15 Heroines To Hit the Stage for Women’s History Month

March is Women’s History Month and it just wouldn’t be the same in the capital without an event from the wonderfully talented Tatiana, creator of the podcast Hopelessly Tatiana. Last year saw her create and produce a special performance called Women Flip the Script Monologues which saw an all-female cast performing traditionally male-led monologues.

This year Tatiana is working with The Right Way (TRW), language school to co-produce a performance of 15 Heroines. It's based on a series of fictional letters called Heroides (The Heroines) written two thousand years ago by the Roman poet Ovid. The letters give voices to 15 women from Greek and Roman mythology who were left in the wake of some of the most famous Greek and Roman heroes. 15 Heroines reworks and reimagines these 15 monologues in a 21st Century setting. 

Like the Women Flip the Script Monologues, 15 Heroines is an all-female cast and crew. It is set to take place Mar 31 and Apr 1, we talked to Tatiana to find out more about the play, its cast, and why she choose it. 

Why did you choose 15 Heroines as the play for Women’s History Month this year?
I wanted a play that had some historical appeal with a contemporary twist, so this play is perfect. The play takes 15 of the monologue by Ovid and modernizes them into stories of modern day women. Taking each character from her original place in historical literature and placing her directly into the 21st Century. While their stories remain the same, the context has changed, making each character significantly more relatable. The monologues were written by 15 different female and non-binary British playwrights to ensure that these plays contain a broader, more inclusive spectrum of experiences. 

Can you tell us a little bit about the performers and how you found them?
The cast is full of talented women, and I am so grateful they auditioned and wanted to participate in this amateur production. The character of Oenone will be played by Parishia who is the founder of Gleneya Beauty, a natural skin and hair care line. She’s is a force of nature in everyday life, and has done an excellent job bringing that fire to the stage. 

Laodamia is performed by Daya who is one of the founders of The Right Way (TRW) language school. They offer classes in Spanish and Chinese. Daya is a sweet, generous, and warm person. No matter what the task is she always rises to the occasion. As well as bringing Laodamia to life on the stage TRW is co-producing this production and I could not be more appreciative to work so closely with such an amazing woman. 

Hermione is being played by Song, a commercial and voice over producer. While her everyday experience usually places her behind a camera, she is a wonder on stage. The fire and passion she brings to her character is unmatched! 

Briseis is played by Ola who is no stranger to the stage. She graduated from theater school in 2016 and has also participated in several plays here in Beijing. The audience can look forward to watching her transform on stage. 

Penelope will be played by Mengchen Ji better known as MJ to her friends. You may recognize her from the Flip the Script play last March or the Chinese production of the Vagina Monologues. One of MJ’s many skills is making her characters feel realistic and relatable, so the audience can expect to feel a sense of real empathy for her character’s situation. 

I cannot over state how thankful I am for all of these women, and well as my behind the stage team: Kizzy Christopher as Stage Manager, Johana as the Set and Costume Designer, Shadow Song aka Merlin and Kopyrh Snyder-Shane as understudies. Without all these lovely and talented women, this play would not be possible. 

This coming performance is called Part One: The War does that mean you have plans for more performances in the future?
15 Heroines is broken into three parts: The War, The Desert, and The Labyrinth. Each part has five women; some of whom are well known and others people will meet for the first time, for a total of 15 heroines. With any luck, The Desert and The Labyrinth will take place in the coming months, so for those who are interested in becoming a member of the next cast keep an eye out for future casting calls! 

The rights to perform 15 Heroines were purchased from Nick Hern Productions in London, England. This play was first performed as a televised production during the height of the pandemic in 2020.

15 Heroines will take place 7.30pm, Mar 31 and Apr 1 at JinShang Indoor Garden. Early bird tickets are RMB 150 and standard tickets RMB 185, they have be purchased by scanning the QR code in the poster above. Warning this play includes adult content and is not suitable for young children. 

JinShang Indoor Garden,JinShangYuan 金尚源
20 Xinyuanli West, Chaoyang District
朝阳区新源里西20号

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Images courtesy of Hopelessly Tatiana