Lisa Rafferty

ONWARD – Votes for Women is a world premiere documentary play created by Lisa Rafferty, with music arranged and composed by Adam McDonald. Commissioned by the Associates of the Boston Public Library in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, ONWARD offers the voices and perspectives of the extraordinary women who fought for 70 years for equality. The script is created verbatim from documents from the Special Collection, and other speeches, letters, articles and interviews from a variety of sources. Suffrage music and songs will be interspersed throughout the production, along with an original composition. Over thirty historical characters from the movement, along with women leaders from our time, will be portrayed by a cast of ten for two performances on [date to be determined because of the pandemic] at Boston Public Library’s Rabb Hall.

'SHE DID ALL THAT - Betty Ford: Speaking Out, Saving Lives' is a documentary play by Boston playwright and director Lisa Rafferty about an extraordinary First Lady, who broke down societal taboos and empowered women, bringing breast cancer and addiction to the forefront of American conversation.

The production shines a light on the Betty Ford story using her own voice, voices from her family and friends, White House news accounts, and letters from her critics and admirers. The cast of ten plays over 30 roles, including the First Family, Maria von Trapp, President Clinton, Mary Tyler Moore, Steven Tyler, Elizabeth Taylor, Stevie Nicks and others. It begins shortly after President Ford took office in 1974, and continues through Betty Ford’s journey of recovery and advocacy, following her family’s intervention.

Her remarkable legacy endures to this day.

'THE LEGACY OF WELLES REMY CROWTHER: The Man in the Red Bandanna' is a documentary play about the 9/11 hero who died at the World Trade Towers after saving at least 12 people. Welles Crowther, a volunteer firefighter from Nyack, NY, graduated from Boston College in 1999. He worked for Sandler O'Neill, and on that terrible day he was able to find the only staircase down from the 78th floor, where the second plane hit. Using his trademark red bandanna to cover his nose and mouth, he led survivors downstairs to clear air, and then turned around and went back up to help others. He was killed when the building collapsed, found among other firefighters. His parents discovered the circumstances of his heroic actions in May 2002, from an article in 'The New York Times' when two survivors spoke of being helped by a man in a red bandanna. President Obama spoke of Welles during his speech at the opening of the 9/11 Museum. He was posthumously named an honorary New York City firefighter. The script is created verbatim from interviews and other sources, and features over 30 characters, with a flexible cast size.

T'he documentary play 'NO MORE SECRETS: Survivor Voices from the Second Step,' curated by Playwright/Director Lisa Rafferty, is based on the book 'No More Secrets: Healing from Domestic Violence.'

This powerful book was written by women in our narrative healing group to educate, inspire, and offer hope to survivors, families, and communities. The play incorporates survivor voices from the book, as well as the voices of youth in our programs.

'The Legacy of Welles Remy Crowther: The Man in the Red Bandanna' is a documentary play, created by Lisa Rafferty, about the 9/11 hero who died at the World Trade Towers after saving at least 12 people. Welles Crowther, a volunteer firefighter from Nyack, NY, graduated from Boston College in 1999. He worked for Sandler O'Neill, and on that terrible day he was able to find the only staircase down from the 78th floor, where the second plane hit. Using his trademark red bandanna to cover his nose and mouth, he led survivors downstairs to clear air, and then turned around and went back up to help others. He was killed when the building collapsed, found among other firefighters. His parents discovered the circumstances of his heroic actions in May 2002, from an article in 'The New York Times' when two survivors spoke of being helped by a man in a red bandanna. President Obama spoke of Welles during his speech at the opening of the 9/11 Museum. He was posthumously named an honorary New York City firefighter. The script for the October 14 benefit production is created verbatim from interviews and other sources. The cast size ranges from 8 - 20+. Nontraditional and color-blind casting encouraged.

MOMologues 3: The Final Push showcases all the fun that is being a mom during the middle and high school years. Do you think sarcasm and bitterness play a part? Just guess...

'MOMologues2: Off to School' offers a frank and funny look at the true tales of motherhood, from homework hell to multitasking mania, focusing on the elementary school years.

This original comedy about motherhood reveals what all mothers know but don’t always talk about: it’s overwhelming and exhausting, but also very, very funny. From the joys of infertility, through reading the same books over and over and over, to finally seeing your baby get on that school bus, this play mines the laughs and tears of the early years of motherhood.

Four separate characters tell their individual stories, either directly to the audience in monologues, or in scenes with each other.

Mothers everywhere can relate to the labor stories, the frustration of a simple trip to the store, the quest to connect with other mothers, all of which causes them to plan moms’ nights out and arrive in packs to laugh hysterically at this tribute to “the toughest job you’ll ever love.”