Powerstories' Voices of Women Theatre Festival
Thu Mar 27, 7:30 PM - Sun Mar 30, 4:00 PM
in 4 days

This year, Powerstories Theatre proudly celebrates its 25th silver anniversary, marking a quarter-century of empowering women and girls through the art of storytelling. As part of this milestone, patrons are invited to two transformative events that honor women's voices and stories.
From March 27-30, the groundbreaking Voices of Women Theatre Festival is an annual event that features live staged readings of plays written by women from different backgrounds and genres. The festival began during the heart of the pandemic to connect isolated patrons with the theatre when the stage was dark. Now in its fifth year, with the tagline of EmpowerHER. InspirHER. AmplifiHER., the festival gives women a safe and inclusive place to tell their stories and inspire audiences.
In 2025, the Voices of Women Theatre Festival will showcase the original works of nine or more exceptionally talented women playwrights. The festival aims to address the stark underrepresentation of women in playwriting and celebrate their diverse and powerful voices.
This festival showcases a lineup with a new category for an often overlooked and under-represented group of women: playwrights over 40. The lineup features:
Full-Length Staged Readings:
• Thursday, March 27, 7:30 PM:
• "Growth" by Erin K. Considine - Playwrights Over 40 category
Sunday, March 30, 4:00 PM:
• "Ama. Egg. Oyá." by Lori Felipe-Barkin - General category
• Short Play Selections – Self-Produced:
Friday, March 28 – 7:30 PM:
• Please Don't Touch My Hair by Vette Berrian
• Post It by Karen Campion
• Villain by Jenna Jane
• Dancing Egrets by Dawn Truax
Saturday, March 29 – 7:30 PM:
• Checkerboard Chicks by Allison Fradkin
• Little Black Kids Don't Go Outside by Kandace James
• Trouble on Georgia Ave by Whitney Jarrett
New to the festival in 2025 is the Powerstories Playwriting Workshop on March 30, led by award-winning playwright Jenny Kokai. Attendees can gain valuable strategies for ideating new stage works, evaluating their potential, and building consistent writing habits. Leave with plenty of play ideas, a draft started, and tips on feedback and revision—all in a friendly and fun environment. No experience is required, just a love for storytelling. The workshop has 20 spots available.
In addition to the festival, join Powerstories for Speaking for Our liveS, a monthly free empowerment event dedicated to uplifting and uniting women in the Tampa Bay community. The next gathering is scheduled for March 11, 2025, from 6:30 – 8:30 PM at Shuffle, 2612 N Tampa St, Tampa, FL 33602. This event includes an open mic for sharing stories, spoken word poetry (three minutes max), karaoke, a meet and greet with the playwrights, cast, and crew of the Voices of Women Theatre Festival, and, of course, sisterhood.
In today's climate, attending these events is more than just a night out—it's a powerful act of solidarity and support for women's voices where the theatre continues to break barriers, inspire change, and create a world where every woman's story is told.
Powerstories' fifth annual Voices of Women Theatre Festival will be at USF Theatre, USF College of the Arts, 3837 USF Holly Drive, Tampa 33620, on March 27-30. For further information on the Voices of Women Theatre Festival, please visit powerstories.com/VOW-2025. Individual event tickets are $18 or $49 for an All Access Festival Pass.
uꜱꜰ’ꜱ ᴘᴏʀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴇꜱᴛɪᴠᴀʟ ɪꜱ ꜰᴜɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴇɴᴛɪʀᴇʟʏ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅɪꜱʜᴍᴀɴ ꜰᴜɴᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴘʟᴀʏᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ. ɴᴏ ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴇ ꜰᴜɴᴅꜱ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴜꜱꜰ ᴀʀᴇ ꜱᴜᴘᴘᴏʀᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ.