Bold Stories. Daring Women. Unapologetic Imagination.
LENOX, MA (February 25, 2026) — Artistic Director Genée Coreno, Managing Director Molly Merrihew, and the WAM Theatre Team announced their 2026 Season today. WAM Theatre’s 17th Anniversary Season continues its steadfast commitment to amplifying women’s voices and producing theatre that invites audiences to imagine beyond limitation. Through intimate storytelling, sharp comedy, and urgent historical reflection, this ambitious season asks: What do we inherit? What do we believe? And what future are we brave enough to build?
“This season, WAM steps into a bold inquiry about influence, power, and the responsibility that comes with both, especially in moments when communities are searching for meaning,” says Artistic Director Genée Coreno. “WAM Theatre offers art as an antidote, moving us from the idealized to the real, complex humanity of these characters and their relationships with one another and the world around them. Imaginative, daring, expansive, and caring, this season invites deeper reflection and courageous conversation. Now more than ever, we are reminded that theatre is a space to gather, to question, and to practice the kind of world we wish to inhabit.”
The 2026 performance season includes the full production of ROOTED by award-winning playwright Deborah Zoe Laufer (Be Here Now, The Last Yiddish Speaker), the Fresh Takes reading of AMANI by critically acclaimed playwright a.k. payne (Furlough’s Paradise, Some of the Boys), the Summer Soirée Benefit, the Fresh Takes reading of GORGEOUS by the celebrated playwright Keiko Green (Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play, Sharon), and the fall mainstage production of CAMP SIEGFRIED by Tony-Award-Nominee Bess Wohl (Liberation, Grand Horizons). Passes are on sale now, and single tickets go on sale mid-March.
Beyond the stage, WAM’s 2026 Season deepens its investment in community engagement across Berkshire County. In April, WAM partners with Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and MOSAIC to host a Women in Leadership Panel spotlighting bold changemakers shaping our region. In May, WAM collaborates with the Elizabeth Freeman Center to honor 50-years of life-saving support for survivors of domestic violence in the Berkshires. June marks the launch of WAM’s Ballot Ballad program, a civic engagement initiative held at The Lenox Library, that uses the arts as a tool for democratic learning and creative expression among students. The beloved Elder Ensemble offers dedicated affinity space for women 65+ to gather, create, and share their stories. The season culminates in a dynamic partnership with Berkshire Community College in the development of a new work inspired by the imagination of Louisa May Alcott, to be shared publicly in December 2026, continuing WAM’s commitment to intergenerational dialogue, artistic empowerment, and collective belonging.
“At WAM, we believe in the transformative power of community,” said Managing Director Molly Merrihew. “Artists and educators are the changemakers who nurture communities into vibrant sustainable ecosystems fueled by collective, creative, and collaborative action. This season, WAM’s commitment to amplifying women’s voices, empowering young girls, and supporting the daring creatives whose work reflects the richness, diversity, and boldness of our world continues, and we hope you will join us.”
WAM’s performance season unfolds across spring, summer, and fall with two full Mainstage productions, two Fresh Takes play readings, and WAM’s signature Summer Soirée benefit. Through box office revenue and community partnerships, WAM continues to celebrate and reinvest in organizations serving women and girls across Berkshire County while employing local and regional artists under professional union contracts.
WAM THEATRE’S 2026 PERFORMANCE SEASON
Spring Mainstage Production:
ROOTED
By Deborah Zoe Laufer
Directed by Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill
Featuring Jennie M. Jadow
May 1 – May 16, 2026
Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre, Shakespeare & Company, Lenox, MA
What could possibly go wrong when a plant lover becomes an internet messiah?
Emery is perfectly content living in her treehouse, tending to her plants and sharing her research online. Her sister Hazel is less enchanted— stuck working long hours at the only diner in town to support them both. Meanwhile, Luanne is searching for something -anything, to give her life meaning.
When Emery’s YouTube videos unexpectedly spark a devoted following — and then, somehow, a full-blown cult — all three women are thrown into a new kind of chaos. As strangers gather beneath the treehouse, chanting and singing, Emery must confront what it means to be seen, believed in, and responsible for others.
Quirky, warm-hearted, and unexpectedly profound, ROOTED is a comedy about connection, belief, and the messy human longing for purpose. Back by popular demand after a sold-out reading, ROOTED invites audiences into a whimsical world where plants heal, community curdles, and each woman must decide how — and what — she chooses to believe.
