Powerstories Theatre, in collaboration with Outcast Theatre Collective, proudly presented the inaugural VIRTUAL Voices of Truth Theatre Festival, which showcased new and established playwrights, directors, and local, national, and international casts to a global audience. The festival was 100% virtual to ensure your safety. The festival ran from March 10 through March 28, 2021.

We hope you enjoyed the original or curated works of Gloria Rosen, Sheri Whittington, Dwayne Yancey, Julliette Moore, Rich Courage, Outcast Theatre Collective, David John Preece, Peter Nason & Deborah Bostock-Kelley, Ellen Kaplan, Elizabeth Indianos, Bretton Reis, Leigh Flayton, and Pamela Bulu.
Thank you to all of our patrons, sponsors, playwrights, directors, casts, and crews for your incredible work in the inaugural Voices of Truth Theatre Festival. Congratulations to our award winners selected by our judges, our founder, and our theatre critic:
  • Founder’s Choice Award – “Classic Six” by Leigh Flayton
  • Critic’s Choice Award – “A Necessary Conversation” by Peter Nason & Deborah Bostock-Kelley
  • Opening Minds & Hearts Award, First Place – “Stat Geek at Natick” by Bretton Reis
  • Opening Minds & Hearts Award, Second Place – “A Conversation with Myself” by Julliette Moore
  • Opening Minds & Hearts Award, Third Place – “The Very Last Dance of Homeless Joe” by Rich Courage

 

  • Listen… Can You Hear Me Now? By Gloria Rosen (New York) ASL & Captioned
    Deaf parents. A hearing child. A woman on the edge of two worlds tells the story of finding her own voice.
    Age: Over 13. Adult situations.
    X
  • Trifles By Susan Gladspell – Project Curated By Sheri Whittington (Florida)
    A homicide that took place over 120 years ago in rural Iowa, stands today as a cautionary tale. Susan Glaspell’s Trifles is based on the true court case of the murder of a farmer on December 2, 1900 in Indionola, Iowa. Glaspell covered the case and the trial as a reporter for Des Moines Daily News.
    No language issues or onstage violence, but violence and murder are discussed. Middle school & up.
    X
  • Miss Mitchell’s Comet By Dwayne Yancey (Virginia)
    The astronomical world was shocked in 1847 when a new comet was discovered not just by an American amateur, but by a young America woman with no official credentials of any kind. Maria Mitchell went on to become America’s first female astronomer — this is her story.
    Middle school and up. No adult language or situations.
    X
  • A Conversation with Myself By Julliette Moore (Florida)
    A Conversation with Myself depicts a young trans woman’s struggle to free her true self from the prison of the closet only to discover that the closet is the very thing that has protected her. It is a nuanced look at what it means for transgender people to find themselves and find their place in the world.
    Drug Use, Suicidal Ideation, Mental Illness and Hospitalizations. Viewer discretion advised.
    X
  • The  Very Last Dance of Homeless Joe By Rich Courage (New York)
    “The Very Last Dance of Homeless Joe is about a 38-year-old female writer, Charlie, who decides to write a story about
    people who are homeless. Starting at Manhattan’s Columbus Circle, she journey’s up Broadway, meeting a variety of people
    who are living on the streets. Their stories are very emotionally compelling, and several of them tell Charlie she should talk to a man named Homeless Joe because his story will break her heart. Charlie finally does meet Joe and his story is indeed tragic. The play portrays the characters as human beings. Not as homeless people, but as people who happen to be homeless.
    Without profanity, nudity, racial inappropriateness, or violence. One character mentions that another soldier’s head exploded while he is describing his experiences in Viet Nam. Middle and High school appropriate.
    X
  • Scenes from the Outcast (Florida)
    Outcast welcomes you to experience an evening of original, short scenes created by the collective as we explore various scenarios experienced by our artists and invoked through the use of an arsenal of techniques called “Theatre of the Oppressed,” created by Augusto Boal.
    At least middle school-aged and older; our content deals with oppressive scenarios and there may be some strong language used (PG-13)
    X
  • Dancing Among the Wildflowers By David John Preece (New Hampshire)
    In the play, Dancing Among the Wildflowers, Lyndon Johnson deliberately masks his failing health from his wife, Lady Bird, so that she fulfills her responsibilities and potential.
    Adult Language, Historical figures – Appropriate to middle and high school students.
    X
  • A Necessary Conversation By Peter Nason & Deborah Bostock-Kelley (Florida)
    Written by two teachers, one current and one a past educator, A Necessary Conversation is an award-winning, two-part production that takes an unflinching look at mental health, bullying, gun violence in high school and its aftermath. The show features 47 REASONS TO LIVE, a tale of the inner workings of a potential school shooter and 11:11 explores the adult and teen survivors left behind.
    Adult language, violent imagery, reference to a school shooting – Appropriate for older high school students.
    X
  • Survivor By Ellen Kaplan (Massachusetts)
    A little girl tries to escape a raging, mentally ill mother. She fights back; she can’t protect herself; she’s harmed; she harms herself. She is raped. Over decades, she heals herself, in body and heart.
    Descriptions of emotional and sexual abuse; appropriate for older high school students.
  • No Know Nothing By Elizabeth Indianos (Florida)
    The Goose-stepping bully, WARMAN, aims to extinguish self-expression and pull the plug on all our cultural artifacts—but can he? Cave Girl knows, that even if all were destroyed, we will go on, continue to create, it’s in our human nature to do…
    No restrictions on language or adult content. Not targeted at children.
    X
  • Stat Geek in Natick By Bretton Reis (New Hampshire)
    “Stat Geek in Natick” tells the story of a young sports talk radio enthusiast. As his relationship with Boston’s most popular show blossoms, his battle with a vicious eating disorder intensifies.
    Contains graphic descriptions of an eating disorder and mild language. Appropriate for ages 13 and up.
  • Classic Six By Leigh Flayton (New York)
    In 1993, Frances works as a live-in nanny/researcher for Frank and Patricia McGuire in their Classic Six Manhattan apartment. Twenty-five years later, she returns for a visit and, as the evening unfolds, Frank and Patricia question her motives: Is she merely curious to revisit the place where she learned hard truths? Or does she plan to expose what she found out about The McGuires all those years ago?
    Adult language, topics, and situations, references to inappropriate sexual behavior. Appropriate for older high school students.
    X
  • 45 – Project Curated by Pamela Bulu, complete list of playwrights in the program (Florida)
    45 minutes of crowd-sourced reflection, ranting, and a touch of chaos inspired by the outgoing 45th president.
    Adult language and topics including swearing and references to inappropriate sexual behavior. Viewer discretion advised.

Festival Press

  • Powerstories creates virtual Voices of Truth Theatre Festival

  • Tampa‘s Powerstories kicks off ’Virtual Voices of Truth Theatre Festival’ in March

  • BWW Previews: VOICES OF TRUTH FESTIVAL DEBUTS VIRTUALLY MARCH 10-28, 2021 at POWERSTORIES THEATRE

  • What’s Hot South Florida – March 2021

  • Powerstories’ Voices of Truth Festival Debuts Virtually March 10

Positive Impact Magazine

Powers on Sports

Podcast Interview with “Stat Geek in Natick” playwright

Great Day Live

88.5 WMNF Art in Your Ear

Radio interview with Fran Powers and “A Necessary Conversation” playwright

Tampa Bay Morning Blend

News Radio AM WFLA