The WHAT SHE SAID Festival Returns This Thursday

The Underground Theatre is proud to present the only all-women one-act play festival in the Twin Ports. All one-acts are written by women from all over the country and directed by women from the Twin Ports region. This series of one-act plays highlight the female voice and everything women have to say.

"The 'What She Said Festival' is a celebration of new, short plays by women-identifying playwrights," said Robert Lee, artistic director of the Underground Theatre.

The Underground Theatre created this festival as an opportunity for women playwrights, directors, and actresses to have a focused space to express themselves in a Duluth theatre. A short play festival provides for a greater number of voices and productions that can focus on the writing and performance and create a more robust dialogue than a production of a single play.

Soon, after the submission request went out last year, it was clear that playwrights from all over the country believed in what we were doing. We received nearly 200 submissions," said Robert Lee. "Once the dust settled on last year's successful run, there was a yearning to bring it back for a second year, from the community, audiences, and artists.

This year's What She Said Festival opens on Thursday, May 24 and runs for one weekend through Saturday, May 26. All performances are at 7:30pm, and tickets are $20 for adults and $18 for students. Tickets can be purchased online at www.duluthunderground.org, by calling 218.733.7555, or stopping by the NorShor Theatre Box Office in-person at 211 E. Superior St.

This year's selected one-acts, playwrights, directors, and casts are as follows:

But Wait, There's More
Written by Susan Goodell (Weston, CT)
Directed by Liz Woodworth (Joining us from Bayfield, WI)
STARRING: Leslie Bailey & Bill Siedbecker

Check Your Ticket
Written by Charissa Menefee (Ames, IA)
Directed by Mackenzie McCullum (Joining us from the Twin Cities)
STARRING: Emilie LaBonte

Deanna and Paul
Written by Dagney Kerr (Burbank, CA)
Directed by Kate Horvath
STARRING: Cheryl Skafte* & Luke Sharman

The Night Sky
Written by Eugenie Carabatsos (New York, NY)
Directed by Anika Thompson
STARRING: Mary Fox & Zach Stofer

First Do No Harm
Written by Bara Swain (New York, NY)
Directed by Cheryl Skafte*
STARRING: Daniel Oyinloye & Jessica Saxton

Webster's Bitch
Written by Jacqueline Bircher (New York, NY)
Directed by Sara Marie Briggs Sorenson*
STARRING: Kendra Carlson, Erin Blazevic,* Andy Roemhildt* & Kathy Laakso

*Member of the Playhouse Resident Acting Company

About The Underground Theatre

A satellite theatre of the Duluth Playhouse, the Underground Theatre is located in the lower level of the Depot across from the train museum. This is a general admission 120-seat theatre with no visual obstructions any time you see a performance. Dedicated to bringing high-quality productions of new and classic plays and musicals, The Underground is a place audiences can consistently find the area's most talented performers doing the gritty work they enjoy.

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