Heidi Schreck was about to perform her play What the Constitution Means to Me on Broadway one night when her mother called. Apparently, the Tony-nominated work—which examines gender bias in the Constitution through the stories of women in Schreck’s family—had overlooked an important historical figure: a hotel maid named Elsie Parrish. By then, of course, it was a little late; the show had long been finalized and was about to be filmed. But Parrish’s long fight for fairer wages stayed with Schreck—eventually forming the basis for a new play, Searching for Elsie Parrish, which will be published this month in Women+ on the Edge of Democracy.
An anthology of new plays by female-identifying writers, Women+ on the Edge of Democracy was commissioned by the Flynn—a performing arts center in Burlington, Vermont—in partnership with the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. It features pieces by playwrights from 30 states who were prompted with two questions: What is the current state of democracy in America? What can history, global context, or futurism offer us in this pivotal moment?
Jay Wahl, the Flynn’s executive director, describes the anthology as a response to a particularly tumultuous moment in American political history. “I spent a long time teaching and thinking and producing all sorts of different performance work in public spaces and thinking about how performance can rewrite the cultural memory of a place,” he says. He envisioned an art project that took on “the negotiation of this public space known as democracy.”
When Wahl began reaching out to playwrights he wanted involved in the project, he thought six or seven people would say yes. The final anthology has 34, including Schreck, Tony nominee and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, Tony and Pulitzer nominee Sarah Ruhl, and two-time National Endowment for the Arts fellow Migdalia Cruz, among others.
“It feels like we just touched a trigger point,” says Leslie Swackhamer, executive director of the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, which honors women+ and nonbinary playwrights writing for English-speaking theater. “Women’s writing has had a big shift into fearlessness—embracing new forms. I think that writers of color just unleashed themselves. If I’m looking at them now, since when Trump was elected, you can see more political stuff. The bodies that are on stage are not what people are used to seeing—they’re aging, queer, nonbinary people. How these people support each other—that’s political.”
Equally political is the decision to feature only women+ playwrights. “If you want to talk about democracy, I say, ‘Let’s start with women’s voices,'” Wahl says. He considers it “a privilege” to be “uplifting these women’s voices at a time when women’s voices are often unheard or silenced or intentionally left out in all sorts of ways.” The release of Women+ comes shortly after All the Rage, a performance of works by more than 70 female and nonbinary writers in response to the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Staged in June 2026 at an insurance building in London, All the Rage was coordinated by Rebecca Lenkiewicz, who wrote the film She Said, and featured image installations as well as performance art.
Nottage, whose work has long foregrounded politics by examining the struggles of working-class characters, was a natural fit for the project. Her Tony-nominated and Pulitzer Prize-winning play Sweat, which chronicles the unraveling of the social fabric in Reading, Pennsylvania—one of the poorest cities in America—was frequently credited with predicting President Trump’s 2016 victory. Also Tony-nominated, her play Clyde’s takes place in a sandwich shop staffed by formerly incarcerated people who commiserate over the challenge of reentering society and the workforce.
“I’m really in a place in my life right now where I feel a bit under siege, particularly as a Black woman, and so I really welcome the opportunity to be in conversation on a larger scale about this democracy that we’re living in,”Nottage tells Vogue, “When I received this invitation to write a piece about women and democracy, I felt it was really aligned with many of the concerns I’ve had about the ways in which our democracy is eroding.” That need to contribute also motivates Schreck, whose writing explores how everyday citizens can effect change. “I think that’s why I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Elsie Parrish,” she says. It is, she feels, important to remember “that some of the biggest changes are made—particularly if you look at constitutional history—by people who simply decided to take action, who were quite ordinary, who decided to say, ‘I’m not going to take that anymore,’ or ‘That’s unfair’ or ‘I refuse to accept being treated this way.’ I feel like her story feels particularly in line with this project and also particularly comforting to me right now.” Nottage drew inspiration from more recent events, focusing on the ways in which the Trump administration has attempted to silence outspoken Black women in positions of power—”all women who had the audacity to sort of challenge this administration and, as a result, were demonized and attacked,” Nottage says. “This is something that’s been happening over the centuries. We’re told that this is a democracy and that we all have voices that are valued, but repeatedly, I think this culture has determined that that is not true for outspoken Black women.” Examples she looked at include New York Attorney General Letitia James, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis, and Lisa Cook, a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. “It feels like the very pillars of a healthy democracy are under attack,” Nottage says. “I’m in a moment in my life where every morning when I get up, I think about, ‘What have I done to protect free speech and fight fascism?’ I thought that this was an opportunity to do something.” The plays will begin to be performed on October 23, with a world-premiere event staging all of the works set for October 24 at the Flynn. Licensing fees will be waived for any nonprofit organizations staging plays from the anthology through November 3—just before the midterm elections and shortly after a federal judge ruled that President Trump’s proposed cancellation of $100 million in funding to various humanities organizations was unconstitutional. “I love that they’re free,” Schreck says. “I love that people are encouraged to use them in different ways—to have a night of performance or just have a little gathering and read it with your friends. Pick one play or do the ones that speak most to you or your community or to your town, to your theater. It feels like the best of what theater can do in relationship to democracy, which is get people gathering and talking and confronting thorny questions.” “I love the idea of it being done in people’s living rooms and backyards—people cooking hot dogs outside and performing [a piece] about democracy,” Swackhamer adds. “That’s more American than fireworks or a baseball game.”
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs The 34Playwright Democracy Theater Project
What is this theater project about
Its a largescale project where 34 playwrights each wrote a short play inspired by democracy The plays are performed together as one sprawling theatrical event
Why 34 playwrights
Using many writers brings in many different viewpoints It reflects democracy itselflots of voices not just one
What kinds of plays are included
Short plays in various styles and tones each exploring a different angle on democracy voting protest power community and civic life
Do I need to know about politics to enjoy it
No The plays are personal stories and dramas not lectures Anyone can follow them
How long is the show
It varies by production but with 34 short plays expect a long evening or a fullday event sometimes split into parts
Is it suitable for all ages
Check with the specific production Content varies by playwright so age guidance differs from show to show
How were the playwrights chosen
Producers typically put out an open call or invite writers from diverse backgrounds to ensure a range of perspectives
Did the playwrights collaborate
Usually each writes independently sometimes after shared workshops or prompts A director or dramaturg then shapes the pieces into a whole
What are the benefits of this format
It showcases new writing gives many artists work at once draws diverse audiences and sparks conversation about civic life
What problems can come up
Uneven quality between plays a long running time and difficulty weaving 34 separate pieces into a coherent evening
How do producers handle those problems
Careful curation grouping plays into themed sections strong directing and trimming or cutting during development
Are there similar projects I can look at
Yesmany cities have held democracy cycle festivals and shortplay marathons with dozens of writers Search for local newplay festivals for models
How can I get involved as a writer
Watch for open calls from theater companies join playwright groups and pitch a short democracythemed play to local festivals
How can I attend or host one
Follow the producing theaters announcements for tickets To host partner with a local company and start with a smaller batch of plays
Whats the biggest tip for audiences
Come with an open mind and