Women’s Project…
Celebrating 30 Years!

The 2007-2008 season finds WP celebrating its 30th Birthday (although we don't look a day over 29)! Since WP was founded by Julia Miles in 1978, employment statistics for women playwrights and directors have improved. But there is work to be done. Even today, only 20% of opportunities in the professional theater nationwide are granted to women theater artists. Given the landscape, Women's Project is truly "enduringly vital," as the New York Times recently noted.

Now under the leadership of Julie Crosby, Producing Artistic Director, Women's Project remains devoted to its mission of producing and promoting theater created by women. To that end, we:

*Provide women’s perspectives on a wide variety of political, social, international, religious, and cultural topics

*Produce established and emerging women artists at WP’s home, the Julia Miles Theater

*Mentor exceptional writers, directors, and producers through WP’s Lab

*Develop new works and classic plays by women in readings and workshops

*Commission new works and adaptations of classic plays by women

*Advocate on behalf of women theater artists within the national and international professional theater

*Educate students in grades 1-12 about the cultural and historic significance of women theater artists

*Celebrate women of achievement from a variety of fields at our annual Gala

* Awaken audiences and theater professionals to the power and range of women theater artists.


Woven through WP's colorful tapestry are some of this country's most esteemed writers; among them are Julie Ann Boyd and Joan Micklin Silver (A My Name is Alice), Rinne Groff (Inky), Emily Mann (Still Life), Naomi Wallace (Birdy), Maria Irene Fornes (Abingdon Square), and Eve Ensler (Ladies). An impressive roster of directors have made their mark here, including Anne Bogart (Go Go Go), Lisa Peterson (The Chemistry of Change), and Diane Paulus (Best of Both Worlds).

Countless actors began their careers on the boards of WP. Sarah Jessica Parker was completing high school by day and performing at night in Paula Cizmar's The Death of a Miner co-starring Academy Award® winner, Mary McDonnell. Before Jimmy Smits joined "NYPD Blue" and "The West Wing", he was pounding it out with Linda Hunt in Lavonne Mueller's Little Victories. And speaking of "The West Wing", John Spencer won his first Obie here for his stellar performance in Still Life and political observer/social commentator/solo tour de force, Anna Deveare Smith, originated one of her first pieces Aye, Aye, Aye, I'm Integrated in 1983.

With its flagship Julia Miles Theater burning brightly on Manhattan’s West 55th Street, Women’s Project is the preeminent theater for producing and promoting theater created by women.

Special Thanks to the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation and the Dorothy Strelsin Foundation for their 2006 fiscal year contributions that helped make this website possible.