“For me, ROOTED is an irresistible story of three women – complicated, fun and irascible– who want to make life better and actually succeed,” said Director Maggie Mancinelli- Cahill. “I was hooked from the moment I discovered the play is very funny and blends a timely message about life on our planet and humans’ deep desire for connection: all carried out in a treehouse that has magical charm.”
“I’m delighted that WAM will be producing ROOTED I so appreciate the organization’s work promoting gender equity in theater…Theaters like WAM are more vital than ever before,” Shared Deborah Zoe Laufer, Playwright
Spring Fresh Takes Reading:
AMANI
By a.k. payne
Directed by Vernice Miller
Featuring Sabine Denise Jacques
Sunday, June 14, 2026 at 2PM & 7PM
Ventfort Hall, Lenox MA
What does it mean to reach boldly toward the moon in a world trying to confine you to the ground?
When Amani’s mother dies, the world shifts. In the wake of that loss, her father makes an extraordinary promise: he will build a rocket ship and take them to outer space — a place beyond violence, beyond prisons, beyond the systems that steal Black lives and futures. Together, they begin building toward the impossible. As Amani grows into adulthood, her dreams change.Her father’s vision becomes her own as she searches for her voice, her desires, and a future shaped by love, autonomy, and possibility. Moving between memory and aspiration, AMANI traces a tender, bittersweet journey of growing up, letting go, and choosing what to carry forward.
Written with depth and poetic intimacy by a.k. payne, AMANI is a deeply moving exploration of love between parents and children, the inheritance of dreams, and the courage it takes to imagine a life beyond what the world says is possible.
“Some organizations offer space to work, others provide the resources to create, and still others gather collaborators to dream collectively of a future where all bodies experience freedom. Returning to the hills of the Berkshires to find all three at WAM always feels like coming home,” shared Director Vernice Miller.
“This will be my third year working with WAM, and each season I have brought more of myself and my belief in co-creating non-traditional spaces that have the capacity to hold our collective grief, humanity and joy with compassion and integrity as a part of the process, not separate,” shared actor Sabine Denise Jacques. “My collaboration with WAM Theater continues to show me what can happen when we choose to center humanity and care within these institutions. I am grateful to work alongside women who live out the spirit of their values.”
Summer Benefit:
WAM Theatre’s Summer Soirée
Sunday, July 26, 2026 at 12PM
Doctor Sax House, Lenox MA
For the Dreamers & Magic Makers
Slip into your shamelessly gorgeous garden-party best and join WAM for a chic brunch-style gathering in the heart of the Berkshires. Guests will enjoy seasonal bites, signature cocktails, and a dazzling musical showcase featuring fresh, women-driven work making waves nationally. In true WAM fashion, the afternoon will celebrate two extraordinary female changemakers — an inspiring artist and a fearless activist — whose work empowers women and girls.
Tickets are limited. Sponsorship opportunities available. Contact Development@wamtheatre.com to reserve your spot today.
Summer Fresh Takes Reading:
GORGEOUS
By Keiko Green
Directed by Cat Ramirez
Featuring Zoë Laiz & Brenny Campbell
Sunday, August 17, 2026
Ventfort Hall, Lenox, MA
What does it mean to be seen — and who gets to decide what’s beautiful?
In Gorgeous, playwright Keiko Green delivers a sharp, funny, and deeply tender coming-of-age play about a young Asian American woman navigating friendship, desire, and self-worth. Set in an open garage in suburban Georgia, GORGEOUS takes an unexpected turn when Jenny finds herself in a no-holds-barred showdown with Bernie — a force of nature masquerading as a woman — following the death of Bill, an old, miserable man suddenly remembered as a saint. The object of their battle? Bill’s English bulldog, Gorgeous.
By turns heartfelt and ferocious, this bold comedy asks big questions with humor and bite: Who gets to change their story? Who gets grace? And what does it take to finally see yourself clearly?
“This play asks a question I find urgent and deeply personal: what does it truly mean for women — especially Asian American women and AFAB folks — to center themselves in a world that tells them not to? Gorgeous is about disrupting cycles of learned social violence, and daring to believe you are worthy of your own care and attention,” shared Cat Ramirez, Director.
