Parity Plays is a year-long series that features the work of playwrights writing for a more equal theatre by creating plays with casts of 50% (or more) Women.

The series addresses the documented gender disparity in theatre, by maintaining casts that include at least equal opportunities for female artists. By making gender equality in casting a theme, we will also be supporting the work of playwrights who are writing for a more equal theatre.

Co-Founding Artistic Director, Michole Biancosino, says of the series, “These are plays with great roles for people… who just happen to be women. Rather than choosing work that deals with any particular theme this year, we decided to respond to the gender-disparity on stages across the country.” According to Literary Manager, Lia Romeo, who reads the open submissions, “The plays in this series are all about completely different situations and people. We wanted to give more women artists opportunities to work but without telling them what they had to write about.” Michole agrees, “This might be our most diverse reading series yet in terms of the actual content of the plays. I am excited to hear the range of work in Parity Plays.” All Project Y readings are Free and Open to the Public. After each reading we serve refreshments to provide an informal and social atmosphere where audiences and artists can meet and discuss the work.

December 6, 2015

HOOKMAN
by Lauren Yee
directed by Lee Sunday Evans
featuring Emma Ramos, Emma Galvin, Stephanie Hsu, Olivia Oguma, Annie Dow, and Forrest Malloy

Freshman year at college is hard when your roommate is weird, you’re feeling homesick, and a hook-handed serial killer is slashing girls’ throats. But if Lexi can discover what really happened to her high school best friend on that car ride to the movies, everything will be okay. In this existential slasher comedy, Lexi and her friends learn what it means to grow up – and it’s not pretty.

November 30, 2015

40 OUNCES OF SAND

a new play by Caridad Svich
directed by Aimee Todoroff
featuring Carrie Heitman, Ana Grosse, Imran Sheikh, Yeauxlanda Kay, Adam La Faci and Marisol Rosa-Shapiro

Love. Guilt. Globalization. A diplomat is murdered abroad. His circle of friends back home are left behind. A story of what we will sometimes do in the name of and for progress. “40 Ounces of Sand” is an intimate poetic drama about ethics and citizenship.

July 19, 2015

ABOVE WATER
by Bob Clyman
directed by Risa Brainin
featuring Chris Clavelli, Catherine Eaton, Katie Zaffrann, Ezra Barnes, Sipiwe Moyo

When Paul, a widower, finally finds love again with a much younger woman, Rachel, his closest friends, Mark and Maggie are quickly won over by her intelligence, poise, beauty and devotion to Paul. But when an incident raises serious questions in Mark’s mind about Rachel’s moral character, he must decide, in the absence of any certainty that his suspicions are valid, whether to jeopardize Paul’s newfound happiness by confiding them to him.

(Image design by Doug Katz)

June 14, 2015

MAMA’S GONNA BUY YOU
by Chisa Hutchinson
directed by Jade King Carroll

A play about entitlement, race, and who deserves to be a parent

May 17, 2015

COLCHESTER
by Adam Szymkowicz
directed by Michelle Boss
featuring Heidi Armbruster, Ruibo Qian, Havilah Brewster, Jason Williams, Chinaza Uche, and Lila Claghorn

Welcome to Colchester, a town of dashed dreams and fervent hope, history and longing. And there’s a hardware store too.

April 19, 2015

THE SOONER CHILD
by Allyson Currin
directed by Ryan Maxwell
featuring Heather Haney, Julia Christgau, and Shawn Fagan.

A mother and daughter discuss life, love, and dating in this romantic comedy with a twist.

April 13, 2015

THE GHOSTS OF LOTE BRAVO
by Hilary Bettis
directed by Elena Araoz
featuring Déa Julien, Liza Fernandez, Carlos Ibarra, Adrianna Sananes, Bobby Plasencia, Reza Salazar, Gilbert Cruz, and Carmen Zilles

In Cuidad Juarez, Mexico young girls often disappear. Many turn up murdered. Juanda Cantu’s daughter, Raquel, is one of these girls. Through visions offered by La Santa Muerte, Juanda is shown Raquel’s past only to discover that her daughter had hopes, dreams and courage Juanda knew nothing about. The Ghosts of Lote Bravo is a play about great hope in the midst of relentless violence, poverty and grief.