A GRAND START

THE SPRING SEASON IS OFF TO A GRAND START
by Barbara Biddison

The sixth performance for HGWP's collection of original work, called
WOMEN, is in the midst of its last scheduled matinee as I write this.
I've seen it twice, this show featuring a collection of original works
written, directed, and produced by local women, and I could easily and
willingly see it again and again.  It is so rich, so full of the
dramatisation of experiences that are easily recognized, often funny
and sometimes heart wrenching, but always ringing true.   It is an
extraordinary production.  The list of participants takes up four
large pages in the program, and it includes names and bio information
for actors, and  directors, and writers, and prop master, and stage
crew, and lights/tech,, and sound tech, and stage manager, and
producer Kacy J.Z. Hagan.  And with all those women it ran so smoothly
and comfortably from beginning to end.

I feel compelled to present a few of the titles and their writers.
The ones I leave out are just as good but space has its limitations.
There's "When the Goddess Feels Old" by Judith Sorngerger, and
"Strength or Grace?" by Karen Usavage, and "Princess" by Lilace
Guignard, and  "Say My Name" by Linda Stump Rashidi, and "Boys Will Be
Boys" by Kacy  Hagan and "MINE, My Body" by Taylor Nickerson.  Great
titles, great stories. I think it takes quite a feeling of trust to
write a story for a show such as this and trust the one that will
present it on stage, trust her to give it the vocal expression that
the writer hears in her head.  I'm under the impression that that
happened every time!

I want to quote Kacy's words from the program as she reflects on the
storytelling..  "...Seeing so many women connect with these stories.
Witnessing the camaraderie among the cast and production team from
telling these stories about our shared experiences as women."  In my
experience this kind of connection and camaraderie is common (though
possibly not so pronounced) in Hamilton-Gibson shows with mixed gender
casts as well.  I like to say that Hamilton-Gibson just attracts good
people."

At times like this I always feel compelled to go back to 2016 when
Linda Iseri and I  sat off to the side watching the audition
process, and Thomas Putnam came up to us and said something like,
"There are just so many women who want to
be involved and not enough roles for them.  We have got to do
something."  And Linda looked at me and said, "I guess that's us."  So
we shortly thereafter began putting together a whole bunch of
monologues, and we set up an event in the Warehouse Gallery, and we
urged women to come and "play with us."  And Lillace Guignard had
joined us to make a committed threesome, and the Hamilton-Gibson
Women's Project was born.  And here we are, goin' strong, in 2024.  It
is a joy to behold.

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