FIRST 100 YEARS:
The Professional
Female Playwright

PART II.

Reading & Discussion Series

November 2002 – October 2003

[check back to this site for calendar updates]

The 2002-03 Reading & Discussion Series will look more closely at the work of 5 English Women Playwrights of the 17th & 18th Century: Aphra Behn (1640-89), Susanna Centlivre (1669-1723), Hannah Cowley (1743-1809), Elizabeth Inchbald (1753-1821) and Joanna Baillie (1762-1851).) Four of these five playwrights were guaranteed productions every time they wrote a new play. The group as a whole was selected because they represent a variety of distinct voices and styles that show the development of the female playwright over the century.

Please bear in mind that our featured playwrights are just a handful of the dozens of female playwrights writing professionally during the period. The list of professional female playwrights produced between 1660-1800 includes:
Katherine Phillips, Aphra Behn, Frances Boothby, Elizabeth Polwhele, Ariadne, Delariviere Manley, Mary Pix, Catherine Trotter, Jane Wiseman, Susanna Centlivre, Mary Davys, Eliza Haywood, Penelope Aubin, Elizabeth Cooper, Charlotte Clark, Mrs. Hopper, Letitia Pilkington, Catherine Clive, Philippina Burton, Dorothea Celisia, Jael Henrietta Pye, Lady Dorothea Dubois, Hannah More, Charlotte Lennox, Hannah Cowley, Elizabeth Griffith, Sarah Cheney Gardner,  Elizabeth Craven, Ursula Booth, Mary Darby Robinson, Elizabeth Richardson, Sophia Lee, Mrs. Burgess, Frances Brooke, Margaret Cornelys, Betsy Sheridan, Anna Maria Edwards, Harriet Homcastle Hook, Elizabeth Inchbald, Elizabeth Kemble, Christian Carstaires, Harriet Lee, Lady Eglantine Wallace, Frances Brooke, Marianna Starke, Anna Ross, Ann Yearsley, Fanny Burney, Dorothy Jordan, Catharine Metcalfe, Amelia Alderson Opie, Hannah Brand, Eliza Parsons, Catherine Cuthbertson, Mrs. Rainsford, Mary Darby Robinson, Sarah Cheney Gardner, Elizabeth Edmead, Joanna Baillie, Maria Therese DeCamp Kemble, and Dorothea Plowden .

The readings are scheduled over a nine-month period and will be held at sponsoring theaters around New York City in an open and informal atmosphere where discussion, inspiration, and future collaborations can be sparked.

All events are free but reservations are a must, and can be made in advance by e-mailing Duchessofnewcastle@yahoo.com

First in series, Aphra Behn

Reading #1: The Lucky Chance by Aphra Behn
Directed by Rebecca Patterson & The Queen’s Company
Nov. 3rd, 2pm
at The Drama Book Shop
250 West 40th Street, NYC
(between 7th& 8th Ave)
RSVP 212- 944-0595 x417

Reading #2: The Rover by Aphra Behn
Directed by Elizabeth Swain
Nov. 17th, 2pm
at Marymount Manhattan College (mezzanine)
221 E. 71st (between 2nd & 3rd Ave)
RSVP. Call 212-315-3852

Reading #3: The Widow Ranter by Aphra Behn
Directed by Karen Eterovich (Love Arm'd Prods)
Dec. 2nd, 6pm
at HERE Arts Center Dorothy B Theater
145 6th Ave (between Spring & Broome)
RSVP. Call 212-315-3852

Reading #4: The Dutch Lover by Aphra Behn
Directed by James Hannaham & Target Margin Theater
Sunday, Jan. 5th, 2pm
at The Drama Book Shop
250 West 40th Street, NYC
(between 7th& 8th Ave)
RSVP 212- 944-0595 x417

Next in series, Susanna Centlivre

Reading #5: THE BASSET TABLE by Susanna Centlivre
Staged by Emily King
Wednesday, January 15th, 2003, at 6 p.m.
at The Players
16 Gramercy Park South
RSVP 212 475 6116

Reading #6: THE WONDER! A Woman Keeps a Secret by Susanna Centlivre
Directed by Michaela Goldhaber of FLYING FIG THEATER
Sunday, January 19, 2003, at 2 p.m.
at The Drama Book Shop
250 West 40th Street
(between 7th& 8th Ave)
RSVP 212- 944-0595 x417

Reading #7: THE BUSY BODY by Susanna Centlivre
Directed by Jean Wagner of VOICE & VISIONS
Monday, March 17, 2003 at 6:30 p.m.
Hosted by Urban Stages
259 W. 30th St. (between 7th and 8th Aves.)
212 268 3717

Reading #8: LOVE'S CONTRIVANCE by Susanna Centlivre
Presented by The Classical Theatre of Harlem.
Monday, March 31, 7 p.m.
at The Classical Theatre of Harlem
645 St. Nicholas Ave, Just above 141st
[Take A, B, C or D trains to 145th St.,
exit back of train, walk half block down to see big blue banner]


followed by Hannah Cowley

Reading #9: THE BELLE’S STRATEGEM by Hannah Cowley
Directed by Davis McCallum
Sunday, March 16, 2pm
at The Drama Book Shop
250 West 40th Street (between 7th & 8th Ave)
212- 944-0595 x417


Reading #10: SCHOOL FOR GREYBEARDS by Hannah Cowley
Presented by New Dramatists
Thursday, April 3, 4pm
at New Dramatists
424 West 44th Street (betw 8th and 9th Ave)
212-757-6960
*Note this will be a special reading with ND playwrights reading the text, not actors!