Fall Mainstage Production:
CAMP SIEGFRIED
By Bess Wohl
Directed by Genée Coreno
October 15 – November 1, 2026
Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre, Shakespeare & Company, Lenox, MA
What happens when love blooms in the shadow of hate?
It’s 1938 on Long Island, and summer at Camp Siegfried is full of dances, sports, campfires, and camaraderie. Two teenagers meet, fall in love, and experience all the excitement of youth. But the camp is reserved for American youth of German descent, and behind the cheerful activities lurks the dangerous allure of Nazi ideology. As their attraction deepens, so does their indoctrination, revealing how easily charm and ritual can mask the spread of hatred. Inspired by the real Camp Siegfried, award-winning playwright Bess Wohl (Liberation, Grand Horizons) delivers a chilling, timely exploration of the seductive power of fascism, the fragility of morality, and the frightening ways ideology can twist even the most ordinary moments.
The play encourages us to reflect on the allure of belief, the fragility of moral judgment, and how we confront the spaces where innocence and danger collide.
Bess Wohl describes her play Camp Siegfried, as a “seduction—by bodies, by beliefs, by stories.”
“Camp Seigfreid asks what happens when our desire to belong turns into conformity or control—and how we find our way back to ourselves, and to imagining a future we share,” Genee Coreno, Director.
TICKETING
Passes are on sale now. Three types of ticket passes are available:
Fresh Takes Pass – $96
Main Stage Pass – $196
All Access Pass – $496
Single tickets go on sale Mid-March, with single tickets ranging from $26 to $106.
“Ticket passes give our community the chance to plan ahead, secure their seats before performances sell out, and play a meaningful role in bringing the work to life,” shared Merrihew. “Our most significant expenses happen long before the curtain rises, so early ticket purchases directly fuel the creative process. When audiences commit early, they’re not just buying tickets — they’re investing in the artists, the rehearsal room, and the bold ideas that make our productions possible.”
MORE 2026 SEASON INFORMATION
For more information about the 2026 Season and WAM Theatre’s programs, events, and artists, please visit www.WAMTheatre.com.
WAM TEAM LEADERSHIP
Genée Coreno (she/her)(Artistic Director) is a director and producer with a passion for devised theater created in collaboration with women, girls, and non-binary artists and designers. WAM Theatre: Artistic Director. Selected Director Credits: Fragments of Outside (The Mount), Outside (Culture Lab, LIC), Madge Love (Theater Mitu & The Brick), The Hopelessly Hopeless Story of All Good Girls (The Brick), “Is This Clear Enough?” (The Poetry Project), Dutchman (UnUrban Cafe, LA). Selected Producing Credits: The Possessed Girls of St. Mary’s (Reading, at Brick Aux), thisamericanplay (pop-up theater by Blue Flamingo), The Stronger & Mother Love (Alchemical Studios), The World is Round (BAM Fisher). Select Company Management Credits: Under the Radar Festival (The Public Theater), The World is Round (Alchemical Studios), The Stronger & Mother Love (pop-up theater by Blue Flamingo), thisamericanplay (Reading, at Brick Aux), The Possessed Girls of St. Mary’s. Producing Credits: The Outer Space (The Public Theater), National Mobile Unit Tour of Sweat (The Public Theater), Mobile Unit’s Twelfth Night (The Public Theater), Various Performances (Big Dance Theater). Community Engagement/Activist Work: Former Manager of Development and Engagement at Every Mother Counts and Clinic Escort at Choices; Adjunct Professor at Purchase College, Women and Performance. Training: MA in Performance Studies, NYU; BA in Drama Studies, Purchase College; Embodied Voice: Intensive Vocal Workshop; The Song of the Goat; SITI Company Summer Intensive; Theater Mitu Artist Fellowship (Japan). Creative Inspiration: I’m inspired by large-scale international work that demonstrates a commitment to dance theater practices and film-making.
