packing the house!

How nice it is to have so many folks who come out to appreciate the estrogen.

Last night must have been the most full Estrogen Fest yet!

Don't miss out! We have 3 more nights and we're having a ton of fun at Prop Thtr!

TONIGHT...

Wednesday, 23 May 7:30– Double Estrogen
Double the dose. Double the fun!
Special Guest Emcee: Tania Richard
Erica Burkhart & Matiss Duhon + Homoneurotic
Thread Meddle Outfit + Size Affects May Include
Chrissy Gardner + WhiskeyHouse
Marilyn Campbell & Maria Merrin + Mixing it Up
Carolyn Hoederman & Visibility Counts + Oh My God I Miss You!
Masha Kore & Ellefant Foot + About the Myst…
Chris Olsen Hodack + The Adventures of Gudrid and Jorunn
O•VAD•YA + Black Fire
AfterWords: Dialogue with all artists above
Time: 7:30PM
Price: 1 Shot of Estrogen
Preceded by a FREE performance of all seven plays from week 28 of Suzan-Lori Parks' 365 Days/365 Plays at 7:00pm
Followed by a concert by O*VAD*YATime: 9:00PM Price: 1/2 Shot of Estrogen

Work that Estrogen! TONIGHT...

Monday, 21 May 7:30–
Work That Estrogen
Monday… the perfect night to exploit that workplace estrogen!
Special Guest Emcee: Sharon Greene
Ross Travis + Support Group
ecnDanceworks + Loop Detail
Chance of Showers + Sex, Diversity, and YOU!
Michael Garces + kapital
Kristy Lockhart + The Executive Secretary
Courtney Berne + Choice

The Luna Blues Machine + Acoustic / Hip Hop / Soul AfterWords: Dialogue with all artists above plus visual artist Brandi Lewis
Time: 7:30PM
Price: 1 Shot of Estrogen
($12)

Preceded by a FREE performance of all seven plays from week 28 of Suzan-Lori Parks' 365 Days/365 Plays at 7:00pm

BONUS DOSE WEEKEND!

Don't miss the bonuses! The fantastic crafters, the great workshops, the non-stop estrogen fun!!!

Saturday, 19 May 7:30– Politically Charged Estrogen Olivia Newton-John gets physical. We get political, po-lit-i-cal, we wanna get politicahhhl. Special Guest Emcee: Arlene Malinowski Courtney Berne + Choice Maiden Sacrifice + Amerika Cristal Sabbagh + Say That! Chance of Showers + Sex, Diversity, and YOU! Carey Friedman & Bang You’re Dead + Ferine Sarah Gubbins + Out of Order Stephanie Rearick + Democracy AfterWords: Dialogue with all artists above Time: 7:30PM Price: 1 Shot of Estrogen Followed by a concert by MiLkBabY and Stephanie Rearick sponsored by Uvulittle Records. Time: 9:00PM Price: 1/2 Shot of Estrogen BONUS DOSE WEEKEND! Browse crafters from 11am - 4pm. Workshops + classes + panels all day beginning at 10:30am! Yoga Class + Mercedes Gomez: 10:30am The Art of Saying Before Words + Masha Kore: 12:00pm Sex, Diversity, and YOU! + Chance of Showers: 1:30pm Moving Like Elvis + RTG Dance: 3:00pm Politics + Art: Do They Mix? Panel discussion 5:30pm: FREE

FRIDAY NIGHT ESTROGEN!

this one should be fun!

Friday, 18 May 7:30– Obsessive Estrogen
Come witness some of our favorite obsessions…
Special Guest Emcee: Tekki Lomnicki
Joanie Schultz + Pulled to the Bull
The Chicago Moving Company + Quirk
Jesse Weaver + Do With You
Philip Dawkins + Saguaro
Rachel Thorne Germond & RTG Dance + Double Judy
Erica Burkhart & Matiss Duhon + Homoneurotic
AfterWords: Dialogue with all artists above
Time: 7:30PM
Price: 1 Shot of Estrogen ($12)

ESTROGEN TONIGHT...

What's on this evening's menu of estrogen??

7:30 PM Thursday, 17 May – Eclectic EstrogenLook what's on the menu tonight... little of everything, just the way we like it...

Special Guest Emcee: Kelsie Huff

Susan Hahn + The Scarlet Ibis
Michael Garces + kapital
The Dance COLEctive + Still As Yet to Be Titled
Lisa Dillman + The Curse of the Horned Babby
Kendall Loyer + Whatever You Want It To Be
Chance of Showers + Sex, Diversity, and YOU!
Laurie Goux + Saturn Over Sunset
AfterWords: Dialogue with all artists above plus visual artist Johnny KnightTime: 7:30PMPrice: 1 Shot of Estrogen
It's all at Prop Thtr, 3502 N. Elston (773) 539-7838

Estrogen Made a Man Out of Me.

