Here are seven short plays
about the social and emotional dilemmas faced by women in the US over the past
100 years. The 5inaHIVE Production’s mission is to produce
theater by and about women which, in this case, they do superbly. There’s
no male bashing here, but an honest view of American women’s ongoing battle to
retain dignity and awareness. Told out of sequence, with humor and meaning, the
impact is strong and the irony ever present.
In historic sequence: (1917)
a suffragette awakens a dormant rebellion in a conventional woman; (1945) a woman
in WW2 has discovered the pleasure and camaraderie of hard work; (1955) three
generations are divided over illegal abortion at the possible cost of a young
girls life; 
(1962) the dubious liberation of being bra-less in the Flower
Child decade; (1992) some airline stewardesses differ over what exactly is sexual
harassment; (2011) the stand-by-your-man good wife is faced by a humiliating political
scandal, and (2015) the bone-chilling efficiency of the modern executive is
pitted against those who fought the battles that got her there. 
All of these engaging playlets
are performed brilliantly by the same three women in vastly different guises. Joanna
Miles is the sagacious one; Julie Janney the thoughtful learner, and Kimberly
Alexander the callow youngster. Each one amazingly transforms into vastly
different characters, yet all lend weight to the theme of women discovering
their power and place in the world.
Plaudits to authors Bonnie
Garvin, Lorin Howard, Nikki McCauley, Deborah Pearl, Susanna Styron, producer Bridget
Terry, and actress Miles. All are well served by directors Iris Merlis, Maria
Gobetti, Jenny O’Hara and Terry. Set and lighting by Tom Meleck are enhanced by
fabulous video projections credited to Fritz Davis and transformative costumes
by Betty Madden.
At Working Stage Theater, 1516 N Gardner St. Hollywood, through
May 17. For tickets: 323-960-7724 or https://www.plays411.com/wotime.
Photos by Vanessa Mirabal
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