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Reviews
Sarah’s Poem
Philadelphia Women's Theatre Festival
"Set in 1836 Philadelphia, it’s an intriguing window on a trio of free Black sisters who harbor people escaping slavery on the Underground Railroad. Sarah (Ashley Davis) is a poet who’s afraid she shies away from ministering to the refugees’ blisters because she’s weak, but her pragmatic sister Margareta (Niya Colbert) counters that Sarah just has especially sensitive feelings.
Sarah struggles with finding her inspiration for poetry in the people she aids on the Underground Railroad. Will her writing draw suspicion to the household or endanger her subjects? She wonders if telling these stories can help in the way that more practical, physical tasks can. And she looks at the desperate straits of the formerly enslaved people she meets and wonders, “Is life more precious than the circumstances, no matter what?” It’s a question she can never pose to the people she’s helping."
ALAINA JOHNS, BROAD STREET REVIEW, 8/2/19
Photo credit: Kristen Curley
Check Your Ticket
What She Said Festival, The Underground
"Actress Emilie LaBonte and director Mackenzie McCullum come from the Twin Cities with "Check Your Ticket" by Charissa Menefee. With one of the strongest performances of the night, LaBonte plays Brenda, a tough cookie who performs stand-up comedy style, telling about the night when her life takes an astonishing turn with a winning lottery ticket. LaBonte hysterically captures the roller-coaster ride of what life is like for those who are suddenly thrown in the spotlight."
"Voices of Women Reverberate in What She Said"
SHERYL JENSEN, DULUTH NEWS TRIBUNE, 5/25/18
Climate Change Theatre Action
MFA Program in Creative Writing & Environment at Iowa State University
Iowa State University Theatre
“Our hope is to raise awareness not only about climate change but also that arts and science are not separate things,” Menefee said. “We all have to work together to tell the important stories of our times.”
"Climate Change Theatre Action Connects Audiences with Sustainability Efforts"
LAS NEWS, IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY, 10/10/17
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