Reading #11: THE FATE OF SPARTA by Hannah Cowley
Directed by Karin Coonrod and New York Theatre Workshop
Monday, April 14, 3pm
at New York Theatre Workshop (third floor rehearsal room),
79 East 4th Street between Bowery and Second Avenue


Reading #12: WHO’S THE DUPE (a farce) by Hannah Cowley
Directed by Christopher Bayes (Clown Master) and Juggernaut Theatre Co.
Saturday, May 3, 2pm
at The Connelly Theatre
220 East 4th Street between Avenues A & B
RSVP. Call 212-315-3852

thereafter, Elizabeth Inchbald

Reading #13: TBA by Elizabeth Inchbald
Directed by Marcy Arlin, Immigrants Theatre Project
Sunday, May 4, 2 p.m.
at The Drama Book Shop
250 West 40th Street (between 7th & 8th Ave)
212- 944-0595 x417


Reading #14: Such as Things Are by Elizabeth Inchbald
Presented by Pregones Theater Company
Friday, May 16, 7 p.m.
571-575 Walton Avenue, Bronx,
Tel. (718) 585-1202


Reading #15:Wives as They Were, Maids as They Are by Elizabeth Inchbald
Presented by New Georges
Saturday, May 24th, 2 p.m.
at New Georges, The Room
520 Eighth Avenue, Suite 326 (at 36th St.)
646 336 8077


Reading #16: TBA by Elizabeth Inchbald
Directed by Leslie (Hoban) Blake and Blue Heron Theater Co.
Date TBA

and FINALLY, Joanna Baillie.

The Joanna Baillie Series
Readings # 17, 18, 19, 20
Guest Curator & Dramaturg: Maxine Kern

Reading #17: The Election by Joanna Baillie
Directed by Mallory Catlett
Friday, August 1, 8:15 p.m.
At The McNally Auditorium, Fordham University, Lincoln Center Campus
(Columbus Ave at the corner of 60th St)
FREE but reservations a MUST!Ý
RSVP Email: duchessofnewcastle@yahoo.


Reading #18: The Tryal by Joanna Baillie
Directed by Meghan Beals
Presented by The Pearl Theatre Company
Saturday, August 2, 2 p.m.
At Theatre 80, 80 St. Mark's Place, (Btwn 1st and 2nd Aves.)
Directions: Nearest subways: N/R to 8th St., 6 to Astor Place, L to First Avenue, F to 2nd Ave.
RSVP 212-505-3401 x21

Special Full Production!!!
Reading #19:Count Basil by Joanna Baillie
Directed by Leslie Jacobson
Presented by Horizons Theatre, Washington, D.C.
In conjunction with the
North American Society for the Study of Romanticism (NASSR) Conference
Sunday, August 3, 3:30 to 6 p.m.
At The Fordham Theater
Fordham University, Lincoln Center Campus
(Columbus Avenue at the corner of 60th Street)
Directions: Subway: The A, B, C, D, 1, and 9 subway trains all stop at 59th Street/Columbus Circle.
The campus is located one block west.
Bus: For local bus service take the M5, M7, M10, M11, M31 M57, or M104.
All stop close to Columbus Circle or Lincoln Center
FOR Special First 100 Years Discount Tickets
$15 // $12 Students and Seniors (cash only!)
Please reserve by emailing us at: duchessofnewcastle@yahoo.com

Afterwards , there will be a formal panel discussion
"Producing Baillie" moderated by scholar Catherine Burroughs from 6:15pm - 7:30

and...

WE HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US FOR OUR FINAL FIRST 100 YEARS READING
Reading #20: The Family Legend byJoanna Baillie
Directed by Gwynn MacDonald
Monday, October 27th, 2003 at 6:30 p.m.
at The Drama Book Shop (250 West 40th Street, betw. 7th & 8th Aves).
R.S.V.P. 212 944 0595 x417


Join us afterwards for a First 100Years Series reception upstairs at 8 p.m.
to celebrate an amazing year of accomplishment!

Wine for the reception graciously donated by
LeNell's Ltd.
416 Van Brunt Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231
718-360-0838 store
866 NO SNOBS toll free
718-874-2733 fax