I've been called many things in life, many of them unprintable, but I'm rarely ever referred to as a "Man." Dude? sure. Guy? frequently. Fella? only by my dentist. But, "Man"? almost never.

So unused to that descriptor am I, that I felt misplaced in the line up of "Men on Women" next Tuesday night. There I am, listed next to genuine men's men. Some I know, some I don't. I mean these are guys with, like, chest hair, and mortgages, and *gulp* wives. All I have are shoes, and tupperwear, and three sewing machines. Do I fit in here?

It's not that I don't think I'm a man. I know I'm a man. And if you're cute, single, male, and ask really nicely, I can prove it. But, I rarely feel like a "Man" in the pop culture sense. Maybe it's because the word "man" has come to represent all things opposite of "Woman." In the grand tradtion of the compare-and-contrast comedy routine, "Man" has taken on the connotations of all things anti-feminine, de classe, and troglodyte. Men, after all, are from Mars, they live in caves, they play with power tools, and don't know how to change diapers. "Men" want to watch "the game"; Women want to watch "their stories." "Man" is Fred Flinstone; "Woman" is "Carrie Bradshaw." In the lexicon of stereotyped language, "Man" is King, and anyone who's met me would likely agree I veer closer to Queen. Perhaps that's why I'm so unaccustomed to falling under the Man Category [Insert Dirty Joke Here.]. I'm fine being called a guy- being from the southwest, I call most everyone "guys"- but call me a man, and I start looking over my shoulder to see who you're really talking to.

But, who am I to allow stereotypical language to take away my title? Isn't that part of what Estrogen Fest is about, breaking down stereotypes, crumbling preconceived notions? Yes! And, for that, I am tinkled pink to be included right where I belong in the Estrogen Fest "Man" category. Tinkled pink in the most masculine way, of course.

Thanks, Estrogen Fest. I am Man, hear me squeal with delight!

Hit Me With Your Est Shot!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe I'm the first non-female to blog for Estfest. Is that right, Estros?
Am I boldly blogging where no man has blogged before. Well, color me honored.

Not only is it pretty cool to be the first dude on the blog, but it's full-out kicking to be in the company of so many righteously talented women. For me, one of the best perqs of being part of any festival is the new connections, friendships, collaborators, and brunch dates that come out of the process. And, what playwright isn't always on the lookout for talented females? I for one have always got my "future collaborator" goggles on ("Ooo, she'd be great in my comdey." "Ah, she's totally got her Stage Management shit together." "Wow, where did she get those boots?!"). So, aside from getting the chance to work with some good friends (including my talented co-workers, Katie Klemme and Ilesa Duncan), I get to meet a whole slew of knew theatre peeps like the adorable and hillarious Michelle Courvais, who I fully intend to work with as frequently as possible. Seriously, people, come see her in SAGUARO, and then cast her in everything. You won't be sorry.

It's like one big pot luck up in here. Only minus the hotdish.

But, there's something that seperates Estrogen Fest from a lot of the other festivals I've been a part of, something that excites me in a T-ball Coach kind of way. There seems to be an element of fearlessness attached to Estfest, and I doubt I'm the only one who feels it. While I'm sure Joanie and Ann are probably nail-biting nervous wrecks at this stage in the game, to my eyes, this is a bunch of daring, take no prisoners, balls-to-the-wall risk takers. It started with my very first meeting when Ann decided to stick her neck out and try acting in my piece. Right on! It's that sort of sample-the-blowfish attitude that really gets my theatre juices going, makes me feel like I better bring my best to the fest, since everyone else is going for it full-out. That's scary. And scary is fun.

Break a leg tonight, everyone! Thanks for dragging this man along for the ride.

a sneak peak into the estrogen fest tech...

we open the fest tomorrow!


to get ready for this momentous occasion, we had a long day of teching pieces in the fest today. what this means is that each piece came and performed in the space, and our amazing lighting designer/stage manager julie ballard created some light cues and worked with sound cues, and the rest of the est fest tech team worked with them on setup and tear down of their pieces.

we've been working hard, but it' s well worth it, as i noted on last night's post! this is going to be the best fest yet!


here, co-artistic director ann filmer discusses her tech with playwright/poet susan hahn and actress kathleen powers

frames being hung for jesse weaver's "do with you" directed by megan mccarthy, with actresses standing by to start tech.

hello from estrogen tech...

