29 Jul Ann Gillespie in FIU Alternative Theatre Festival

Every summer Florida International University’s theatre department hosts the Alternative Theatre Festival, a “no frills” festival that gives students the opportunity to develop new works. This year our OOB Alumni Ann Gillespie, whose short play Bench performed at the 2014 OOB Festival, will be showcasing her new piece Choreographing a Rape Scene to go into a Feminist Play. 

In this darkly comedic play-within-a-play, two directors struggle with handling a rape scene while also creating a safe space for the cast. However, as both the collaborative process and the safe space fall apart the group must address rape as it exists in reality rather than its fiction.

Anyone familiar with Gillespie’s work will know just based on the title and description alone this play fits strongly in her wheelhouse. She’s no stranger to dark comedies, especially ones that invite the audience to grapple with difficult moral dilemmas with no absolute solutions. Other works include Crossing, B in Oblivion, Terminal Moraine, and Validating the Shit out of Each Other. and her short film Number 3. She also plays the part of “Becca” on the web series #TOO BE FRANK.

Choreographing a Rape Scene to go into a Feminist Play was first presented at the South Florida Theatre League summer reading series at GableStage. Now, FIU’s students have the opportunity to collaborate with Gillespie on further developing the script. Directed by Michael Yawney, Choreographing a Rape Scene to go into a Feminist Play will open July 28th and run through August 6th at the Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Performing Arts Center.

Congratulations, Ann Gillespie! Break a leg!