Celebrations

  • Celebrations, Community, Event, LAWTF

    “EMPOWERMENT WEEKEND” with LAWTF: Celebrating Voices and Sharing Purpose

    This September, the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival is thrilled to be holding its 12th Annual Empowerment Weekend. Over two days, on September 27th and 28th, LAWTF will facilitate five workshops and five panels, all led and presented by a mix of twenty-one incredibly talented and experienced professionals. As LAWTF approaches its 33rd year, our commitment to providing a space for and supporting artists with exceptional talents and richly diverse stories has only strengthened over time. This year’s EMPOWERMENT WEEKEND aims to guide and support performers as they continue to explore how to best grow their brands and share their voices in the face of these trying times. 

    Since 1993, LAWTF has been dedicated to celebrating and supporting artistic diversity and the achievements of women in the arts. EMPOWERMENT WEEKEND aims to be a rich lineup of workshops and panels led by industry experts, specifically designed to elevate the skills and career choices of solo artists, while also providing information relevant to many performers.


    DAY ONE: 

    “OWN YOUR STAGE” 

    September 27, 2025

    This day of EMPOWERMENT WEEKEND is specifically all about claiming your space and owning what makes you unique as a performer. 

    It’s the first of two days full to the brim with sessions led by industry experts, specifically designed to elevate the skills and career directions of solo artists, while also providing information relevant to performers, in general. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu and what you can expect from each session.

    September 27, 2025

    “CREATING A SOLO SHOW” – 10 am – 11:20 am (Workshop)

    • This opening workshop is LAWTF’s bread and butter, supporting solo performers to craft the best show possible. From concept to curtain call, our workshop leaders, Terrie Silverman and Kirsten Laurel Caplan, will guide participants through the entire process – from that initial spark of inspiration, through to writing and then to performing on stage. Using writing prompts and exploring stories, structures, and narrative arcs, “CREATING A SOLO SHOW” is the perfect way to start the day. 

    “TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK” – 11:30 am – 12:45 pm (Panel)

    • With Terrie Silverman acting as moderator, this panel – including multi-disciplinary performers, producers, educators, and publicists – is our first panel of the week-end. Presenters will share with attendees their expertise around the importance of collaborative creative teamwork and the roles of  those needed to bring solo shows to life.

    “FUNDING YOUR VISION” – 1:45 pm – 3 pm (Workshop)

    • After a brief pause for lunch, we kick the afternoon off with Erin Coleman and Rejyna Douglass-Whitman with their interactive funding workshop. We’ll cover options from grant writing to crowdfunding to individual sponsors, and those attending who may already have funded projects are also encouraged to share their own success with funding, too!


    “BRANDING YOUR ARTISTIC VOICE” – 3:10 pm to 4:20 pm (Panel)

    • This valuable panel, led by Nicole Soul, will lead attendees in taking the clearest, most authentic representation of their creative vision and turn it into marketing success. Participants will learn how to articulate their creative voice and values while still aligning their public presence in a way that draws in audiences to experience their work. 

    “NETWORKING WITH PURPOSE” – 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm (Workshop)

    • Navene Shata and Erin Coleman will lead Day One’s final workshop, a networking session that taps directly into one of the core purposes of EMPOWERMENT WEEKEND. Our workshop presenters will guide participants as they effectively explore tools to communicate their creative vision, and build relationships of mutual trust and respect that will benefit everyone’s development and career. 

     

    DAY TWO:

    “FUEL YOUR FIRE” 

    September 28, 2025

    Hold on tight as we delve into another jam-packed day of EMPOWERMENT WEEKEND. We’ll keep the creative fires burning as we dig deeper into what fuels us as performers to ensure the show goes on!

    “MOVEMENT & MINDFULNESS” – 10 am – 11:20 am (Workshop)

    • What better way to make sure your mind, body and spirit are fully awake and engaged for the day’s events? Find connection within yourself and with your peers through meditation, and movement, all guided by our own workshop facilitators, Sona Lewis and Jana Krumholtz.

    “ARTISTS IN THE FACE OF PERSONAL AND COLLECTIVE CHALLENGES”
    – 11:30 am – 12:30 pm (Panel)

    • With these uncertain times that we are all facing at this moment, this panel is a must-attend session. Moderated by Navene Shata, this session will take a look at how vital self-care can be as an act of resilience, resistance, and personal renewal.

    “WRITING FOR HEALING” – 1:45 pm – 3 pm (Workshop)

    • This transparent workshop will allow space for the creative and therapeutic benefits of writing in real time of writing exercises. Participants will explore their vulnerability and authentic selves through various writing prompts in a safe space under the careful guidance of Terrie Silverman and Kirsten Laurel Caplan.

