Feminists Celebrate Suffragists: 100 Years of Voting

THE FIRST PRODUCTION OF OUR
SUFFRAGIST SEASON

“Feminists Celebrate Suffragists: 100 Years of Voting”

An original LaVOW.org Production, Local actors portray women who played significant roles in the American suffrage movement and the subsequent fight for Civil Rights.    Written, directed, and produced by Dr. Aileen A. Hendricks, founding artistic director of LA VOW (Louisiana Voices of Women) Threatre Company with the support of Louisiana’s Old State Capitol, AAUW, and The Society, Inc., Avant Garde BR. View the full video HERE!

Characters & Cast

 

Sojourner Truth | Valerie Jackson Jones

Harriet Tubman | Erika Pattman

Ida B. Wells Barnett | Elaine Simmons

Mary Church Terrell | Vivian Brousard Guillory

Susan B. Anthony | Pam Baldwin

Gloria Steinem | Christina Normand

Bell Hooks | Jennifer Brumfield

Alice Paul | Maddie Tinsley

Cast Bios

Valerie Jackson Jones as Sojourner Truth

Valerie Jackson Jones, an 8th generation resident in the Louisiana area (since the 1700’s), a community servant, and a national consultant.  She hopes to inspire others to dream more, learn more, and do more.  Overtime she has served on many boards, commissions, and transition teams at state and local levels.  Her previous professional experience includes serving as the Executive Director of several non-profit organizations.  As the Project Director for the Louisiana Electronic Benefits Transfer System she planned and directed the training and provision of electronic benefit cards (Louisiana Purchase) to approximately 270,000 statewide recipients.  Mrs. Jones received the 2002 Viterbo University Distinguished Alumni Award for Community Service.  Valerie has traveled to over 200 cities worldwide.

Erika Pattman made her debut appearance in theatre in 2017. She is a proud alumni of Theatre Of Baton Rouge, Red Magnolia Theatre, as well as New Venture Theatre, in Baton Rouge, LA

Erika Pattman as Harriet Tubman
Elaine Simmons as Ida B. Wells

Elaine S. Simmons is a native of Rapides Parish and was born to the late Rev.Theodore and Catherine Simon. She earned a B.S. from Grambling State University and a M.L.S. From Louisiana State University.
Mrs.Simmons served as an administrator at Southern University Law Center for 32 years and retired in 2013 as Associate Vice Chancellor of Enrollment.
She is an active member of her church, New Hope Baptist Church pastored by Dr. Leo D. Cyrus; lifetime member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority;  member of The Society,Incorporated Avant Garde of Baton Rouge and various civic organizations.
Elaine S. Simmons is the wife of Attorney Raymond L.Simmons; the mother of  3; and the proud grandmother of 4.

Vivian Broussard Guillory is an attorney and retired judge living in Baton Rouge. She earned her BA and MA from Xavier University of Louisiana and obtained her Juris Doctorate from the Louisiana State University Law Center in 1986.  She is a retired Administrative Law Judge and General Counsel for the Louisiana Division of Administrative Law.  She has served as Staff Attorney for the Louisiana Department of Labor, ALJ and Administrator for the Hearings Division of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.

She is a past president of the American Association of University Women of Louisiana, a non partisan nonprofit and she is also a board member of SLLS a nonpartisan nonprofit engaged in providing access to free legal assistance to those in need in 22 surrounding parishes.  She swims, practices tai chi and is married to Joseph G. Guillory, Jr. and they have a son and 2 grandsons. 

Vivian Brousard Guillory as Mary Church Terrell
Pam Baldwin as Susan B. Anthony

Pamela Baldwin – retired chemical engineer,originally from Michigan, resident of Louisiana since 1983 when I moved here to work at Dow Chemical. I married a Louisiana man in 1985 and joined AAUW in the early ’90s in order to be around women of different backgrounds, interests and concerns. As part of AAUW, we have worked steadily to further women’s roles and issues in this state, including ratification of the ERA, and that has been an uphill battle. I’m glad we can celebrate the 19th amendment and will continue to work to further equality and equity for all. When not working on all of this, I sing bass in the Baton Rouge Chorus of Sweet Adelines, a barbershop chorus.

Christina Normand loves being involved in every aspect of theatre – actor, light operator, stage manager, shift crew, prop wrangler,  dresser. She has plied her craft at Baker Little Theater, Theater Baron Rouge, Ascension Community Theatre, and as a member of the Southeastern Shakespeare Company, Louisiana Voices of Women, and Red Magnolia Theatre Company.  She thanks her husband Johnny Myers and her daughter Franke Normand, and her friend and mentor the late great Jack Wilson for their love and support in this glorious madness called theatre.

