War is coming to ASU, as the Binary Theater Company's feminist season closes with a two time crowd pleaser performance.
"Women of War" is a touching story about a group of unnamed women who come together to share their stories, tragedies and challenges in captivity during an unnamed war.
Director Kara Quinn Ward-Tobin said she has been working on the piece since 2012 when she began college theater in Alabama. She said both herself and and co-director Anya Hernandez have been with the piece since its first public workshop in the fall of 2015.
Ward-Tobin said the emotional process affected the manner in which the piece come to life.
"Alongside my extremely talented co director Anya Hernandez we wanted to further develop this show, and truly distill this storytelling exploration," Ward-Tobin said.
The devised piece came about as the passion project for senior Ward-Tobin in ASU's Herberger School. ASU’s original production of "Women of War" was workshopped and performed for ASU’s audiences in order to perfect and explore the complexity of the piece.
Since the workshop, Ward-Tobin said "Women of War’s" spring debut has gone through serious changes.
“We have dropped the majority of the original script, and added in new information statistic and material from primary resources," she said. "We took the original script and stripped it down to its essence."
The performance is to explore harsh and mature topics, with modern dance movement as a form a storytelling. Ward-Tobin said that for the show, they chose to go in the direction they did because the group decided that the focus of the show should be about sharing stories — not creating a show that will please the audience expectations.
Voice and music theatre senior Anasofia Gallegos said she was an actress in "Women of War’s" first workshop and played the role of The Poet” Gallegos said she is looking forward to the show’s final debut and new direction.
“I'm interested to see the new girls, because about half of us were unable to participate in the second production," Gallegos said. "I know that there were a few sections we cut from the original with the hopes of reworking sections, or writing new sections in their place.”
"Women of War" is the last show for Binary Theater Company's season. Marketing Coordinator Tony Potts said he shared the company's excitement for "Women of War."
“This is our last show of the season and we’re excited to finish strong with the follow-up to such a spectacular workshop,” Potts said.
The performance will be set in a new theater for its second debut. Potts said he is enthusiastic about the Company's production in the space.
“We’re excited to see what the devising process has cooked up this time and how providing our student artists with a nurturing incubation space can produce beautiful art,” he said.
Potts said "Women of War" started its season last year and will be closing out this year's season.
“At its core this season has been about sharing stories, and this show is special because we are here to tell stories and share them with the world, and these stories need to be heard,” Potts said.
"Women of War" is to open on Thursday and run until Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at TCE, 951 S. Mill Ave, Tempe. Tickets are $8 or $5 with a canned food item.
Reach the reporter at mesamps1@asu.edu or follow @monicasampson_ on Twitter.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on Twitter.
