Performers

  • Performers, Reflection

    3 Lies That Stop Us From Writing A Solo Show

    “Truth is the ultimate power. When the truth comes around, all the lies have to run and hide.” – Ice Cube

    Have you been toying with the notion of writing a solo show for decades but you can never think of an idea worthy enough of putting your pen to the page?

    Is there a little nudge from within encouraging you to write a one person play, but you cannot justify engaging in that much navel-gazing when it feels like the world around us is falling apart day by day?

     

    Do you always get sidetracked by all of your other responsibilities during the only time you had to finally make progress on your solo show script?

     

    If you see yourself in any or all of these examples, then I have a big dose of sobering truth for you.

     

    The reason you haven’t reached your solo show goals is not because you do not have time, talent or important stories to tell.

     

    The reason your solo theatre dreams have not come to fruition is most likely the result of having a cunning liar living in your head rent free.

     

    This prevaricator is like a deceitful DJ who is looping lies on repeat within your mind and you just keep listening to it like it’s a greatest hits album.

     

    In today’s blog, we are going to turn up the volume on the truth by exposing the 3 most insidious lies solo artists tell themselves that stop them from manifesting their one person masterpiece.

     

    Let’s dive into the deception!

    1. “I don’t have a story worth telling.”

     

    The second that your creative intuition blesses you with an idea to write about for your solo show, almost immediately a harsh voice pops in that says that your idea has been done before. It tells you that your story is boring. It convinces you that no one is interested in sitting in a black box theatre listening to you drone on and it convinces you that you are unworthy of taking up that much space and attention.

     

    If you have lived through trauma, the voice tells you that you’re just being a victim by opening up about it. If you have not lived through trauma, then the voice tells you that nothing important has happened to you, so you do not have anything meaningful to share.

     

    This critical voice will stop at nothing to shut you up because as Marianne Williamson famously said in her book A Return To Love…

     

     “It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.

     

    We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

    Actually, who are you not to be?

    You are a child of God.

    Your playing small does not serve the world.

    There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

    We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

    It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.

     

    And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

     

    As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

     

    I agree wholeheartedly. On the deepest level we know we are worthy, but there are so many layers of lies we must sift through to truly believe it.

     

    So, how do you sift through this level of deceit to gain a true perspective on your worth?

     

    Well, you start by recognizing that you are not alone in buying into this negativity. Sadly, nearly every single solo artist I have ever worked with over the past 20 years has confessed some version of this distorted thinking to me during our coaching sessions.

     

     

    Next, you begin to embrace the reality that every single human being has a story worth telling and that absolutely includes you.

    Think about it this way.

    When you attend a support group, a 12-step meeting, or simply sit down for coffee with a friend, the most valuable thing that transpires in any of those scenarios is that people exchange their stories, feel less alone, and learn and grow alongside one another.

     

    Others will see themselves in your story when you are courageous enough to tell it, and this recognition will help them feel more connected to themselves and to humanity.

     

    Now, for the next falsehood we often buy into…

    2. “It’s narcissistic to write and perform a solo show.”

     

    It is true that we live in a very self-absorbed society where snapping the perfect selfie and posting a glamorous highlight reel on our social media has become far too important.

     

    By contrast, having the guts to really be introspective, to admit to your faults and mistakes, to convey your highest highs and your lowest lows, this is far from narcissistic. This is an act of major generosity.

     

    In a world where we are pressured to be perfect through diets, filters, botox and unlimited trips to the gym, true solo theatre ameliorates that egoism by presenting an authentic expression of ourselves. Authenticity is complicated. Reality is messy. The truth of who we are is the black, white, and grey that lives within us.

     

    So, yes, if all you want to do is stand in the spotlight and brag for an hour about innumerable impressive things you have achieved, then I would have to admit that is pretty narcissistic. However, if your goal is to be vulnerable and honest about the complexities of who you are and what you have been through, even when it’s not flattering…that is a gift to both you and your audience.

     

    Ok, we have shed light on 2 terrible lies, but we still have one more to reveal.

     

    1. “I don’t have time to write and perform a solo show.”

     

    Maybe you are a parent or the head of a company. Perhaps you are a caregiver or juggling multiple parttime jobs. You could be in grad school or any number of time consuming roles in life.

     

    Everything I just mentioned is a valid responsibility, and there are a million more commitments I could list that are just as cogent.

     

    But let me ask you something.

     

    Do you eat, sleep, and breathe every day? Do you do some level of physical exertion to keep your body healthy? Do you pray, meditate, chant or partake in some other form of spiritual nourishment?

     

    I hope the answer is yes to all of that.

     

    And if the answer is yes, then I would assume you do all of those things because you want to be physically, mentally and spiritually well.

     

    Each of those items are nonnegotiable for you because all of those things are arguably crucial elements to living a life of wholeness.

     

    If you started to neglect any one of those things, the odds are good that you would start to suffer. It might become painful, even agonizing to neglect yourself in any of these aforementioned categories.

