In an evening of poetry, music, art and essays, leading Charleston artists from teenagers to 60-year-olds will share on Oct. 24 their stories about womanhood on the Cannon Street Arts Center stage.
Midlife Monologues is a theatrical showcase which will shine a light on the challenges and joys of a woman’s life — from turning 30 to the anxieties of motherhood to the hot bright light of menopause.
The event is organized by essayist Kerri Devine and PURE Theatre’s leader Sharon Graci with help from author Stephanie Hunt. Devine is the organizer behind Hot in Charleston, an Instagram-based virtual community focused on the female midlife experience, which last year hosted a sold-out World Menopause Day event at the Gibbes Museum of Art.
“So people were saying, what are you doing this year for World Menopause Day?” Devine said. “I thought of Sharon — we knew each other because we have daughters the same age, and we’re the same age — and Stephanie Hunt, who is a creative collaborator and a great writer. The three of us talked about it, and the next thing we knew, we were producing an event, a showcase called Midlife Monologues, which is about the road to, through and after midlife.
“It’s an intergenerational program, because we believe that having these conversations, conversations that our mothers didn’t tell us about and that our doctors aren’t really prepared to talk about, are important.”
Graci emphasized this event is for everyone to come and gain a better understanding of the female experience.
“There is, of course, a whole constituency in our community that can relate. But if you’re not a woman, if you’re not midlife, there is someone you love who can relate to this,” Graci said.
Devine and Graci share the vision that this showcase should represent the arc of a woman’s journey — that’s why teenage artists will present alongside women who are deep into their lives and careers. They hope the showcase can provide deep exploration of what Devine said is a “constantly shifting conversation” in our culture as a whole.
This show is part of that larger cultural movement to redefine midlife in all of its potential for women — in the family, in the workplace and in our collective imagination.”
Kerri Devine
“I think that there is a real culture shift going on right now … in the way that we talk about and think about midlife,” Devine said. “This show is part of that larger cultural movement to redefine midlife in all of its potential for women — in the family, in the workplace and in our collective imagination.”
A portion of event proceeds will go to the Medical University of South Carolina’s Arts in Healing program and Mugs for Moms, which uses the arts to support the emotional health of women in the perinatal years. Expect wine, mocktails and authors’ books available for purchase through Buxton Books. Emmy Award-winning News 2 anchor and women’s health advocate Carolyn Murray will present a special prologue.
Devine said the goal of the event is to spark deep conversation and introspection.
“I want us to talk about who we are, separate from the roles and identities that society has envisioned for us or that we have envisioned for our own lives. Those are the sorts of questions that you start asking yourself in midlife — and I think maybe if we can get women to start asking these questions about themselves and their lives sooner, we can make sure that women live fuller lives, supported by their families and communities.”
The 7 p.m. Oct. 24 show is sold out, but a second show set for 8:30 p.m. Oct. 24 is now available. Doors open for the second show at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $31 to $51, with $15 streaming tickets also available at puretheatre.org.
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