Christina Normand as Gloria Steinem
Jennifer Brumfield as Bell Hooks

A native of Baton Rouge, Jennifer Brumfield  attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where she was a performance arts major.  A many talented artist, Jennifer is a musician with the Baton Rouge Symphony and she plays the flute and piano.   In addition, Jennifer is a professional massage therapist at Massage Envy in Baton Rouge.  Although “Feminists Celebrate Suffragists:  100 Years of Voting” is Jennifer’s first production with LA VOW, we appreciate her talent and we hope to have her do many more productions with us in the future.  Bravo!

Maddie Tinsley is from Shreveport, Louisiana and is currently a rising Senior at LSU.  She works on a student board at LSU, creates a blog, and just recently completed an Internship at Louisiana’s Old State Capitol where she assisted the staff in adapting educational programming to various virtual formats.  She has always been interested in history and museums and other than Louisiana’s Old State Capitol, her favorite place to visit is colonial Williamsburg.  Her theatrical experience started in High School and includes historic re-enacting and musicals.  She knows every word from Hamilton!  She hopes to continue her studies after graduating and is currently applying for Graduate School in public history.

Maddie Tinsley as Alice Paul

MEETUP – WRITING GROUP
LA VOW THEATRE COMPANY
3rd TUESDAYS, Every Month at 7:00 p.m.
Meeting at the GOODWOOD MAIN LIBRARY,
7711 GOODWOOD BLVD., BATON ROUGE, LA 70806
 COME JOIN US – AND BRING YOUR FRIENDS!!!!!

Recent Productions

Women on Fire

 

BY IRENE O’GARDEN

 

Cast

 

Trude – Abrielle DeCuir
Fern – Christina Normand
Eileen – Crystal Brown
Clover – Julie Richard
Lydia – Abrielle DeCuir
Miriam – Julie Richard
Elizabeth – Abrielle De Cuir
Rita – Christina Normand
Zatz – Kaylan Landreneaux
Audrey – Crystal Brown
Jordy – Kaylan Landreneaux

 

This evening of twelve emotionally charged monologues starred Judith Ivey Off Broadway, where its run was extended twice. From ad exec to Midwest mom to care-giver to construction worker, each character is on fire in her own way – with passion, fear, self-discovery, even shopping! Exploring the breadth of women’s issues with humor and wisdom, the monologues offer excellent roles for one or more mature actresses. Women on Fire earned the highest rating for audience satisfaction from the Wall Street Journal/Zagat Theatre Survey. “Bewitching … astounding … heartbreaking.” – The New York Times ” “Heartwarming, riveting drama.” – NYTheatre.com “Fresh, spirited … plumbing the secret depths of ordinary women.” – Backstage. “Hot pick.” – New York Newsday . “A rare and exquisite evening… Lyrical, touching substantial and ultimately profound… Cancel all other appointments and treat yourself to this extraordinary evening of sublime writing.” –Southampton Press “Passionate and insightful… Each character is memorable.” – Riverhead Independent

More Production Information and Cast Bios HERE

Louisiana Voices of Women brings passion, rage, hope to ‘Women on Fire’ production” – Robin Miller of The Advocate June 22, 2019

Read the full article Here!

Women on Fire

 

BY IRENE O’GARDEN

 

Cast

 

Trude – Abrielle DeCuir
Fern – Christina Normand
Eileen – Crystal Brown
Clover – Julie Richard
Lydia – Abrielle DeCuir
Miriam – Julie Richard
Elizabeth – Abrielle De Cuir
Rita – Christina Normand
Zatz – Kaylan Landreneaux
Audrey – Crystal Brown
Jordy – Kaylan Landreneaux

 

This evening of twelve emotionally charged monologues starred Judith Ivey Off Broadway, where its run was extended twice. From ad exec to Midwest mom to care-giver to construction worker, each character is on fire in her own way – with passion, fear, self-discovery, even shopping! Exploring the breadth of women’s issues with humor and wisdom, the monologues offer excellent roles for one or more mature actresses. Women on Fire earned the highest rating for audience satisfaction from the Wall Street Journal/Zagat Theatre Survey. “Bewitching … astounding … heartbreaking.” – The New York Times ” “Heartwarming, riveting drama.” – NYTheatre.com “Fresh, spirited … plumbing the secret depths of ordinary women.” – Backstage. “Hot pick.” – New York Newsday . “A rare and exquisite evening… Lyrical, touching substantial and ultimately profound… Cancel all other appointments and treat yourself to this extraordinary evening of sublime writing.” –Southampton Press “Passionate and insightful… Each character is memorable.” – Riverhead Independent

More Production Information and Cast Bios HERE

Louisiana Voices of Women brings passion, rage, hope to ‘Women on Fire’ production” – Robin Miller of The Advocate June 22, 2019

Read the full article Here!

 

Hair Crownicles

 

Your hair is your heir. It is a play produced by Medina Perine and LaVOW Theatre. Come see it at the Red Shoes, 2303 Government St. in Baton Rouge, LA 70806. The play starts at 7:00 pm November 30, 2018