Molly Merrihew (she/her)(Managing Director) is an arts executive and nonprofit leader with over a decade of experience in the nonprofit theatre and the for-profit arts and entertainment sector. She has worked collaboratively with organizations, artists, and clients ranging from grassroots ensembles to multimillion-dollar non-profit institutions and for-profit creative enterprises. Molly is a proud advocate of the Berkshire arts community, and her consulting work has also brought her to Boston and New York City. From activist art in found-spaces, to large scale Shakespearean festivals and award-winning audiobook launches, Molly is energized by passionate artists, creative thinkers, and an innate curiosity to meet new people and learn new things. Recent work experience includes spending the past six years at WAM Theatre as Managing Director. Previously Molly spent eight years at Shakespeare & Company working in PR and Marketing. Molly’s journey with WAM began in 2014, when she spent four years in the role of Artistic Associate, curating and producing the Fresh Takes Play Reading Series. After that, she served on WAM’s Strategic Planning and Hospitality Committees. Before moving to the Berkshires, Molly worked at the Florida Studio Theatre in communications and patron services. In addition to her full-time work, Molly has led consulting projects for artist organizations and projects in a variety of roles including lead strategist, project manager, grant reviewer, and copywriter. Molly holds an HR Essentials Graduate Certificate from Cornell University, M.S. in Arts Administration and Certificate in Fundraising Management from Boston University. She graduated with a B.A. in Theatre and English-Creative Writing from the State University of New York at Potsdam. Most recently, Molly completed the ‘Transformational Leadership Program for Non-Profit Leaders’ at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health.
To meet WAM’S Full Team click here.
MORE ABOUT THE 2026 SEASON ARTISTS
ROOTED
Deborah Zoe Laufer (she/her) (playwright, Rooted) is a writer whose plays have been produced at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cleveland Playhouse, Geva, The Humana Festival, Everyman, Primary Stages, Ensemble Studio Theatre, and hundreds of other theaters around the world. Plays include: The Last Yiddish Speaker (which received a Lortel Alcove commission, won 2024 The Jewish Play Project, and received an NNPN rolling world premiere), Be Here Now, End Days, Rooted, Informed Consent (NYTimes critic’s pick), Leveling Up, Out of Sterno, The Last Schwartz, Sirens, Meta, The Three Sisters of Weehawken, Fortune, dozens of short plays, and the musicals, Window Treatment, and By Any Other Name, written with composer, Daniel Green. Awards: Deb is a recipient of the Helen Merrill Playwriting Award, the Lilly Award, The ATCA Steinberg citation. Publications: Her plays are published or recorded by Concord/Samuel French, Smith and Kraus, Playscripts, LA Theatreworks, and Premieres. Training and Memberships: She is a graduate of Juilliard, an alumna of the BMI Lehman Engel Advanced Musical Theatre Workshop, a member of Honor Roll, and a Dramatists Guild Council member. Connect: deborahzoelaufer.com
Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill (she/her). Maggie has worked in NYC and regional theatres around the country, producing and directing new work, classics and musicals. She has served on the staff of Ensemble Studio Theatre and as Producing Director of Urban Stages in NYC, before taking the helm at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, where she served as Producing Artistic Director for three decades. She is honored to be making her WAM debut, directing ROOTED. Favorite directing credits include Once, The Lehman Trilogy, Red, Secret Garden, Intimate Apparel, Terra Nova, Beautiful, the Carole King Musical, Ring of Fire, Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley and A Sherlock Carol to name a few. Maggie enjoys discovering and directing plays that illuminate the great diversity of our world, while celebrating the capacity and perseverance of the human spirit. She has served on the board of Herbert Berghoff Studios, the Albany-Colonie Chamber of Commerce and Discover Albany. She was named a Woman of Excellence and is the recipient of the Distinguished Career Award from the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce and the Norman S. Rice Award for Art, Culture and Education. Proudest achievements include writing and co-writing eight plays for young audiences, based on history and classic literature, that have reached thousands of students every year since 1995, as part of Capital Repertory’s On the Go school tours. Maggie is proud to be part of WAM’s long-standing commitment to support and create opportunities for women around the world to lead better lives.
