ONLINE: 46 Plays for America's First Ladies

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Ross Zentner

A scene from the Forward Theater production "46 Plays for America's First Ladies," with (left to right) Phoebe González, Nadja Simmonds and Matt Daniels.

Forward Theater is part of a world premiere for 46 Plays for America’s First Ladies, by Chloe Johnston, Sharon Greene, Genevra Gallo-Bayiates, Bilal Dardai and Andy Bayiates. It’s a multimedia, genre-defying assemblage of 46 short plays that do, in some sense, act as biographies to America’s first ladies, but are far more than that. The 100-minute show, performed live and filmed at the Overture Center, is available streaming on demand through May 23. Read Gwendolyn Rice’s review here. Tickets are available at overture.org, and ticket holders can also join scheduled talkbacks with the actors and directors, hosted via Zoom.

press release: As part of a rolling world premiere, Forward Theater Company will present its final production in the 2020-21 season, 46 Plays for America’s First Ladies, by Chloe Johnston, Sharon Greene, Genevra Gallo-Bayiates, Bilal Dardai, and Andy Bayiates. The filmed version of the experience will be streaming online via overture.org, May 8 - 23.

This journey through American history utilizes comedy, drama, music, dance and more as it surveys the lives of the women who have served (and avoided serving) as First Lady. 46 Plays... is a biographical, meta-theatrical, genre-bending look at gender, race, and everything else your history teacher never taught you about the founding (and the confounding) of America.

Through an ongoing agreement with Actors’ Equity Association, Forward is continuing with in-person rehearsals at Overture Center for the Arts. Instead of offering performances to live audiences, a filmed version will be presented online.

46 Plays... is part of a rolling world premiere that started with a digital version of the play in 2020, presented by The Neo Futurists (Chicago). Each of the playwrights are former members of this critically-acclaimed troupe of interactive theater makers.

The production consists of 46 separate plays, each one dedicated to an individual First Lady. Its structure lends its style from other plays created by the Neo Futurists, who have a 30-year history of creating theater that is “a fusion of sport, poetry and living-newspaper.” In 2012, Forward presented the presidentally-themed 44 Plays for 44 Presidents, which shared many of the same authors.

Audiences are invited to join one of six talkbacks with the actors and directors, hosted and streamed live via Zoom. Talkbacks are scheduled for Saturday 5/8 at 8:30pm, Sunday 5/9 at 4:00pm, Thursday 5/13 at 8:30pm, Sunday 5/16 at 4:00pm, Wednesday 519 at 8:30pm, and Sunday 5/23 at 4:00pm.

Artistic Team

46 Plays for America’s First Ladies is directed by Jen Uphoff Gray, and features Matt Daniels, Elyse Edelman, Phoebe Gonzalez, Jamal James, and Nadja Simmonds.

Scenic Designer: Mike Lawler; Lighting Designer: Noele Stollmack; Costume Designer: Shannon Heibler; Composer/Sound Designer: Joe Cerqua; Stage Manager: Sarah Deming-Henes; Props Master: Pamela Miles; Technical Director: Kevin Zimmer; Assistant Stage Manager: Abbie Hess; Video Editor: Dave Alcorn/Microtone Media

Tickets

Tickets to watch the production online are now on sale. Online viewing begins Saturday, May 8, and ends Sunday, May 23. Streaming passes may be purchased online at forwardtheater.com, or via overture.org. Adults: $40; 42 Below (Discount for ages 42 and under): $20; Students/Educators: $10; Artists: $10

46 Plays... is generously sponsored by Madison Community Foundation, Diane Kostecke & Nancy Ciezki, Custer Plumb Financial Services, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, and Stafford Rosenbaum.