When you think of the women's suffrage movement, you likely picture fierce activists marching in the streets, holding signs, and demanding the right to vote. That image is accurate, but these trailblazing women also had a keen sense of humor and a talent for using comedy to make their point.
This Tuesday night, the lighter side of the suffrage movement will take center stage at the Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center by the Thinking Cap Theatre to celebrate Women's Equality Day.
The show will feature live performances of suffragette comedies and songs written between 1900 and 1920.
The 19th Amendment the Constitution, guaranteeing American women’s right to vote, was ratified on Aug. 18, 1920.
These plays, known as "parlor plays," were originally written to be performed at home by amateurs. They were privately printed and meant for intimate gatherings, a way for women to share their frustrations and hopes through humor.
Rediscovered by scholar Bettina Friedl in the late 1970s, these theatrical gems offer a witty and poignant look at the challenges women faced more than a century ago.
The short comedies tackle issues that are still relevant today, like the struggle for work/life balance and the weight of socially-prescribed gender roles.
The event off with a reception at 6:45 p.m. in the lobby Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center. A pianist will play popular music from the early 20th century.
Thinking Cap Theatre is presenting this show in partnership with several community organizations, including the Hollywood Art and Culture Center, the League of Women Voters of Broward County, and the Hollywood Historical Society, among others.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Women’s Equality Day
WHEN: Tuesday, August 26, at 7 p.m.
WHERE: Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center, 1770 Monroe Street Hollywood, FL 33020.
For ticket information, visit the following the Thinking Cap Theatre website here.
