3-18-26-IF Theatre INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — IF Theatre and Betty Rage Productions are hosting FemmeFest, a four-day theatrical festival featuring 47 artists and four original productions. The event, held in March to coincide with International Women’s Month, features a rotating lineup of sho ws, with each production performed three times. The festival serves as a platform for women, trans and nonbinary theatermakers to develop projects with professional guidance. Nationally, only 30% of produced plays are written by women, according to data provided by organizers. FemmeFest evolved from DivaFest, a program established in 2011 to address gender disparities in the performing arts. Organizers selected four projects from a pool of 20 applicants through an open submission process. Callie Burk-Hartz, festival director at IF Theatre, said they were looking for the best, biggest ideas, resulting in a mix of formats, including a one-woman show, a cabaret piece, a political dark comedy and a collection of short plays. The featured productions include “Female Troubles,” a musical comedy cabaret by Elle Tyler, directed by Ana Hammersley, and “BS Conversations,” a monodrama by Alicia Sims. Jacqueline Ridberg Larabee wrote “Out of Yard Signs,” a political dark comedy directed by Ebony Chapel. The fourth production, “The Shared Stage,” led by Robin Kildall, features six 10-minute plays. Burk-Hartz said “The Shared Stage” highlights the collaborative nature of the festival, bringing together multiple local playwrights and directors. She said the festival showcases a range of artistic voices and storytelling approaches and reflects the program’s evolution since its earlier versions as DivaFest and DivaXFest, which began in 2011. Tyler, a newcomer to Indianapolis, developed “Female Troubles” as a collaborative project, with actors contributing to the narrative. She described the production as a mini musical focused on the experiences of women and said the festival provided the resources needed to stage the work. Single tickets are $15. IF Theatre also offers a “Femme50” pass for $50, which allows attendees to see all four shows during the weekend. Burk-Hartz recommended the pass for those wanting to experience the full range of the festival, noting that all of the productions are original and offer a variety of perspectives. The productions will continue to rotate throughout the four-day festival. Tickets remain available at the IF Theatre box office. For more information, visit indyfringe.org/femmefest. ...read more read less