     

    The same is true of your creative expression.

     

    Maya Angelou understood the severity of sealing away our stories when she said…

     

    “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

     

    So, yes, we are busy people. We have many responsibilities, but let’s not treat our artistic expression the way that the government typically does and decide that it is not worth the investment of our time, talent and resources.

     

    A creatively expressed you is a healthy you. And the healthier you are as an individual, the more equipped you are to show up to all areas of your life as the best version of yourself.

    Being your best self is worth your time.

     

    The universe is not going to magically create a 25th hour in the day. We need to repurpose the time we have already been given because we understand that our creativity matters just as much, and even sometimes more, than everything else.

     

    Well, solo artists, I hope today’s blog entry has enabled you to hear these blatant lies a little bit more loudly when they start chattering in your mind. My desire for you is that you start to replace each fabrication with these inspiring truths…

     

    You have a story worth telling.

     

    You are generous and brave for telling it.

     

    And it is well worth your time to share your story.

     

     

    Jessica Lynn Johnson

    Founder & CEO of Soaring Solo LLC

    SoaringSoloArtist@gmail.com

    http://www.SoaringSoloStudios.com

    BIO: Jessica Lynn Johnson, is a published playwright, recipient of BEST NATIONAL SOLO ARTIST AWARD from Dialogue One Solo Theatre Festival, Director & Teaching Artist for the LA Women’s Theatre Festival, Co-Producer of the Stars Solo Series,and CEO of Soaring Solo Studios. Jessica aided in the development, direction & producing of over 200 solo shows! As a performer, Jessica “edu-tained” international audiences touring her own one person shows ZE and OBLIVIOUS TO EVERYONE for over 15 years. Jessica’s projects have been awarded TOP OF FRINGE, HFF ENCORE PRODUCER AWARDS, TVOLUTION BEST SOLO PERFORMANCE, LARRY CORNWALL AWARD FOR MUSICAL EXCELLENCE & several other accolades! Jessica was also nominated for the Female Director of Distinction in Theatre by Girl Trip LLC at the 2018 Hollywood Fringe Festival, nominated as Best Director of a Play by Broadway World 2023 & awarded the Rainbow Award 2024 by the LA Women’s Theatre Festival. http://www.SoaringSoloStudios.com

  • Celebrations, Community, Event, Festival, LAWTF, Performers

    “THE STRENGTH WE CARRY”: Why Live Theatre Matters Now More Than Ever

    For 33 years, the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival has celebrated the power of women’s voices through the intimate and transformative art of solo performance. This year’s festival, “THE STRENGTH WE CARRY,” took place March 26–29, 2026 at Theatre 68 Arts Complex, and felt especially meaningful in the world we’re living in today.

    Over the past several years, our culture has changed dramatically. During the pandemic, many of us retreated into our homes. We grew accustomed to streaming performances on screens and experiencing stories from the comfort—sometimes the isolation—of our living rooms. Technology kept us connected in important ways, but it also reshaped how we experience art and community.

    Yet there is something irreplaceable about being in a room together.

    Live theatre asks us to show up—not just physically, but emotionally. It invites us to sit beside strangers and share laughter, tears, silence, and reflection. Storytelling isn’t meant to be consumed alone; it is meant to be experienced collectively.

    In a time when many still feel disconnected, live performance becomes more than entertainment.

    It becomes a gathering place.

    That was the spirit behind “THE STRENGTH WE CARRY.”

    This year’s festival brought together an extraordinary lineup of actors, dancers, vocalists, and storytellers whose solo works explored resilience, identity, family, healing, humor, and transformation. Through deeply personal performances, our artists invited audiences to travel beyond their own experiences and step into the lives of others.

    From reflections on motherhood and ancestry to stories of immigration, health journeys, identity, and personal awakening, these performances reminded us that while our stories may be unique, our humanity is shared.

    And that is the quiet magic of solo theatre.

    One voice.
    One body on stage.
    An entire room connected.

    The festivities began Thursday, March 26 with our elegant “In Tribute To” Champagne GALA and Awards Ceremony, an evening honoring extraordinary women who have made lasting contributions to theatre. Hosted by Ted Lange and Florence LaRue, the celebration launched four days of performances that inspired, challenged, and uplifted us all.

    From “Rising Above” to “Breaking Free,” from “Introspection” to “Relatively Speaking,” and culminating in “Mothers, Music, and Men,” each program revealed a different dimension of the strength women carry within their stories.

    At LAWTF, we believe the role of artists in our community is simple and profound: to create space. Space for voices to be heard, for stories to be witnessed, and for communities to gather again in shared experience. Theatre reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles—or our triumphs.

    For more than three decades, LAWTF has remained committed to uplifting diverse female voices and creating opportunities for solo artists to tell the stories that matter most to them. As we celebrate our 33rd year, we are grateful to the audiences, artists, volunteers, and partners who continue to believe in the power of live performance!

  • 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