Women+ on the Edge of Democracy Initiative

A Collective Portrait of a Nation in Doubt and Transformation

Experience theatre as a catalyst for conversation with Women+ on the Edge of Democracy: A Collective Portrait of a Nation in Doubt and Transformation, a nationwide series of readings presented ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Shenandoah Conservatory’s acting students perform a selection of new short works by women+ playwrights exploring the state of democracy in America through comedy, tragedy and perspectives spanning the political spectrum.

Presented in partnership with the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts and the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, Shenandoah joins 54 theatres and organizations across 30 states in this nationwide act of storytelling and listening. Featuring works by Lauren Gunderson, Jane Anderson, Elizabeth Diggs, Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Susan Miller, Lisa Loomer, Kimber Lee, Jenny Schwartz and Lindsay Ayvazian, the evening invites audiences to consider our present moment through history, global context and visions of the future. A conversation with the audience immediately follows the readings.

Free event; no tickets are required.