Ancestra by
Inspired by the 1853 National Women's Rights Convention, Ancestra weaves a historical account of the pioneers for women’s rights with the intimate biography of a contemporary journalist (Cora) who writes about reproductive healthcare. When Cora’s methods take an unconventional turn, she is plunged into a crisis through which past and present begin to converge, bringing to the forefront a vision of how far...
Inspired by the 1853 National Women's Rights Convention, Ancestra weaves a historical account of the pioneers for women’s rights with the intimate biography of a contemporary journalist (Cora) who writes about reproductive healthcare. When Cora’s methods take an unconventional turn, she is plunged into a crisis through which past and present begin to converge, bringing to the forefront a vision of how far society has come, and how far we have yet to go. Ancestra was first developed as a devised "work in progress" with a diverse, intergenerational group of women. Work on Ancestra continued through a scripted process with support from Cleveland Public Theatre where the play received a production. The playwrights have continued to develop this work, updating the script since Roe vs. Wade was overturned. The play is co-authored with Chris Seibert with Renee Schilling and Sally Groth.