GrandWomen
The elder wisdom we need for these times
The Project:
In these wild and frightening times, what can a diverse group of elder women offer us all? We are beginning a new project – GrandWomen, which will be an inspiring new Theater of Witness production and film, created and performed by women in their 70’s, 80’s and 90’s from diverse racial, cultural and economic backgrounds. They will share their own life stories, and wisdom in spoken word, movement, music and film imagery, offering us a new paradigm for peace.
GrandWomen will be premiere in 2026 for the
general public as well as for groups of teen girls as part of an
ongoing mentoring project. The intergenerational connections between
the two groups will inspire and deepen relationships of
understanding and possibility
The Performers:
Some will be grandmothers and great grandmothers, others, single
and proud. They have; knit families and communities together, survived
illness, loss and heartbreak, lived with racism, poverty, sexism
xenophobia and fear. Some were born in the US, others from far away.
They’ve been caretakers, friends and lovers. They have fought for
justice, and dared to live small and large dreams. They’ve been
pathfinders, artists, service workers, corporate leaders, healthcare
providers, caregivers, spiritual leaders and teachers. What wisdom can
this group of
GrandWomen pass on to all of us?
Theater of Witness is an innovative form of
testimonial theater developed by founder and artistic director, Teya
Sepinuck in 1986 in which the true stories of people whose voices
haven’t been heard in society are shaped into original theater and
films performed by the people themselves. The performers share their
own true stories of trauma, marginalization, resilience and
transcendence. The purpose of this work is to open the hearts of
audiences to humanize ‘the other’ and bring people together across
divides of difference. Theater of Witness is authentic, raw
story-telling that cultivates compassion and understanding while
celebrating the resilience of the human spirit and fostering empathy
and understanding.
Theater of Witness productions have been created in the US, Poland and Northern Ireland. Performances are mounted in theaters, schools, congregations, community centers, prisons, and at conferences. We bring the work where it will reach the people who may not otherwise have access.
Highlights
See all activityThis project is fiscally sponsored by CultureTrust Greater Philadelphia, a charitable trust administered by CultureWorks Greater Philadelphia. All donations to this project will be received and managed by CultureTrust. Learn more at cultureworksphila.org.
CultureTrust Greater Philadelphia (EIN: 46-3109411) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, donations to which are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. The official registration and financial information of CultureTrust may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
