CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A 17-year-old wrestles with her choices under Title X. The director of a women's clinic defends her patient's right to reproductive justice. A conservative congresswoman urges her pro-life supporters to fight the battle for the unborn.
In "Title X," a new play by Julie Proudfoot, eight radically different women share stories about their fight for autonomy over their own bodies, from 1978 to the present day.
"We start with a 17-year-old, who is in a Planned Parenthood clinic to be tested for pregnancy and trying to figure out — if they come through the door and tell her she's pregnant — what she's going to do, and then we end with that same women years later, which wraps the bow in the play," said Proudfoot.
Proudfoot said she started writing the play two years ago.
"When we went into sheltering in place back in 2020, I had already been researching the impact of the Trump administration on Title X," she recalled.
She co-directed the play with Willow James.
"The third requirement of Title X funding was gagged, which is to inform women of their right to a medically safe and legal abortion," Proudfoot said. "This happened in 2019, prior to the recent SCOTUS decision on Roe, and when that happened that really fired me up."
Julie Proudfoot (L), starting writing "Title X" in 2020. Melanie McNulty (R), is one of two actors who each play four different roles and tell the stories of eight female characters.Lisa Fielding
Two actors, Melanie McNulty and Kaitlyn Chang, each play four roles to tell the stories of eight female characters.
"These eight women are totally fictionalized and based on my research and my life experience." said Proudfoot.
McNulty said she was drawn to the play because of the topic and its message.
"Title X" follows the stories of eight radically different women, who share stories about their fight for autonomy over their bodies.Lisa Fielding
"It's a huge challenge as an actor to play four different roles," she said. "The topic and substance is something I'm incredibly passionate about as a woman and as an actor, as a young woman, it's what I want to speak about and put forward."
Proudfoot said she hopes patrons, no matter how you feel about reproductive rights, come away from the story with a new perspective.
"I hope three things happen," Proudfoot said. "One: that they see women and their experiences with some more empathy and more compassion, regardless where they stand on the political stand of pro life or pro choice.
"I also hope that they begin to look at some of these characters that may be very different from them and understand them better and we really have to take action," she said. "We can't just sit back and say oh, it happened to women. We all have women in our lives and they're being impacted in a negative way so I really hope folks see the call to action in this play."
McNulty said she hopes her work can feed into an effort to shift how society views women.
"I want to be part of a revolution that shows society that women have so much power and we have such a wide range of feelings and knowledge," she said. "We've been put in this box for eternity, and how do we change that narrative and believe in that potential and that capacity."
First preview and press opening of "Title X" is Friday, Nov. 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Theater Wit Performances continue through Dec. 18, and tickets are already on sale at TheaterWit.org.Lisa Fielding
Proudfoot is the founder of Artemisia Theatre, which produces plays centered around empowering women and provides opportunities for female-identifying theater artists regardless of race, ethnicicy, sexual orientation and identity, economic status, age and disability.
She said Artemisia makes women heroes of their own lives by sharing their stories and amplifying their voices.
"I think the thing that we talk about a lot is the potential for healing and hope that this play gives because the ending really does bring you to that point," Proudfoot smiled.
First preview and press opening of "Title X" is Friday, Nov. 25 at 7:30 p.m. Performances continue through Dec. 18: Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets, $25 – $40, are on sale now at TheaterWit.org or by calling the Theater Wit box office, (773) 975-8150. Theater Wit is located at 1229 W. Belmont Ave., in the Belmont Theatre District in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood.
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