Monday, March 25, 2019

cast announcement - SISTERS IN LAW - The Phoenix Theatre Company


CLICK HERE for more information on this production, which runs April 3-April 28

Laura Wernette as Sandra Day O’Connor
Eileen T’Kaye as Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Directed by Dana Resnick

This new world premiere play features the relationship between two U.S. Supreme Court justices who are polar opposites and also modern-day legends: feminist idol Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Arizona native Sandra Day O’Connor. The play runs live at The Phoenix Theatre Company April 3–28, 2019.

Sisters in Law is based on the 2015 book of the same name written by Linda Hirshman. The adaptation for the stage was written by Jonthan Shapiro, ex-federal prosecutor and law professor turned author, award winning television writer and producer of shows like “The Black List” and “Boston Legal.” The Phoenix Theatre Company is the first theatre in the world to bring Sisters in Law to the stage.

“Sisters in Law is an important piece of theatre and is especially relevant in these divisive times. It addresses vital national conversations on women’s rights, making lasting change in our society, and sharing viewpoints with those we disagree with,” said Michael Barnard, producing artistic director for The Phoenix Theatre Company. “Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O’Connor’s friendship is an inspiration and a reminder that our differences do not have to divide us.”

Ginsburg, appointed to the court in 1993 by President Bill Clinton, is a current justice on the Supreme Court. She is known for holding a more liberal position on the court and is the subject of a couple  current biopics about her unlikely path to the Supreme Court. In her legal career she is known for being an advocate for the advancement of gender equality and women's rights. O’Connor, appointed in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan, and the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court, retired in 2006. She held a more conservative position on the Supreme Court, but later became a swing opinion  as she was known for her dislike of generalizations. She is an Arizona native and currently resides here. In 2018, she announced she’d been diagnosed with dementia.
The play explores the diverse backgrounds of both women, their parallel yet varied paths to the Supreme Court and what they accomplished while on the court during the 13 years they served together.

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