the worth of women
"Like the sky, the world shines bright. Not with stars, but women’s light."
The Worth of Women is adapted from a revolutionary book by Venetian writer and poet Moderata Fonte. Written in 1600, this proto-feminist tract asks two questions: how is it that throughout history women have been relegated to second-class citizens; and, knowing all that they know about the treachery, viciousness and cruelty of men, whether fathers, sons, bothers, lovers or husbands, why do women insist on loving them?
The play, adapted from Virginia Cox's English translation of the original text in rehearsal with the cast, tells the story of seven women, all in different periods of their lives, who gather without the company of men in a Venetian garden. The ensuing dialogue explores nearly every aspect of women’s experience in both theoretical and practical terms.
Shockingly contemporary in its thinking, this witty and erudite play premiered at Carnegie Hall's La Serenissima festival in 2017, followed by a production at the Access Theater in New York City. The play has since been presented at the University of Buffalo, the Italian Embassy in Washington, D.C., and in Florence, Italy. An Italian-language version premiered at the Asti Theater Festival 2022.
