. 20. 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Friday. 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday. $25. Theatrical Outfit’s Balzer Theater at Herren’s, 84 Luckie St. NW, Atlanta. shenycarts.org/she-atl.
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Jaclyn Turner is a freelance editor and writer. Her work has been published in the Sandy Springs Reporter, Jezebel, The Atlantan and other national magazines. An Atlanta native and lifelong lover of the arts, she enjoys sharing stories that uplift and inspire.
Credit: ArtsATL
Credit: ArtsATL
MEET OUR PARTNER
ArtsATL (www.artsatl.org), is a nonprofit organization that plays a critical role in educating and informing audiences about metro Atlanta’s arts and culture. Founded in 2009, ArtsATL’s goal is to help build a sustainable arts community contributing to the economic and cultural health of the city.
If you have any questions about this partnership or others, please contact Senior Manager of Partnerships Nicole Williams at nicole.williams@ajc.com.
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