LOS ANGELES WOMEN'S THEATRE FESTIVAL CELEBRATES 32 YEARS!

A Multi-Cultural Festival of Solo Artists

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  • 2025 Press

LAWTF 2025 press 

LAWTF’s 12th Annual Empowerment Weekend

September 27-28th, 2025

Broadway World- “Empowerment Weekend Takes Place at Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival September 26-28”

Broadway World- FROM BEST OF THE FEST Comes to Victory Theatre Center 

South Pasadenan- L.A. Women’s Theatre Festival brings From Best of the Fest to Victory Theatre Center, Oct 11 

 

       From Best Of The Fest

Broadway World- FROM BEST OF THE FEST Comes to Victory Theatre Center 

South Pasadenan- L.A. Women’s Theatre Festival brings From Best of the Fest to Victory Theatre Center, Oct 11 

Wine Down Sunday: 

Broadway World- Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival Plans Wine Down Sunday 

LAWTF’s 32nd Annual Festival “Stronger Together” 

The Nerds of Color- Celebrating the 2025 Awardees for the 32nd Annual Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival

lawomenstheatrefestival

🎭 Amplifying Women’s Voices in Theatre Since 1993
✨ Empowerment • Legacy • Community
📍 LA-Based

As #SpookySeason draws to a close, we want to brin As #SpookySeason draws to a close, we want to bring you the #Drama for today’s #MotivationalMonday! Shonda Rhimes is a pioneering writer, producer, and storyteller whose television empire has captivated audiences worldwide, shaped important conversations, and revolutionized the world of on-screen storytelling. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Rhimes was the youngest of six children in a family that highly valued education, creativity, and service, as emphasised by her parents. Both her mother, Vera, and her father, Ilee, had distinguished careers in education: Vera as a college professor and Ilee as an administrator who later served as CIO at the University of Southern California. Shonda was a voracious reader and an incredibly imaginative child, often telling stories aloud to her family and creating complex worlds for her toys—a skill that, combined with her emotionally intense narratives, would later become Rhimes' hallmark. She credits her critical thinking, passionate debating, and diverse outlooks to her family. Rhimes graduated from Dartmouth and USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, finishing top of her class and receiving the Gary Rosenberg Writing Fellowship. At USC, Shonda began to see herself as a world-builder, with professors noting her ability to blend emotion, structure, and ambition — qualities that would later define her TV career. That career involves being the creator, head writer, and executive producer of hit series like “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal,” and “Bridgerton,” as well as founding her multimedia company, Shondaland, in 2005, and serving as CEO to this day. Rhimes has built entire worlds where women, especially women of color, are central to the story — complex, powerful, flawed, and human. Shonda has become synonymous with bold, diverse storytelling, and her commitment to lifting new voices has seen her win a Golden Globe, the International Emmy Founders Award, and the BAFTA Special Award, among many other honors. Shonda Rhimes is everything we at #LAWTF strive to celebrate – women who not only dream big but also put in the hard work to make those dreams come true and bring about change. #womeninthearts #womenwhowrite #womenwholeadtheway
⭐️ STAFF SPOTLIGHT: ARTURO! ⭐️ Give Artu ⭐️ STAFF SPOTLIGHT: ARTURO! ⭐️ 

Give Arturo a round of applause in the comments for his wonderful and inspiring work as a multi-disciplinary artist! We are grateful for all of Arturo’s contributions. 💜

Check out our website in our bio for more information for our upcoming Annual Festival in March 2026!

#supportthearts #staffspotlight #lawtf
⭐️ STAFF SPOTLIGHT: AVA! ⭐️ Say hello to ⭐️ STAFF SPOTLIGHT: AVA! ⭐️

Say hello to Ava, our Event Planning/Administrative Intern. Ava is passionate about the arts and she is a vital part to our small but mighty team here at LAWTF!

Stay tuned for exciting announcements for our 2026 Annual Festival in March. Maybe Ava will be singing “Dead Mom” ??? You’ll have to wait and see…

