Lesbian Eve Adams portrayed in new play at On Women Festival

While women’s rights are facing unprecedented setbacks, Brooklyn’s On Women Festival uplifts women’s voices and stories through theater.

Irondale, Brooklyn’s leading theatrical and artistically ambitious think-tank theater ensemble, with three esteemed curators, proudly announce the lineup of the fifth annual On Women Festival, July 11-31, celebrating the lives and experiences of female identifying artists. Committed to producing the works of emerging, progressive, and dynamic playwrights, this year’s festival will be headlined by three mainstage productions; Mt. Rushmore, July 14-17, encompassing themes of female grief and the power of reinvention in a one-woman play, The Great Lesbian Love of Eve Adams, July 21-24, navigating the experiences of discrimination and inequality of a queer immigrant and disruptor, and the world premiere of an opera created and performed by an all women team, Letters That You Will Not Get: Women’s Voices from the Great War, July 29-31. Throughout the festival, audiences will also enjoy an online library of new digital works submitted from international artists, all presented to bolster the voices of multi-disciplinary artists and the female perspective.

The Great Lesbian Love of Eve Adams by New York playwright Paige Esterly, is a historical and biographical account of Eve Adams, a Jewish immigrant, anarchist, and gender non-confirming lesbian who was imprisoned for her orientation and identity. This play uncovers the truths of discrimination Adams faced in New York City in the 1920s and the journey of the LGBTQ community from then to now.

Adams was an influential publisher, speakeasy proprietor, and self-proclaimed “Queen of the Third Sex.” Her 1925 book, Lesbian Love, is one of the earliest examples of American lesbian literature. She also ran Eve’s Hangout, a tea room and literary haunt in Greenwich Village. In her story audiences are reminded of the strides made in the 100-year fight for LGBTQ+ equality, and the actions that need to be taken to continue to strive for a more just and equal world. 

Now in its fifth year, On Women Festival gives women creatives an artistic platform to use art as activism, education and inspiration in a space that nurtures risk taking, exploration and process—and calls for change. 

“As Irondale works to present theater that speaks to the issues of our times, this festival is an opportunity to look at the social, political and historical experiences of women through an authentic lens,” explains Emilio Maxwell Cerci and Renata Soares, Irondale’s co-producers of the festival. “To amplify these voices and provide an artistic platform to use art as activism, education and the inspiration to dream of a more unified tomorrow, we applaud these artists for their artistic courage and look forward to seeing them shine on stage later this summer.”

Festival Schedule

July 11-30, New Media Storytelling, streamed anytime with audience voting and cash awards

July 14-17, Mt. Rushmore

July 21-24, The Great Lesbian Love of Eve Adams

July 29-31, Letters That You Will Not Get: Women’s Voices from the Great War

July 31, closing party featuring a performance by The Opera Cowgirls following the performance

Dates and times of the Artist Exchange panel discussions to be announced.

All performances will be held at 7:30 p.m., Thursday-Saturday, and Sunday at 5:00 p.m.

Tickets

A Festival Pass, $75, includes full access to all three Mainstage productions and the digital New Media Storytelling performances. Each Mainstage performance can be viewed separately for $30, $15 for students, seniors and working artists. A ticket to any two Mainstage productions is $50, and access to the New Media online portal is $10.

Group tickets and financial assistance for those in need are available.

All tickets are available at https://irondale.org/on-women-festival/

Venue and Directions

The Space at Irondale is located at 85 South Oxford Street in Brooklyn, New York. The theater is accessible by Subway: C to Lafayette; B, D, M, N, Q, R, 2, 3, 4, or 5 to Atlantic Avenue/Pacific Street; and G to Fulton Street. 

Proof of vaccination is required for all who are eligible to enter the building. Masks must be worn at all times, regardless of vaccination status.