Nora Marlow Smith (she/her) (Scenic Designer), is a Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary theatre designer. She is delighted to return to her homeland of Western Mass and make her WAM debut with longtime friend and collaborator Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill and the rest of this amazing creative team. Previous professional credits include: Once and A Sherlock Carol at Capital Repertory Theatre, The Onion: A New Opera with Amherst College, continued work with New York companies MetaPhysed and The Mill Theatre, and many others. In addition to maintaining a design practice, Nora is an Assistant Professor of Theatre Design and Technology at Adelphi University and a volunteer with the Prover Project protecting the vulnerable shorebirds of New York City. She holds an MFA in Stage and Costume Design from Northwestern University and a BA in English Literature from Mount Holyoke College. Keep an eye out for more work from Nora this summer on Sweeney Todd with Proctor’s Collaborative School for the Arts, Annie at the Arrow Rock Lyceum, and in Central City Colorado with Le Nozze Di Figaro. @noramarlow
Jennie M. Jadow (she/her) (Hazel, Rooted) is a Berkshires based actress, arts educator, and producer with a passion and desire for examining how theatre can break open dialogue and radically shift our collective experience. Jennie has a multi-decade career in the performance arts in the Berkshires, New York, and Boston. Often sought after for her physical comedy skills, Jennie is also deeply interested in pushing the boundaries of our complex emotional selves. With rare fluency in both humor and drama, Jennie melds the two to create fully embodied stories. An arts educator dedicated to creating inclusive, accessible and artistically invigorating theatre experiences. Jennie has teaching, directing and choreography experience working with varied populations such as middle and high school students, psychiatric populations, and adjudicated and disenfranchised adolescents. Work with WAM includes: being a past member of the Literary Committee, a current member of the Vision Giving Circle, and producing/appearing in The Droll as part of the Fresh Takes Series. Selected recent interdisciplinary credits include: playing Reagan in King Lear (w/ Christopher LLoyd (Shakespeare & Company), Producer on Library Lion for Adam Theater (Boston, MA), and lead Director for Shakespeare in the Courts (Shakespeare & Company Education Program). Membership/Affiliations: Jennie also serves on the Board of Arlekin Players (Boston, MA) as well as the Berkshire Children’s Chorus, and is a member of the Education & Community Engagement Committee for the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center. Jennie is a proud member of Actors Equity. Connect: For more information about Jennie’s current and past work, please visit jenniejadow.com.
Nathaniel Bokaer (Stage Manager) (they/them) is a stage manager and costume designer based in the Berkshires with a passion for mentoring young artists. WAM Theatre: Far, Far Better Things, Be Here Now, Galileo’s Daughter. Selected Theatre Credits Elsewhere: Nathaniel has worked with Great Barrington Public Theater, Chester Theatre Company, Barrington Stage Company, Berkshire Theater Group, Shakespeare & Company, and CATA, among other regional arts and education organizations. Most recently they stage managed Mr. Joy in Chester and Madame Mozart at Great Barrington Public. Selected training: Bard College at Simon’s Rock (BA, Psychology and Theatre Studies). Etc: a Berkshires local, Nathaniel lives in South County with their wife, son, and dog.
Stella Schwartz (costume designer, Rooted) (she/her). Stella is a Berkshire based artist and educator. WAM Theatre: The Last Wife (costume designer) Selected Theatre Credits Elsewhere: costume designed for Shakespeare & Company, Chester Theatre, Pittsfield Shakespeare in the Park, Berkshire Playwrights’ Lab, Kick Wheel Theatre Ensemble, Smith College, BCC Players, and MCLA. Additional artistic credits: costume technician supporting visiting artists at Williams College and MASS MoCA (2013-2018) Community Engagement/Activist work: Fall Festival costumer for Shakespeare & Company (2011-2018), shelter advocate at Elizabeth Freeman Center (2016-2018) Membership/Affiliations: Company artist with Shakespeare & Company, Massachusetts Teachers Union. Selected training: Fitchburg State (M.Ed in Curriculum and Teaching), Smith College (BA in Classics). In addition to costume design, Stella also enjoys teaching English to her multilingual students at Taconic High School in Pittsfield, MA.
AMANI
a.k. payne (she/they) is a playwright, artist-theorist, and theatermaker with roots in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her plays love on and engage Black lives and languages beyond the confines of linear time to find/remember stories that might create conditions for our collective liberation(s). They hold a B.A. in English and African-American Studies from Yale College and will graduate in May 2023 with an MFA in Playwriting under Tarell Alvin McCraney from fka Yale School of Drama. Their work has been finalist for the L. Arnold Weissberger New Play Award, winner of the David Mark Cohen National Playwriting Award, and 3x semi-finalist for the O’Neill National Playwriting Conference. She is a current recipient of the Kemp Powers Commission Fund for Black Playwrights and Atlantic Theater Company’s Judith Champion Launch Commission. Her work has been developed with the New Harmony Project, Great Plains Theater Conference, and Manhattan Theater Club’s “Groundworks Lab.” They are a graduate of Pittsburgh Public Schools; grandchild of the Great Migration; descendant of a music teacher and a carpenter, who both march every year with their unions in Pittsburgh’s Labor Day parade; a queer & non-binary abolitionist affected in community by the ‘New Jim Crow;” and of a great lineage of Black women storytellers and living-room archivists; all of which deeply informs, uplifts and amplifies their work as a playwright, community organizer and spacemaker.
