THE PROMISE OF A ROSE GARDEN boot camp/first rehearsal. Photo by Elyse Dawson

Babes With Blades Theatre Company, the long-standing all-female stage combat focused ensemble, is slated to open their 19th season with THE PROMISE OF A ROSE GARDEN by Dustin Spence, winner of their JOINING SWORD & PEN playwriting competition, this July at City Lit Theatre in Edgewater.

THE PROMISE OF A ROSE GARDEN, directed by Elyse Dawson, is part of a season focusing on women on the front lines. A theme, according to a statement from Co-Artistic Directors Dawson and Kathrynne Wolf that addresses women and warfare, “particularly women actively participating in direct combative engagement, and all the societal and personal baggage that goes along with it.”

In addition, Babes With Blades will also produce Shakespeare’s HENRY V in February, in the all-female style, they are known for.

When asked why a season focusing solely on women on the battle front, Dawson and Wolf referenced “the war that women continue to wage, battle by battle, for equal rights—particularly during this election season” as a motivating factor. “Women as a group are on the front lines, fighting for those rights, and we aim to support that fight by continuing to place women and their stories center stage. We celebrate and continue a history of offering unique opportunities to, and expanding the canon for, female theatrical artists.”

THE PROMISE OF A ROSE GARDEN opens Aug 6th at City Lit and features Babes With Blades ensemble members Patti Moore, Maureen Yasko, and
Kathrynne Wolf, with Catherine Dvorak, Arti Ishak, Sam Long, Izis Mollinedo, and Aaron Wertheim.