    “STORYTELLING CIRCLES” – 3:10 pm – 4:20 pm (Panel)

    • Moderated once again by Navene Shata, this panel of experts will explore how personal stories and experiences can be transformed into powerful performances and reclaimed as a form of artistic autonomy. In this panel, participants will have the opportunity to reflect on their own storytelling journeys, offering insights into the process, challenges, balance, and how it is possible to make a living through this craft.

    “ANCESTRAL POWER & CULTURAL LEGACY” – 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm (Panel)

    • Our final panel of Empowerment Weekend that will include (names) will bring us all together in celebration of the power of memory, tradition, and personal narratives derived from our own unique heritages. Participants will be encouraged to reflect on their own familial and cultural histories by sharing how they have been impacted in telling their individual stories.

    —

    EMPOWERMENT WEEKEND, on September 27-28, 2025, kicks off with an intimate interview with LAWTF Co-Founder, Adilah Barnes. With everything EMPOWERMENT WEEKEND has to offer, this interview is a great introduction to this year’s educational event. 


    “ZOOM IN WITH ADILAH”

    Friday, September 26, 2025

    7pm

    ZOOM

    Co-Founder Adilah Barnes will be interviewed by longtime award-winning LAWTF performer and teaching artist Juliette Jeffers. 

     

    This ZOOM interview will focus on LAWTF’s chance meeting beginning with Adilah Barnes and Miriam Reed in 1993 that turned into LAWTF and the Festival’s journey over the last 32 years. The interview will also dive into Adilah’s history as an award-winning actor, producer, bestselling author, international women’s literary retreat founder, acting and writing instructor and coach to many celebrities. She has a lead role in the upcoming film, “Love the Skin You’re In“ and an upcoming commercial.

    Interviewer Juliette Jeffers is an award-winning Caribbean-American performer, filmmaker, director, and teaching artist. She has performed all 5 of her solo shows on stage with LAWTF. Juliet currently guest-stars on the TV series “The Residence” and “Tulsa King“ and is presently working on her Caribbean-based short film, “Pan Gyul”, shot in St. Nevis. Very accomplished in the business, Juliette has appeared in 22 films, 42 TV shows, and over 60 commercials.

    RSVP at bit.ly/ZoomInAdilah to receive the Zoom link on the day of the event.

     

    BONUS! 

    Don’t forget, at the end of Day 2, there will be a raffle held with an awesome array of prizes, and the money raised will go directly to helping us here at LAWTF continue to run fantastic events like this in the future.

    There is still time to buy your tickets and make the most of everything Empowerment Weekend and LAWTF have to offer. Follow the link below to secure your spot: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lawtfs-2025-empowerment-weekend-tickets-1596462003829 

    Student discounts are also available for Empowerment Weekend. Contact LAWTF at info@lawtf.org for student ticket information.

    We can’t wait to welcome you to our event!

  • Celebrations, Community, Event, Festival, LAWTF

    Honoring Women’s History Month: A Celebration of Strength, Stories, and Sisterhood at LAWTF

    March is more than just another month—it’s a time to honor the resilience, creativity, and contributions of women throughout history. Women’s History Month serves as a powerful reminder of the voices that have shaped our world, from trailblazing activists to visionary artists. At the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival, we proudly continue this legacy by amplifying the voices of women in the performing arts, providing a platform where their stories come to life.

    This year, we celebrate our 32nd Annual Festival, “STRONGER TOGETHER” (March 27-30, 2025), a testament to the collective strength of artists in theatre, dance, storytelling, and more. For over three decades, LAWTF has been a space where women of all backgrounds can share their truths, explore their identities, and connect with audiences through the transformative power of solo performance.

    Representation in the arts is more than just visibility—it’s about ensuring that every woman’s experience is heard and valued. The women who take the stage at LAWTF don’t just entertain; they inspire. They remind us of the struggles and triumphs of generations past while paving the way for future voices. From deeply personal journeys to powerful social commentaries, these performances capture the essence of what it means to be a woman in today’s world.

    As we honor Women’s History Month, we invite you to be a part of this celebration by attending this year’s festival. Whether you’re drawn to compelling solo performances, engaging workshops, or our signature Champagne Gala & Awards Ceremony, there is something for everyone to experience and enjoy.