Vernice Miller (She/They) is a Jamaican-born, Afro-Caribbean theatre artist rooted in New York City, whose work across borders is guided by an unwavering faith in the arts as a common language of transformation and hope. WAM Theatre: Where We Stand (2025) Producing Director: Keen Teens, the educational arm of the Obie and Drama Desk Award-winning Keen Company, which provides NYC high school students the opportunity to collaborate with professional playwrights, directors, and designers on world-premiere Off-Broadway productions. Co-founder and Artistic Director: A Laboratory for Actor Training Experimental Theatre Company in New York City. Devising and teaching intensive actor training inspired by Grotowski and Barba, using movement and voice work to strengthen presence and unlock the performer’s physical and imaginative expression. Director: Joe’s Pub @ The Public Theatre, NYC; Folger Shakespeare Theatre, Washington, DC; HartBeat Ensemble, Hartford, CT; Market Theater Laboratory, Johannesburg, South Africa; Ukrainka Dramatic Theatre, L’viv, Ukraine; Glej Theatre, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Warsztaty Teatralne, Opole, Poland; Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Scotland; Skolen Teater, Dans og Musik, Silkeborg, Denmark. Actor: NYC – The Public Theatre; 59E59 Theatre; The Duke; Brooklyn Academy of Music; La Mama E.T.C. Abroad – Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, UK; Glej Theatre, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Warsztaty Teatralne, Opole, Poland; Odin Teatret, Holstebro, Denmark; Metropole Theatre, Aarhus, Denmark. Additional artistic credits: Writer, director, actor, producer, educator, activist. Creative inspiration: At the core of my artistic work is the belief in dignity—the conviction that every human being deserves the chance to live a worthwhile life—and, like Wangari Maathai, the Kenyan environmentalist who sowed justice through hands-on action, I strive to nurture the seeds of change by channeling the rhythms, resilience, and ancestral wisdom of those who came before me to tell stories that stir awareness, deepen empathy, and inspire meaningful transformation. Community Engagement/Activist work: Facilitator/coach with LEAD FOR IMPACT a social impact enterprise that provides transformational leadership services internationally; Co-produced and directed the fundraiser To Amadou with Love featuring Angelique Kidjo, supermodel Iman. For Partnership for the Homeless directed the 16th, 17th, & 18th Annual Benefits with Jessye Norman, Audra McDonald, Lawrence Hamilton, and LaChanze. Trained as a Peacekeeper with New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG). Awards/proudest achievements: Recipient of the London New Play Festival’s Best Actress Award for the solo performance of Medea:Now. Established THE DRAMA CLUB (ALATetc) a free, after-school theatre program at Public School 282 in Park Slope Brooklyn. Profiled in Best of the Fest, celebrating 10 years of London New Play Festival, edited by Phil Setren, and in Inside the Performance Workshop by Paula Murray Cole and Michele Minnick, Routledge, publisher. Original cast member The Treasure Makers by Patricia Sternberg, Samuel French, publisher. Final word: Oh, the desire to be/long. To be seen. To be included. To be counted. Connect: www.alatetc.org
Sabine Denise Jacques is a Massachusetts-based actor, facilitator, educator, and theater practitioner. She has spent the past eight years in Western Massachusetts, where she completed her B.A. in African-American Studies, M.Ed in International Education, a certificate in Multicultural Theater, along with social justice facilitation training from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is a theater practitioner whose work is at the intersections of theater, education, and dialogue. Sabine Denise believes that the Arts are a space for creative and vulnerable expression and loves working with students and community members as they learn to express themselves creatively and author their own narratives. She is passionate about arts activism within Black & Brown communities and believes in the power of storytelling and its ability to provide space for vulnerability, healing, relationships & joy. Sabine Denise is a lover of Love and continues to find ways to be better and do better for herself and her community.
