The 33rd Annual Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival will take place next week March 26-
March 29, 2026 at Theatre 68 Arts Complex with an opening night Champagne Gala held at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre. The theme of this year’s Festival is “THE STRENGTH WE CARRY”.
The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival (LAWTF) marks 33 years of producing
close to 700 extraordinary multicultural and multidisciplinary solo performers from around
the globe.
PHOTO: LAWTF | South Pasadena News | Walking the red carpet at the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival
The longest running Annual Solo Festival for women in Los Angeles, LAWTF will
kick off this year’s celebration with its catered Annual Champagne GALA on March 26 at
6:30 p.m. at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre located at 4800 Hollywood Boulevard,
Hollywood, CA 90027. Five other programs will continue over the week-end March 27
through March 29 at Theatre 68 Arts Complex- The Rosalie located at 5112 Lankershim
Boulevard, North Hollywood, CA 91601. Purchase tickets for the GALA HERE and for the weekend performances HERE.
The Opening Night GALA will be hosted by TED LANGE (The Love Boat) and
FLORENCE LARUE (The Fifth Dimension, Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame), and directed by FAY HAUSER-PRICE. (Hope Builders). The event will honor six deserving women of
exceptional achievement and contribution to the world of theatre. The festive evening is
named In Tribute To. The awardees include:
CARMEN DE LAVALLADE– Infinity Award
DIANE LADD– Infinity Award
Presented to an artist who has passed on and leaves behind a legacy that will always
be remembered.
YVONNE FARROW– Eternity Award
Presented to an artist or individual whose lifetime achievements have made a lasting
contribution to the world of theatre
VANNIA IBARGUEN– Maverick Award
Presented to an artist or individual whose work has set a high standard of individuality
and self-styled creativity.
ANDI CHAPMAN -Integrity Award
Presented to an artist or individual who has brought credibility and dignity to her
work.
TL FORSBERG– Rainbow Award
Presented to an artist or individual for her diverse contributions in fostering non-
traditional and multicultural theatre works.
There will be live performances. Performers include:
SARAI HICKS in For You. Youth dancer, Sarai Hicks, is inspired to create beauty
through dance.
SONA LEWIS in A Kathak Dance Celebration for Women. This Indian dance pays
homage to women.
CHRISTINA LINHARDT in Habanera. This vocal selection is from the opera
Carmen by French composer Georges Bizet.
CLARINDA ROSS in From My Grandmother’s Grandmother Unto Me. This excerpt
is from a personal play that gives tribute to five generations of Appalachian women.
Friday, March 27 at 8 p.m. Theme: Rising Above.
Hosted by caryn desai (Artistic Director/Producer) and DEBORAH SHARPE-
TAYLOR (Vocalist/Actor).
MICHELLE PERDUE in Thrive, This inspiring piece explores the transformative
journey of a resilient woman after a double mastectomy.
VICTORIA BOATENG in The Drum Speaks. An autistic woman in search of her
voice found the drum as a way to transform silence on her path to identity and freedom.
ALICE CUTLER in Inconceivable. A woman asks the question: How far would you
go to conceive?
LYNNE JASSEM in Lynne Jassem Talks Tap. Lynne Jassem pays tribute to
“hoofers” who guided her along the way as a tap dancer.
Saturday, March 28 at 3 p.m. Theme: Breaking Free,
Hosted by SKY PALKOWITZ (Producer/Actor) and ROSIE LEE HOOKS (Sweet
Honey in the Rock/Producer/Actor).
MEAGAN HARRIS in Lux: A Solo Show. This fast-paced ride using puppetry
explores fear, failure, and fierce self-discovery.
MARISSA MAHONEY in SMILE. This piece explores the daily masks of happiness
we wear while wrestling with the inner voices that chip away at our confidence.
MICIA MOSELY in The Lesbian Lab: The Awakening of a Middle-Aged Black
Lesbian. Doctor Mosely transforms the stage into the Lesbian Lab, where healing is messy,
laughter is mandatory, and every moment is a hypothesis in the making.