     Get Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/stronger-together-lawtfs-32nd-annual-solo-festival-tickets-1123330484719?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl 

    Let’s come together to celebrate women’s voices, honor their legacies, and continue the journey toward a more inclusive and empowered future. Because when women tell their stories, the world listens.

  • Celebrations, LAWTF, Performers

    Happy Pride Month from Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival!

    Happy Pride Month from Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival!

    As Pride Month nears its end, we here at the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival want to reflect on the importance of LGBTQ+ representation in theatre as well as the community’s impact on theatre as a whole. The theatre has long been a sanctuary for artistic expression, a place where people of all identities can come together and feel safe to share their truths. This type of sanctuary has proven especially important for people of marginalized communities. LAWTF understands the importance of having a safe space to openly express ourselves, especially when we do not often have the opportunity to do so as oppressed communities. This desire for a community of like-minded and supportive individuals is what led our seven co-founders, Adilah Barnes, Miriam Reed, Helene McCardle, Joyce Guy, Judith Heineman, Nina Kaufman, and Phylise Smith, to create the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival. We are living through a time where the rights and lives of LGBTQ+ individuals are constantly under attack, and it is increasingly important to recognize not only the plights this community faces, but also the many triumphs they have had.  

     

    It wasn’t so long ago that queer stories were not able to unabashedly take up space on the stage. Instead, queer actors and stories were forced to be disguised behind heterosexual plotlines, as openly queer stories faced intense criticism and homophobia. Even in the United Kingdom the Stage Licensing Act of 1737 required that all theatrical acts be approved and obtain a license through the Lord Chamberlain’s office from the Examiner of Plays. If the play did not meet the approved standards, often the show was cut and not allowed to be shown in a public setting. Expectedly, plays that mentioned or even alluded to homosexuality were cut. One such play was Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, written by the famous playwright Tennessee Williams. 

     

    In response to extensive criticism on covert queer stories hiding behind heterosexual narratives, a gay playwright, Mart Crowley took it upon himself to create a play more representative of the lives of gay men, entitled The Boys in the Band. While this work faced its own criticisms, it is undeniable that it was groundbreaking in its portrayal of the lives of a group of gay men, gathered together at a party one night. Set against the backdrop of the raging and overt homophobia of the 20th century, this play puts queer men at the center, no more hiding behind a straight facade. This show served as a catapult for other queer stories and queer storymakers to feel validated in their identities and strive to create art that fully represented them. Through the Stonewall riots and the start of the AIDS epidemic to the more contemporary, and continuous, fight for queer rights, the theatre has continually served as a space open to all, where people can come together and create beautiful art, feeling the support of those around them. And it must be clarified that “theatre” is not just confined to the Broadway stage. Queer theatre includes burlesque, cabaret, circus, drag shows, and much more. The art this community creates is too powerful to just be confined to one space. 

     

    At LAWTF, we are continually inspired by the pioneers who paved the way for the LGBTQ+ community to share their truths. Since its conception in 1993, the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival has made itself a safe space for diverse storytellers with various stories. Some of our queer-identifying performers and partners include Lynne Jassem , a self-described “78-year-old tap dancing lesbian performance artist” who, when reflecting on time spent with LAWTF said, “LAWTF brought our shows to the world at large, ripe with our feelings of shame, pride, difference, all honestly portrayed in the safe spaces LAWTF offered to us. I will always love and be eternally grateful to Adilah Barnes.” Dr. Ada Cheng first worked with the festival as a performer in 2018, and from there participated with our organization in different capacities. As an Asian-American immigrant, she takes pride in the intersectionality of her identity. On her experience with LAWTF she says, “Throughout the years of working with LAWTF, I’ve never felt that I can only celebrate one part of me while having to minimize or downplay others. The welcoming atmosphere from the organization is absolute and holistic in every way.” Our 2024 Integrity Award Honoree Carolyn Ratteray said, “As a BIPOC queer performer it has been crucial to discover spaces that embrace, amplify and celebrate the breadth of our community’s wonderfully diverse narratives. In addition to LAWTF’s incredible history of supporting, producing and mentoring solo performers, I’m grateful to have benefitted from the workshops that have been offered by their members.”

    At the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival, we want to continue to honor those who set the stage–pun intended–for us and our performers. Theatre history is not complete without acknowledging the struggle for equal opportunity that marginalized communities faced and continue to face. It is vital–especially during Pride Month, but every day too–to recognize that queer history is a story that deserves telling and that it is more a part of everyone’s history than usually recognized. 

     

    A very happy Pride Month from the team at Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival!

     

    Lynne Jassem

    Dr. Ada Cheng

    Carolyn Ratteray