So here we are, as I type this, at Prop Thtr: Estrogen Fest Central!

We are teching Estrogen Fest 2007, and let me tell you, this place is buzzing with activity. We tech a different piece each half hour! We've been going all evening, and I can't tell you how exciting this is. Different artists milling about the Prop Thtr. and bringing their great vibes and incredible work!

Which leads me to the most important part: when Ann and I interviewed and auditioned all of these artists with their pieces, they were good, but with all of the time and work in between then and now, I had almost forgotten why I love the Estrogen Fest so much. But during this tech so far I have been amazed with how wonderful each and every piece is. Which just goes to show: whatever night you choose to see the Estrogen Fest, you are in for a damn good show. I am so proud of the work being done here at Estrogen central.

This is going to be an amazing fest. We open Wednesday! Don't miss it!!

Forget the fancy brunches, give me peace!!!

I've been a mom now for exactly two years. Hannah Doris was born right after the opening of est fest 2005 on May 15. I don't need breakfast in bed, or brunch at some overcrowded, overpriced joint. I demand peace. And not the quiet peace, as in leave me alone i want quiet time. (although yeah that can be good too) But as in, no more war. And the ones that profit from this perpetual state of war they have put us in can no longer have the power to make us think peace is something unnattainable or naive. You cannot pacify us with your sweet hallmark cards. (although I like cards and flowers). We call the shots. We will make some noise. Happy(?) Mother's Day for Peace!!!
ann filmer

Mother's Day Proclamation - 1870
by Julia Ward Howe

Arise then...women of this day!
Arise, all women who have hearts!
Whether your baptism be of water or of tears!
Say firmly:
"We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage,
For caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.

We, the women of one country,
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."

From the voice of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with
Our own. It says: "Disarm! Disarm!
The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."
Blood does not wipe our dishonor,
Nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil
At the summons of war,
Let women now leave all that may be left of home
For a great and earnest day of counsel.
Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace...
Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,
But of God -
In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality,
May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient
And the earliest period consistent with its objects,
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions,
The great and general interests of peace.

1858 — Social-justice activist Anna Reeves Jarvis organizes "Mother's
Works Days" in West Virginia to improve sanitation in Appalachian
communities. During the Civil War, Jarvis encourages women to leave
their families to care for wounded soldiers on both sides. She
organizes meetings to persuade men to stop killing each other.
1870 — Julia Ward Howe writes the anti-war Mother's Day Proclamation.
1872 — Howe proposes an annual Mother's Day for Peace. For the next 30
years, Americans celebrate Mother's Day for Peace on June 2.
1913 — Congress declares the 2nd Sunday in May as Mother's Day it's no
longer Mother's Day for Peace. The growing consumer culture redefines
women as "consumers." Greedy businessmen and politicians embrace the
idea of making money from the sacrifices of mothers. According to the
trade journal the Florists' Review, "This was a holiday that could be
exploited."

funny

funny
the way things work.
the universe said no
made decision for us
wanted you present

we will work on in future
maybe you and me

i sent the above to playwright and friend Valerie Black-Mallon today. Her play THREE BAD MOVES was having scheduling and casting problems so we had to let it go. It won't be able to be in the fest. Sad but the challenges were becoming insurmoutable so to not pay attention... well... have been there before, and don't wish to again. Listen to the universe.

I am in a great frame of mind though. i loved my horoscope today: "The road of true anything always has some bumps. Go with the flow. Work with these new challenges. In the big picture, everything is still good."

I don't regularly follow astrology but it always seems to make it my way, or I to it, when I need it most. The producer in me really needed to hear that all is going to be ok. Cause there were a couple glitches today: Carolyn's tech time was changed but she didn't know and can't make new slot. Losing Val's piece, then getting back, then losing again. But then there is the good: Securing Susan Karp (Est Fest 03) to emcee May 20, Joanie lining up another cool band, doing a podcast for TheatreinChicago.com with marilyn and joanie. god i love them.

So... all is good. and there we are: marilyn, joanie and i walking downtown in the loop after exiting the sears tower. after talking art and debating what is estrogen?, what is the fringe? what makes a festival? enter today's sunny streets of chicago. sunglasses on. White men in suits everywhere. having just done the interview, we are fired up. we were just getting started! (i always feel this intense, yet nurturing, fierce, yet fun energy from the combo of j, m). we are moving through the crowds railing against fear, fear of the unknown, fear of the other, fear of change. marilyn exclaims "thank god i'm an artist. I don't know if I would have made it any other way" here here, sister.