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Nehemiah Danjuma, Deaf Sign Language Performer, in a scene from Reproductive Freedom is What We Want |
Unflinching Stories of Life-Altering Decisions
Arizona Theatre Matters (ATM), in partnership with Repro Freedom Arts and Words of Choice, presents Reproductive Freedom is What We Want, a collection of stories that confronts hard truths with unflinching honesty. These are the voices of people navigating some of the most critical moments of their lives, told with a kind of quiet intensity that lingers long after the performance ends.
Directed by Jeanmarie Simpson and Ololade Adekanmi, this production brings together a wide range of deeply personal stories and perspectives. Deaf Sign Language performer Nehemiah Danjuma commands the stage with an expressive performance, supported by an understated cast of voice actors who deliver the narratives with subtlety and nuance, letting the stories themselves shine.
Selections Include:
- Incantation by June Jordan
- Fine Line by Repro Freedom Arts and Feminist Health Clinic
- She Said.....Before 1973 by Judith Arcana
- Remembering by Dr. Emilie Townes
- Matt’s Story by Mary Anne Sorrentino
- You’re on Your Own by Michael David Quinn
- What I Said to the Congress of the United States by Claudia A.
- Kathy/Parallel Lives by Angela Bonavoglia, Kathy Najimy & Mo Gaffney
- Tru Luv by Cindy Cooper
- The Siege by Dr. Susan Wicklund
- New Laws I Want by Charlotte Taft
- Why I March by Zoneziwoh Mbondgulo-Wondieh
- Florynce Rae Kennedy: In Her Own Words
- Blessed by Alix Olson
Each piece takes an unvarnished look at the emotional and societal stakes involved in often painful decisions, inviting the audience to sit with the complexity of each story. The restrained delivery of the performers allows the depth of the material to speak for itself, creating a powerful resonance that builds quietly, moment by moment.
Voice Actors:
Diana Kimetto, Marcus Brown, Janet Eng, Bradford Gray, Christina Mathews, Emmy Cuthbert, Nona Isaacson, Ariana Wilber, and Mariana Brubaker.
Musical Performance:
Whispering to the Flowers by The Hippy Nuts, produced by Tim Champion on Sandpile Records.
Announcer:
Ray Williams
About Our Partner:
Repro Freedom Arts uses theatrical storytelling to support reproductive health, rights, freedom and justice. It presents performances onstage, virtually, in print and in communities, traveling to 20 states and conducting walking tours in New York City. The group is a platform of 24-year-old Words of Choice. Founded by Cindy Cooper, the organization has won awards from the Abortion Conversations Project, NARAL Pro-Choice America (Repro Freedom for All), and the 'Thank You Award' from the Quixote Foundation.
Reprofreedomarts.org