GORGEOUS
Zoë Laiz (she/her) is a multiracial actor based in New York City and Western Massachusetts. She has trained at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York City and Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA. She has worked professionally in NYC, regionally and internationally. Zoë is a member of the Actors’ Equity Association.
While Zoë will approach any role with dedication and enthusiasm, she gravitates towards comedic roles; playing snarky millennials, ditzy optimists, lovable loudmouths and two-faced villains.
Beyond acting, Zoë is a storytelling facilitator with The Moth, auntie to the World’s Cutest Baby, and continually explores ways to engage with the world through play and storytelling. She is passionate about collaboration, representation, and social, racial, and environmental justice. (You can read her piece on accountability in the theatre here.)
Keiko Green (she/her) is a playwright, screenwriter and performer based in Los Angeles and Seattle. Productions include: You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World! (South Coast Rep; Oregon Shakespeare Festival – Upcoming), Empty Ride (Old Globe), Young Dragon (Seattle Children’s Theatre, Kennedy Center – Upcoming), Gorgeous (Raven Theatre), Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play (Old Globe; San Francisco Playhouse; Pork Filled/SIS Productions – Upcoming), Hells Canyon (Theater Mu; Washington Ensemble Theatre – Upcoming), The Bed Trick (Seattle Shakespeare Company; Artists Repertory Theatre – Upcoming), Wad (American Lives Theatre – Upcoming), Sharon (Cygnet Theatre) and Hometown Boy (Actors Express; Seattle Public Theater). Her plays have been developed by the Old Globe, the Kennedy Center, the National New Play Network, Playwrights Realm, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Atlantic Theater Company, and twice by the O’Neill National Playwrights Conference.
Past and Current Affiliations: CTG Writers Workshop, Geffen Writers Group, Seattle Rep Writers Group, ACT Core Company, Chance Resident Playwright, Theater Mu’s Mu Tang Clan. She currently holds commissions from Manhattan Theatre Club/Sloan Foundation and Atlantic Theatre Company. Awards/Honors: Susan Blackburn Award Finalist, Kilroys List, San Diego Critics Circle Award (Outstanding New Play), Gregory Award (Outstanding New Play), Sound on Stage Award (Outstanding New Play).
As a screenwriter, she has worked on multiple projects, including Hulu’s Interior Chinatown and Apple TV’s Margo’s Got Money Troubles. As an actor, she has performed at theaters nationwide and originated the role of Connie in Lauren Yee’s The Great Leap at the Denver Center and Seattle Rep. BFA: NYU Drama – Experimental Theatre Wing, MFA: UCSD Playwriting.
CAMP SIEGFRIED
Genée Coreno (she/her) (Director) is a director and producer with a passion for devised theater created in collaboration with women, girls, and non-binary artists and designers. WAM Theatre: Artistic Director. Selected Director Credits: Fragments of Outside (The Mount), Outside (Culture Lab, LIC), Madge Love (Theater Mitu & The Brick), The Hopelessly Hopeless Story of All Good Girls (The Brick), “Is This Clear Enough?” (The Poetry Project), Dutchman (UnUrban Cafe, LA), Selected Producing Credits: The Possessed Girls of St. Mary’s (Reading, at Brick Aux), thisamericanplay (pop-up theater by Blue Flamingo), The Stronger & Mother Love (Alchemical Studios), The World is Round (BAM Fisher). Select Company Management Credits: Under the Radar Festival (The Public Theater), The World is Round (Alchemical Studios), The Stronger & Mother Love (pop-up theater by Blue Flamingo), thisamericanplay (Reading, at Brick Aux), The Possessed Girls of St. Mary’s. Producing Credits: The Outer Space (The Public Theater), National Mobile Unit Tour of Sweat (The Public Theater), Mobile Unit’s Twelfth Night (The Public Theater), Various Performances (Big Dance Theater). Community Engagement/Activist Work: Former Manager of Development and Engagement at Every Mother Counts and Clinic Escort at Choices; Adjunct Professor at Purchase College, Women and Performance. Training: MA in Performance Studies, NYU; BA in Drama Studies, Purchase College; Embodied Voice: Intensive Vocal Workshop; The Song of the Goat; SITI Company Summer Intensive; Theater Mitu Artist Fellowship (Japan). Creative Inspiration: I’m inspired by large-scale international work that demonstrates a commitment to dance theater practices and film-making.
