Sophie Treadwell's expressionist play tells the story of a young woman, any woman—a woman who suffocates in a society that wants her to be submissive. When it premiered in 1928, the New York Times said "in a hundred years it should still be vital and vivid." As we near the 100th anniversary, The Sound Company is producing this play as a catalyst to two different conversations around important issues in the community. For the first weekend, the creative team is partnering with Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio and the Ohio Center for Sex Education to create a post-show discussion around the global backlash against women's rights and the importance of reproductive freedom. After every performance of the second weekend, they will spotlight the work of the Returning Artists' Guild, a collective of formerly incarcerated artists who are working to increase public support for ending mass incarceration.
This ensemble-devised show will use Treadwell’s shocking and surreal text to create a multidisciplinary show that includes music, dance, and multimedia aspects. The play will be directed by Sean Ryan Naughton and assistant directed by Ben Fisher with stage management by Jenny Morrison. The ensemble includes Ryan Heitkamp, Jessica Hughes, Lior Livshits, Shannon McCarren, Matt Piper, Alex Rito, Othman Shuri, Sydney Webb, Scott Douglas Wilson, and Christina Yoho.