←Recommendations of MAKE IT KNOWN - Monologue

Yes, I love this, all of this. Ignorance to knowledge to action. A young voice calls out education for sidelining minority and female voices of theatre, and ends with fighting for diversity and awareness in curriculum and study. What a clever way to introduce us to Elizabeth Wong.

This is awesome. Sally’s teacher is awesome. Sally is awesome. Elisabeth Giffin Speckman is awesome. And it must be said: what makes it all so awesome isn’t just the powerful and important message it conveys, but the high level of execution: idiosyncratic, natural, active, entertaining, urgent, very funny, and with an entire tight dramatic arc, Make It Known hits all the right notes and makes it look easy. Brava.

I felt the rise of this piece in my chest. Speckman builds and lights what becomes a roaring bonfire in Sally's reluctance, discovery, embracing and championing those who don't merely not get a seat at the table, but are never told about the party in the first place. The vernacular and cadence endear Sally to us, highlighting her youth and certainty, which reveal themselves to be tools of war once she's climbed the hill her teacher (beautifully drawn) has led her to. This is a fight song. I f*&^ing love it. YES.

Speckman has contributed her footprint to The 365 Women a Year: A Playwriting Project's "Women in Theatre" Monologue Collection. This project is wonderful and Ms. Speckman has given us a view into the importance of why we need to know who all of these amazing women are! Elizabeth Wong would be proud! Make it known loud and proud! This piece is perfect for a high school student looking to step into the light with a thought-provoking and fun monologue.

MAKE IT KNOWN should be made known in all schools -- to tempt students to be curious and find out more about women written out of history. Speckman takes what seems like a simple speech and teaches us at the same time about Elizabeth Wong - and shows us that minorities and women are available to learn about NOW. Three cheers for this well-written monologue. Now go and look up Elizabeth Wong.

A effervescent as it is scathing. Much like the teacher Sally refers to, Speckman pulls off a neat trick in this comic speech that evolves into essential cultural activism before our eyes. As her protagonist learns and changes, we learn and change with her.

Read it aloud. If you have kids, have them read it aloud. If you’re a teacher, have your students read it ALOUD.

Men and boys NEED to read this aloud!

This should be required reading for producers, artistic directors and literary managers, and educators.

An essential introduction to a vast reading list: MAKE IT KNOWN!