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2019 “The Maternity Monologues” By Catherine Higgins-

7th,
August Moore To Feature At The 2019 Dream Up Festival

The Maternity Monologues” by built on those transcripts adding fictional Women’s Voices Series. She has been authors, fresh ideas and edgy, innovative
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CatherineHiggins-Mooreoffersachorus scenarios and voices, pairing them with shortlisted for New York’s Pen Parentis performances.
EXAMINER of pregnancy, birth, and child rearing. viously unspoken dialogues. Trust Award, the Canterbury Festival passion, challenge and intrigue of new
Fellowship, the Ted Hughes Elmet
“of all female voices touching on subjects current events to create honest and pre-
Audiences savor the excitement, awe,
plays from around the country and
At times darkly funny, sad, angry and
Higgins-Moore built this show by inter-
Poet of the Year, the HG Wells Grand
viewing women on their experiences the isolated, the voices in the play are an
Prize, the Oxford Brookes International
around the world.
IRISH show touches on, then based on those tran- honest depiction of how these women Poetry Award, Cambridge University’s tional scripts that are presented in a tra-
The festival does not seek out tradi-
scripts added fictional scenarios and paired feel about their changing bodies,
Jane Martin Girton College Poetry Prize,
them with current events for an honest and finances, relationships and mental and the Bath Short Story Prize, the Windsor ditional way. It selects works that push
previouslyunspokendialogue. physical health as well as how they are Fringe New Writing Award and The new ideas to the forefront, challenge
The piece will be presented for its valued from conception onwards. The Asham Award. audience expectations and make us
New York debut by Theater for the New play offers a uniquely honest look Her other plays include “Just Two question our understanding of how art
City as part of its 2019 Dream Up through fresh eyes at brutal and beauti- People,” produced at the Oxford illuminates the world around us.
Festival from September 5 to September ful timeless themes. Playhouse’s Burton Taylor Studio, and In addition to traditional plays, a
12, directed by the author. Catherine Higgins-Moore is an “The War at Home,” which had a read- unique and varied selection of produc-
Written in the tradition of “The Northern Irish-born writer based in ing at Belfast’s Lyric Theatre. Other tions will again be offered, drawing upon
Vagina Monologues,” “The Maternity Tribeca. She has worked in the news- works include “Strange Roof,” a collec- a variety of performance genres includ-
Monologues” is an episodic play featur- rooms of BBC Oxford and BBC Belfast tion of poetry published by Finishing ing musicals and movement theater.
ing a unique chorus of all female voices and holds Master’s degrees from Trinity Lines Press as part of their “New The Festival’s founders, Crystal Field
working through subjects of pregnancy, College Dublin and the University of Women’s Voice Series.” and Michael Scott-Price, feel this is espe-
birth and child rearing. Oxford. She was commended in BBC’s The tenth annual Dream Up Festival cially needed in our present time of
Just as Eve Ensler’s play sought to International Playwriting Award 2018 (www.dreamupfestival.org) is being pre- declining donations to the arts, grants
break down the barriers of shame and nominated for Harper Collins’ sented by Theater for the New City not being awarded due to market condi-
around the word vagina, and the recent Comedy Women in Print Prize. from August 25 to September 15. tions, and arts funding cuts on almost
Bush Theatre production “Hijabi She writes for The Times Literary An ultimate new works festival, it is every level across the country and
Monologues” challenged stereotypes of Supplement, is founding editor of The dedicated to the discovery of new abroad. C
Muslim women, “The Maternity Irish LiteraryReview and is one of the
Monologues” demystifies the female sifter judges of BBC’s National Short
experience of pregnancy, birth and Story Award.
mothering. She has been awarded bursaries by
Having trained as a BBC journalist Kenneth Branagh and the University of
the writer, Catherine Higgins-Moore Oxford. Her poetry collection, “Strange
interviewed women about their experi- Roof,” was published in the U.S. by
ences of pregnancy and childbirth. She Finishing Line Press as part of their New
Sean Downes

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