Phosphates and Fistfights by Dionne O'Dell
Directed by Rob Roznowski
Monday, February 19 at 7pm
Phosphates and Fistfights is a retelling of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s acclaimed short story The Yellow Wallpaper. Part One of the play confronts Jane’s psychological unravelling brought on by post-partum depression, restrictive gender roles, and isolation. It is dramatized through the framework of the suffrage movement in the 1890s, which Gilman was herself involved in. Part Two fast forwards to 1920, months prior to ratification, and highlights a family that is now living in a time of prohibition, the Comstock Laws/Suppression of Vice, and opposition to a woman’s right to choose. The narrative highlights how the characters persevere through fearlessness, resilience, science, and the hope for a better future.
No reservations required.
$10 suggested donation at the door.
Dionne O'Dell is faculty for the Department of Theatre at Michigan State University, where she specializes in writing and directing plays for youth & community. Previously, Dionne was the Associate Director of Education at Lincoln Center Theater in New York City. Although primarily interested in writing plays with a social justice focus.
www.williamstontheatre.org