#fyp #LAtheatre #LACDAC
✨ Not only is today #MotivationalMonday, but it’s also our spotlight’s birthday! ✨
We at #LAWTF would like to wish a very happy birthday to Vice President Kamala Harris and invite you to read on and celebrate her monumental career and history-making achievements.
Once upon a time in America’s story, the glass ceiling shattered. Standing in that light is Kamala Devi Harris — the first woman, the first African American, and the first Asian American to rise to the office of Vice President of the United States.
Born in Oakland, California, to immigrant parents from India and Jamaica, Kamala was raised to believe in the power of service, justice, and community. From the proud legacy of her HBCU, Howard University, to the sisterhood of Alpha Kappa Alpha — the first Black sorority of the Divine Nine — Kamala has carried with her the strength of heritage, the power of unity, and an unshakable belief in justice. 🎓💚💗
After graduating from Howard and UC Hastings College of the Law, she rose through the ranks as a prosecutor, then as Attorney General of California — the first woman to hold that office — before blazing her way to the U.S. Senate and beyond.
In 2020, her election as Vice President marked a turning point in history — a moment that told countless women and girls that they also belong in the rooms where decisions are made. It ensured that every girl who dares to dream will know that the highest doors of leadership are not closed to her.
With a life and career defined by courage and conviction, the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival celebrates women like Vice President Harris, whose story is not only history-making, it is poetry in motion. On the world stage, her resilience, brilliance, and grace will continue to inspire generations to come.
As Madam Vice President said herself:
 “I may be the first woman to hold this office, but I will not be the last.” ✊🏽

#LAWomenTheatreFestival #KamalaHarris #WomenMakingHistory #MotivationalMonday #RepresentationMatters #InspiringWomen
✨ What a Night to Remember! ✨ From the bottom ✨ What a Night to Remember! ✨

From the bottom of our hearts—thank you to everyone who made From Best of the Fest such an unforgettable celebration of women’s voices, artistry, and community! 

We are endlessly grateful to our luminous co-hosts Margaret Avery and Florence LaRue, and to our extraordinary solo artists Vanessa Adams-Harris, Liza Dealey-Thomason, Sona Lewis, and Clarinda Ross for lighting up the stage with truth, humor, and heart.

Special Thanks to:

- City of Burbank Community Arts Grant Program
- Victory Theatre Center
- Candy Joe Dahlstrom
- Hauslights LLC
- Davis Multimedia
- Our dedicated Tech Team, Crew, Interns and Volunteers

Our generous raffle donors:
🍷 PRP Wine International
🎭 A Noise Within
💪 YIP Fitness
🎡 Pacific Park Santa Monica Pier
🎴 Barbara Brownell
💐 Dr. Belva

And congratulations to our lucky raffle winners! 

Thank you, Burbank community, for showing up, supporting live theatre, and celebrating the brilliance of women who tell their stories on stage. Until next time—keep lifting your voice and shining your light! 💫

#LAWTF #FromBestoftheFest #WomenInTheatre #LivePerformance #BurbankArts #CommunityThroughArt #StorytellingMatters #ThankYou #TheatreMagic
Today, we honor the strength, artistry, and enduri Today, we honor the strength, artistry, and enduring legacy of Indigenous women whose stories root us in truth and resilience. 🌿

Their voices carry generations—rising, creating, and continuing the work of those who came before.

✨ Rooted in her ancestors. Rising through her art. Her story is resistance, her voice a continuation. ✨

#IndigenousPeoplesDay #LAWTF #WomensVoices #IndigenousWomen #StoryAsResistance #HerArtHerPower
✨ #MotivationalMonday ✨! Our heroine this week ✨ #MotivationalMonday ✨!
Our heroine this week is Bernadette Peters, a legendary stage and screen star with a 60-year career. She’s starred in beloved Broadway productions, appeared in over eighty film and TV projects, and is a passionate advocate for the arts and animals.
Born in 1948, Bernadette first appeared on the show “Juvenile Jury” at the age of three and a half and gained her actor’s equity card at just nine, making her professional stage debut in the same month. While “This is Goggle” ended after its off-Broadway run, Bernadette went on to star on the Great White Way in multiple productions. From “Sunday in the Park with George” to “Gypsy,” “Into the Woods” to “Hello, Dolly!” Bernadette has been lauded for her signature singing voice, the emotional depth and honesty she brings to her characters, and she has come to be regarded by many as the foremost interpreter of Stephen Sondheim’s works, a theatrical legend in his own right. Bernadette has won numerous Tony Awards, Golden Globes, and Emmys, proving her talent knows no bounds and that she is rightly recognised as a ‘once in a lifetime’ performer.
Away from performance, she’s also the co-founder of Broadway Barks, a charity that finds homes for shelter animals, showing her heart is just as extraordinary as her artistry. She has written children’s books related to her animal advocacy and was honoured with the Brooke Astor Award by the Animal Medical Center, in recognition of her lifelong dedication to animal rights and welfare.
Bernadette Peters reminds us of the extraordinary power of artistry woven with compassion. Her presence stands as a testament to resilience, creativity, and the boundless spirit of women in the arts. With her unwavering devotion to animal advocacy, she demonstrates that true artistry lies not only in what we create but also in how we care for the world around us. 🐾💖
At the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival, we love to celebrate women like Bernadette – may her story inspire us all to lead with heart, and to let both our passions and compassion take center stage.

