The Woman Question

People’s Light

A shot of the People's Light campus on a beautiful day. — People’s Light, Malvern, PA. Photo by Bryan Sheffield.

Recipient

Grant Year 2023

Grant Amount $360,500

Status Forthcoming

Updated September 3, 2024

A new play examines gendered healthcare disparities and bodily autonomy through both historical and contemporary lenses. The stories of women who led the charge for women’s health and reproductive freedom 150 years ago are interwoven with the experiences of 21st-century women who are medical students, doctors, nurses, and patients. The creative team, which includes playwright Suli Holum and director Melissa Crespo, draws stories from historical records of the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, held in the Drexel University Legacy Archive, with a focus on doctors Anna Broomall (who founded the first outpatient maternity and prenatal care clinic in the US) and Rebecca Cole (the second Black woman to become a physician in the US).

The total grant amount represents project funding plus an additional 20% in unrestricted general operating support.

Recipient

People’s Light

Founded in 1974, People's Light is one of Pennsylvania's largest professional nonprofit theaters and is known for its resident company of artists, eclectic mix of productions, and innovative work with young people. The company produces a mix of world premieres, contemporary plays, and fresh approaches to classic texts. Its initiatives include the New Play Frontiers Residency and Commission program to support the development of new work.

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