46 Plays for America’s First Ladies at Forward Theater Company

As part of a rolling world premiere, Forward Theater Company will present its final production in the 2020-21 season, 46 Plays for America's First Ladies, by Chloe Johnston, Sharon Greene, Genevra Gallo-Bayiates, Bilal Dardai, and Andy Bayiates. The filmed version of the experience will be streaming online via overture.org, MAY 8th - 23rd.

This 100-minute journey through American history utilizes comedy, drama, music, dance and more as it surveys the lives of the women who have served (and avoided serving) as First Lady. 46 Plays... is a biographical, meta-theatrical, genre-bending look at gender, race, and everything else your history teacher never taught you about the founding (and the confounding) of America.

Through an ongoing agreement with Actors' Equity Association, Forward is continuing with in-person rehearsals at Overture Center for the Arts. Instead of offering performances to live audiences, a filmed version will be presented online.

46 Plays... is part of a rolling world premiere that started with a digital version of the play in 2020, presented by The Neo Futurists (Chicago). Each of the playwrights are former members of this critically-acclaimed troupe of interactive theater makers.

The production consists of 46 separate plays, each one dedicated to an individual First Lady. Its structure lends its style from other plays created by the Neo Futurists, who have a 30-year history of creating theater that is "a fusion of sport, poetry and living- newspaper." In 2012, Forward presented the presidentally-themed 44 Plays for 44 Presidents, which shared many of the same authors.

Audiences are invited to join one of six talkbacks with the actors and directors, hosted and streamed live via Zoom. Talkbacks are scheduled for Saturday 5/8 at 8:30pm, Sunday 5/9 at 4:00pm, Thursday 5/13 at 8:30pm, Sunday 5/16 at 4:00pm, Wednesday 519 at 8:30pm, and Sunday 5/23 at 4:00pm.