#LAWomenTheatreFestival #BernadettePeters #InspiringWomen #WomenInTheArts #AnimalAdvocate
🎭 TONIGHT’S THE NIGHT! ✨ The wait is over! 🎭 TONIGHT’S THE NIGHT! ✨

The wait is over! "From Best of the Fest" takes the stage TONIGHT at the Victory Theatre Center in Burbank! 🌟

Join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating the power, artistry, and passion of women’s solo theatre. Experience standout performances from our festival artists, Vanessa Adams-Harris, Liza Dealey-Thomason, Sona Lewis and Clarinda Ross, that will move, inspire, and ignite your spirit.

✨ Doors open soon — don’t miss your chance to be part of the magic!

🎟️ Grab your tickets before they’re gone and meet us at the theatre!
#LAWTF #FromBestOfTheFest #OpeningNight #SoloTheatre #WomensVoices #TheatreArts #PerformingArts #VictoryTheatre #BurbankEvents
🤩 A DEEPER DIVE INTO OUR TWO "FROM BEST OF THE 🤩 A DEEPER DIVE INTO OUR TWO "FROM BEST OF THE FEST" CO-HOSTS, FLORENCE LARUE AND MARGARET AVERY 🤩

MS FLORENCE LARUE is a founding member of the pop singing group, The 5th Dimension. Formed in 1966, the 5th Dimension is still going strong 55 years later. Florence is the last original member of the group and still tours internationally with current members. Sporting 14 Golds, 6 Platinum’s and 6 Grammys, many of us remember some of the group’s early hits that we can sing every word to such as UP, UP AND AWAY, WEDDING BELL BLUES, ONE LESS BELL TO ANSWER and AQUARIUS/LET THE SUN SHINE IN. The group has been honored with a Walk of Fame Star in Hollywood. Florence has TV and film credits, and her stage credits include the Broadway musical AIN’T MISBEHAVIN, and the Canadian productions of the musicals MO’ MAGIC and MORE MAGIC. 

Florence is a humanitarian, lecturer, beauty pageant judge, playwright and published writer. Her autobiographical solo show, JUST AS I AM has now toured nationally. Holding a B.A. in Education, she gives back to youth.  Florence is an active member of her church, sings in the choir, serves the homeless ministry, and does missionary work. 💫

MS MARGARET AVERY's TV and film credits span over five decades. Most recent film credits include the comedies, BLOCK PARTY as executive producer and soon to be released, THE NAVANA PROJECT. She can currently be seen co-starring with Ted Dansen on NETFLIX'S THE INSIDE MAN.

Ms Avery’s  favorite stage performances include: Gin Game, Glass Menagerie, Member of the Wedding, Raisin in the Sun, 
River Niger, Vagina Monologues.

She is the founder of the acclaimed 1970's Los Angeles Zodiac Theatre.

Awards include the Academy Award Nomination for the sultry role of Shug Avery in THE COLOR PURPLE, NAACP Award, THE SCOTT JOPLIN STORY, with Ben Vereen, The Drama Critic Circle Award, DOES A TIGER WEAR A NECKTIE. A favorite stage memory is LOVE LETTERS with the late Paul Winfield and James Earl Jones.

Ms. Avery is a political activist, educator, and psychologist. She enjoys applying her expertise and sharing life experiences to lift and inspire others. 💫

#MargaretAvery #FlorenceLaRue #FBOTF #Theatre #Cohosts
COUNTDOWN: 2 DAYS TO GO! 🎭 We’re just two da COUNTDOWN: 2 DAYS TO GO! 🎭

We’re just two days away from From Best of the Fest — an inspiring showcase of unforgettable solo performances from past LAWTF festivals! 🌟

Join us this Saturday, October 11th, at the Victory Theatre Center in Burbank for a night filled with creativity, empowerment, and celebration of women’s voices in theatre.

Seats are filling fast — grab your tickets now and get ready for an evening that will stay with you long after the curtain falls! 🎟️✨

#LAWTF #FromBestOfTheFest #Countdown #SoloTheatre #WomensVoices #TheatreArts #PerformingArts #VictoryTheatre #BurbankEvents
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