Bess Wohl is a playwright and filmmaker. Her plays have been produced on and off Broadway, regionally, and internationally and her feature film debut, BABY RUBY, starring Noémie Merlant and Kit Harington, premiered at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival and was released by Magnolia Pictures. She also wrote for the Apple TV+ series, “Extrapolations,” created by Scott Z. Burns.
Recently, her play LIBERATION (Outer Critics Circle Winner, Drama Desk, Drama League and Lucille Lortel noms.) had an extended run at Roundabout Theater Company and she made her West End debut with a sold out run of BARCELONA starring Lily Collins. Other plays include GRAND HORIZONS (Tony Nominations for Best Play & Best Featured Actress, Outer Critics Circle Honor, Drama League Award nom); MAKE BELIEVE (NYTimes Critic Pick, Best of 2019, Outer Critics Circle Honor); CAMP SIEGFRIED; CONTINUITY; SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS (John Gassner Outer Critics Circle Award, top ten lists in The New York Times, The New York Post, The Guardian); AMERICAN HERO; TOUCHED; IN; CATS TALK BACK and the musical PRETTY FILTHY with composer/lyricist Michael Friedman and The Civilians (Lucille Lortel and Drama Desk nominations for Outstanding Musical). Awards and honors include the Sam Norkin special Drama Desk Award for “establishing herself as an important voice in New York theater,” multiple Outer Critics Circle honors, the Georgia Engell Comedy Playwriting Award from the Dramatists Guild, the Athena Award for her screenplay VIRGINIA, MacDowell Fellowships and inclusion on Hollywood’s Black List of Best Screenplays. Wohl is an associate artist with The Civilians, an alumna of Ars Nova’s Play Group, and the recipient of new play commissions from Manhattan Theatre Club, Lincoln Center and Williamstown Theatre Festival. In her previous life as an actress, she appeared onstage in New York and regionally, and in numerous films and TV shows where she has given birth, solved crimes, committed crimes, been wrongly accused, and come back from the dead. She is a graduate of Harvard and the Yale School of Drama.
ABOUT WAM THEATRE
WAM Theatre is a professional theatre company based in Berkshire County, MA, that operates at the intersection of arts and activism. Now celebrating its 16th Season, WAM creates theatre for gender equity and has a vision of theatre as philanthropy. In fulfillment of its philanthropic mission, WAM donates a portion of the proceeds from their Mainstage productions to carefully selected recipients. Since WAM’s founding in 2010, they have donated more than $105,000 to 26 local and global organizations taking action for gender equity in areas such as girls education, reproductive justice, sexual trafficking awareness, midwife training, and more. WAM Theatre has been widely recognized for having a positive impact on cultural and community development in the region. WAM Theatre is certified as a women owned and operated business by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the recipient of the Creative Economy Standout Berkshire Trendsetter Award and previously, was named Outstanding Philanthropy Corporation of the Year by the Western MA Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. For more information, visit wamtheatre.com
WAM SUPPORT
WAM Theatre is certified as a women owned and operated business by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. WAM Theatre is supported by the New England Foundation for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC). WAM Theatre’s Season is also supported in part by grants from Beacon Bank, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Brabson Education & Library Foundation, The Feigenbaum Foundation, GKV Foundation, Lee Bank Foundation, Scarlet Sock Foundation; as well as grants from the Alford-Egremont Cultural Council, Lee Cultural Council, Lenox Cultural Council, Otis Cultural Council, Richmond Cultural Council, Sandisfield Cultural Council, Stockbridge Cultural Council, and Washington Cultural Council. WAM’s sponsors include Adams Community Bank, Berkshire Muse, Berkshire Roots, Blue Spark Financial, Baystate Financial Wealth & Wellness Team, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Guidos Fresh Marketplace, Handful Photography, Higher Bar, Mill Town Foundation, Inc., Heller & Robbins Attorneys at Law, Interprint, Onyx Specialty Papers, Outpost Productions, RB Design Co., T Square Design Studio, Toole Insurance, Dr. Sax House, BerkChique, Outpost, Outdoor Chronicles Photography, WANDER, Downright Productions, Brook Farm Inn, Parent Artist Advocacy League, and WomenArts.