Audible Theater Celebrates the Power of Female Storytelling

In celebration of the power of female storytelling and the intersection of Black History Month and Women’s History Month, Audible will produce In Love and Struggle featuring Sarah Jones, Anita Hill and more, and The Peculiar Patriot written and performed by Liza Jessie Peterson. As with previous Audible Theater shows at the Minetta Lane, In Love and Struggle and The Peculiar Patriot will be recorded live as Audible Original productions and made available to listeners globally on Audible later this year.

On February 28th, 29th and March 1st, In Love and Struggle will bring together a collection of extraordinarily dynamic and talented women of color for evenings of powerful monologues, music, comedy and tributes. The three-night limited engagement connects Black History Month and Women’s History Month as only a leap year can, to create a unique storytelling moment for these impactful voices.

On March 5th, 6th, and 7th, the multi-talented writer and performer Liza Jessie Peterson will showcase her acclaimed solo play – hailed as “powerful” by the Boston Globe – The Peculiar Patriot, a timely and urgent look at mass incarceration in America and the effects of a racially skewed justice system.

“Audible is committed to highlighting the power of storytelling and we are proud to bring these two incredible, female-led shows to the Minetta Lane Theatre in the coming months,” offered Kate Navin, Artistic Producer, Audible Theater. She continued, “In Love and Struggle and Peculiar Patriot showcase voices, experiences, and stories of vibrant women, which we hope will inspire and engage the community across both the live audiences and Audible listeners.

More about In Love and Struggle, Friday, February 28 & Saturday, February 29 @ 8PM; Sunday, March 1 at 3PM:

In Love and Struggle brings together a group of prestigious women of color to share their stories during this unique calendar moment, a leap year which serves as a bridge, uniting Black History Month and Women’s History Month. A rotating slate of participants will include actor Sarah Jones, law professor Anita Hill, commentator Brittany Packnett Cunningham, model and speaker Aaron Philip, poet Mahogany L. Browne, writer Bassey Ikpi, scholar Salamishah Tillet, musician Toshi Reagon, author Jodie Patterson, hip-hop artist Mumu Fresh, harpist Brandee Younger and more to be announced. In Love and Struggle will be recorded live at the Minetta Lane Theatre and released as an Audible Original later this year, extending its reach to millions of Audible listeners around the world. Performers subject to change.

With creative producer and director Monica L. Williams, curator Rebecca Carroll and creative advisor Kamilah Forbes, Audible Theater’s presentation of In Love and Struggle features lighting design by Jen Schreiver, sound design by Justin Ellington and projection design by Katherine Freer and Alex Koch.

The show takes its name from a phrase writer Alice Walker inscribed years ago into a book she signed for young journalist Rebecca Carroll—now a critic at WNYC and the curator of the show.

Tickets to In Love and Struggle start at $49 and are available now at Ticketmaster.com.

More about The Peculiar Patriot, Thursday, March 5- Saturday, March 7 at 7 PM:

Betsy LaQuanda Ross is a self-proclaimed “Peculiar Patriot,” who makes regular visits to penitentiaries in order to boost the morale of her loved ones. When she is not sharing neighborhood updates and gossip, Betsy illuminates our country’s cruel and unjust criminal justice system and its impact not only on the 2.3 million people behind bars, but also their family and friends. Written and performed by the inimitable Liza Jessie Peterson and inspired by her decades-long work with prison populations including on the notorious Riker’s Island, The Peculiar Patriot is a fierce, funny, and shrewd indictment of the systemic inequity within America’s fastest growing industry, tracing its roots from the plantation to the prison yard. Originally produced by the National Black Theatre and Hi-Arts, The Peculiar Patriot will be recorded live at the Minetta Lane Theatre and released as an Audible Original later this year, extending its reach to millions of Audible listeners around the world.

With Original Direction by Talvin Wilks, Audible Theater’s presentation of The Peculiar Patriot features staging by Jonathan McCrory, scenic and lighting design by Maruti Evans, costume design by LaToya Murray-Berry, sound design by Luqman Brown and projection design by Katherine Freer.

Tickets to The Peculiar Patriot start at $23 and are available now at Ticketmaster.com.

Additionally, a limited amount of rush tickets for In Love and Struggle and The Peculiar Patriot will be available on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 10:00am on both performance days. Rush tickets will be sold exclusively by TodayTix for $25. To gain access to rush tickets, ticket-buyers must download the TodayTix app and unlock the functionality by sharing on their Facebook or Twitter pages. Tickets will be available for pick up at the Minetta Lane Theatre box office. Mobile rush concludes when inventory has sold out or two hours before the performance.

Other upcoming events at Audible’s Minetta Lane Theatre include Dan Rather’s Stories of a Lifetime, directed by Kimberly Senior, playing two performances only on Tuesday, February 18 and Wednesday, February 19 at 7PM. Recent live events have included The Half-Life of Marie Curie, an Audible Emerging Playwrights Fund commission by Lauren Gunderson, directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch, and starring Kate Mulgrew and Francesca Faridany; and Common’s Bluebird Memories: A Journey Through Lyrics & Life. These and other award-winning and critically acclaimed Audible performances of captivating stage productions starring Billy Crudup, Judith Light, John Lithgow, Carey Mulligan, Aasif Mandvi, and more are available for pre-order or download at www.audible.com/theater.

Additional events at the Minetta Lane Theatre will be announced in the coming months and Audible has also announced live performances in London and Los Angeles. Information about previous and future live programming produced by Audible is available here.