A series thought to be unique to Chicago theater-going will kick off Sunday afternoon in the first of a succession of staged readings of previously unproduced, full-length plays featuring women playwrights and directors.
“Famous Door (Theatre) has done a lot of kind of well known plays, but they’ve mainly been from the male perspective-either playwrights or directors,” says Mary Samerdyke, a Famous Door company member who is heading the project with literary manager Elaine Rivkin.
“We just thought it would be nice to explore the theater from the woman’s perspective. This year we’re trying to focus on individuals from the Chicago area, and we’re hoping to make this an annual event.”
The first of the Sunday-afternoon readings-to be performed in the Jane Addams Center at 3212 N. Broadway-will be “What Cats Know,” a drama by Lisa Dillman that examines the various ways relationships are driven by individual needs. Dorothy Milne directs.
Future plays in the series will be S.J. Orrick’s “Chapter and Verse,” directed by Sandra Grand, next Sunday; Anne McGravie’s “WRENS,” directed by Karen Kessler, Dec. 12; and Claudia Allen’s “Just Desserts,” directed by Marlene Zuccaro, Dec. 19.
“Most of the people who call us for reservations are women,” says Samerdyke, adding, with a laugh, “Right-dragging their husbands and boyfriends along. But we’re hoping this project will attract both sexes. The plays are about men, too.”
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Well, maybe not all.
“Just Desserts,” for one, is described as “a feminist morality tale in Midwestern Gothic.”