The 2021 Expand the Canon list has been announced, featuring nine plays by women that deserve a spotlight as theatres consider what works to present to its audiences. The project is run by Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre, in partnership with Ma-Yi Theater Company, The Sol Project, and The Classical Theatre of Harlem.
The plays selected for 2021 are: The Frolicks by Elizabeth Polwhele; Amor, Agavio y Mujer by Ana Caro; The Beau Defeated by Mary Pix; Fatal Falsehood by Hannah More; Françoise by George Sand, Forging the Truth by Yang Jiang; Foriwa by Efua Sutherland; A Happy Country by Maruxa Vilalta; and Les Blancs by Lorraine Hansberry. The 2021 list includes 3 translations that, if produced, would be national premieres.
“After reading nearly 400 plays by women, our team chose nine that span history, geography, and subject matter, from writers around the world,” says Mary Candler, artistic director of Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre. “With a mix of light comedies and deeply resonant pieces that speak to this revolutionary moment, there is a play on this list for anyone programming their 2022 season.”
Four readings will be presented as part of the Do This Play: The Expand the Canon Reading Series. The lineup features A Happy Country (September 19, 4 PM ET), Forging the Truth (September 20, 7 PM), Foriwa (September 26 at 4 PM), and Mercy Otis Warren’s 1770’s verse play The Ladies of Castile (September 27 at 7 PM). Each reading will be available to stream on demand for two days after its premiere.
For more information about the plays, visit ExpandtheCanon.com. The list has all related producing information, creating easy access for theatre companies to present these plays.