GIO QUEZADA in The Suitcase (La Maleto). A Peruvian immigrant confronts
language barriers, menial jobs, discrimination, and culture shock as she grapples with feelings
of discrimination, anxiety, and ultimately seeks solace in therapy.
Saturday, March 28 at 8 p.m. Theme: Introspection.
Hosted by JAHNA HOUSTON (Hollywood Fiction) and CLARINDA ROSS
(Actor/Educator).
ADA CHENG in The Trouble with My Hair. Ada playfully brings the audience on an
emotional and thought-provoking journey of self-discovery and self-love through her struggle
with hair.
TANGIE AMBROSE in Heaven Hi. Tangie takes the audience on a spiritual ride of
angels, psychics, heartbreak, and healing.
FAY HAUSER-PRICE in Notes on Being Human. A meditation on the twists of
thought—the stories we build, the systems we defend, and the fragile hope that love
evolves faster than fear.
Sunday, March 29 at 3 p.m. Theme: Relatively Speaking.
Hosted by ADA CHENG (Actor/Educator) and LULA WASHINGTON (Artistic
Director).
DeBRORAH SHARPE-TAYLOR in DeBorah Sharpe-Taylor Sings. DeBorah
Sharpe-Taylor gives voice to the power of family through song.
KARIN TRACHTENBERG in My Mother Had Two Faces: Reflections on Beauty,
Aging, and Acceptance. Karin seeks closure and comfort in accepting her mother’s
vulnerabilities, strengths, and imperfections through her own mirrored reflection.
RHEAGAN WALLACE in Stage Mama: From Child Star to Leading Lady. This
piece reveals the resilience forged within a complex mother-daughter relationship in
entertainment business and celebrates the enduring spirit of women.
VICKI DELLO JOIO in It’s About Time. As Vicki transitions from daughter to
mothering her own mother, she finds the joy and sorrow in letting go with humor and heart.
Sunday, March 29 at 7 p.m. Theme: Mothers, Music, and Men.
Hosted by LISA RUFFIN (Little Miss African American Pageant Producer) and
TERRIE SILVERMAN (Writer/Director).
JOVELYN RICHARDS in She Cry Dem Blues. A night of solitude, secrets,
sensuality, and confessions come together at Tootsie’s, a 1930s Detroit jazz club, where the
owner’s unspoken love finally reveals his true feelings.
MANDY WILLIAMS in The Funny Thing About Men. In this musical comedy,
Mandy explores the dynamics between men and women and aging within the “domestic
institution.”
BARBARA BROWNELL in Finding My Light. The lights of Broadway and
Hollywood weren’t bright enough to reveal the family secret hiding in plain sight.
Founded by Executive Producer Adilah Barnes and Miriam Reed, the Los Angeles
Women’s Theatre Festival is an Annual Event unique among Los Angeles cultural
institutions, not to be missed. This year’s Festival is directed by Fay Hauser-Price.
This year’s 2025-2026 organizational Official Sponsors and Government Grantors
include the Los Angeles County Arts and Culture, City of Culver City, Department of
Cultural Affairs-LA, City of Burbank, 4imprint, Crown Promotions, KPFK 90.7 FM, and
Adilah Barnes Productions.
Tickets to the March 26 GALA are $60 each or $100 a pair (includes reception).
Tickets to each of the weekend’s other five shows are $30., with an Early Bird discount at
$25. A VIP all access pass for the entire weekend is $150. Group sales (10+) for the GALA,
$45.
Tickets to the GALA can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/in-tribute-to-
champagne-gala-and-awards-ceremony-tickets-1981542512998
Tickets to the other five shows can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-
strength-we-carry-lawtfs-33rd-annual-solo-festival-tickets-1982468591925
For more information, questions or ticket prices, visit LAWTF.ORG or call (818) 760-0408.
