ROSE of ST. Therese
By Katie Cappiello
It's 1963. Rose, teenaged and pregnant, is sent away to St. Therese's Home for Unwed Mothers in Worcester, MA-- where nuns rule, bodies are forced into transformation and labor, and babies are surrendered. As Rose and the other girls navigate this wild exile, a sisterhood is forged. All they have is each other-- do they dare to take control of their destinies?
In the pre-Roe years, when sex education was almost non-existent and birth control difficult to obtain, girls who “got themselves pregnant” were often sent to maternity homes. Upon giving birth and under duress, they surrendered their babies for adoption. It's estimated that between 1945 and 1973, more than three million girls and young women were filtered through this coercive system—banished from their homes, enduring their pregnancies in secret, birthing alone, babies taken without their consent—all in the name of preserving the “American family.”
Featuring Ella Stiller, Allegra Leguizamo, Lola Blackman, David Iacono, Amalia Yoo, Mirabella Raschke Robinson, Nicole Petersen, Emma Rosemond, Pearl Zeldin, Una Clancy, Sam Grobmeier, Mike Menendez, Kea Trevett, and Adrián Burke
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE
By Katie Cappiello
Where Do We Go From Here explores the questions at the center of teenage life: What’s next? Where will I go? Who am I? Who will I be? For foster youth, the journey toward answers is often far more complicated. The actors of the GoodCapp Arts Youth Theater Ensemble bring to life the stories of Callie, Dev, Wesley, Sonia and more — young people touched by the foster care system who are challenged to strive and determined to thrive.
This one-act play explores four key focus areas in foster youth advocacy: the impact of the opioid epidemic on children and families, the risk of sexual exploitation for youth in foster care, the burden of aging out of the system, and the unique challenges facing youth with incarcerated parents.
This piece was developed for The National CASA/GAL Association, a leading foster youth focused organization, which supports and promotes court-appointed volunteer advocacy so every child who has experienced abuse or neglect can be safe, have a permanent home, and the opportunity to thrive.
Where Do We Go From Here debuted in 2022 in Seattle, WA, and will be staged in WI, MO, IW and MA in 2023.
JOY
By Katie Cappiello
Jesus first. Others second. You last. JOY.
In a rundown farmhouse, in an isolated Christian community in upstate New York, adopted sisters Joanie and Jessa Wade go to desperate lengths to please their God, their mother...and their bodies. Since her husband's recent passing, Kristy Wade strives to honor his memory and teachings by keeping her family on its faithful track. But how can she preserve her daughters' purity and safety, when puberty takes hold and Joanie and Jessa begin to forge their own paths?
"While JOY takes a look at one family in a small NY community, the policing of female sexuality is a universal practice: slut shaming, school dress codes, purity balls, child marriage, female genital mutilation, abortion bans... We’re well into the 21st century and masturbation is still taboo among teen girls, young women are still deemed dangerous, distracting, even murderous, and vaginas are still degraded, so I'm inspired by the girls who rage against that machine– who believe their bodies belong to them and dare to seek their own pleasure. Their pleasure is not dirty or wrong, it's their birthright."
The original cast: Mirabella Raschke-Robinson (Grand Army) as JOANIE, Rebecca Renner as JESSA, Kea Trevett (Classic Stage Company's Othello) as KRISTY, and Mike Turner (ART's Night of the Iguana) as PASTOR GREGORY.
SLUT: The Play
By Katie Cappiello
Inspired by the experiences of NYC teens, SLUT follows the journey of Joey Del Marco, a 16-year-old girl who is sexually assaulted by three life-long friends during a Friday night out. Through Joey’s story and those of young people in her community, witness the impact of rape culture and the importance of being heard. SLUT was developed in collaboration with The Arts Effect All-Girl Theater Company under the direction of Katie Cappiello & Meg McInerney.
SLUT is currently touring nationally and has been produced worldwide reaching thousands. The work of Katie Cappiello and the teen cast members has been featured in The New Yorker, New York Times, Newsweek, Politico, Teen Vogue, Seventeen and more. The script is available for license and the touring production is available for bookings.
NOW THAT WE'RE MEN
By Katie Cappiello
Andrew must be gay. Marcus knocked-up his girl. Nick's a little too addicted to fetish porn. Derek's falling in love with Kelsey. Evan downed a handful of pills and pushed a hook-up too far. In the weeks leading up to prom, the close friendships of a group of New York City high school students are put to the test. Hey, it's junior year. Time to "man up"—right?
Inspired by conversations with boys across the country, Now That We're Men exposes the reality that boys, alongside girls, are battling with rape culture and utter confusion about consent. Young men are struggling to live up to impossible standards of masculinity, just as they’re dealing the tumult of growing-up and coming into their sexual selves.
If we want to effectively address issues like slut-shaming, revenge porn, trolling, sexual harassment, sexual assault, homophobia, violence, binge drinking, group aggression–to name a few common, pernicious issues–we have to care about and talk about what it means to be young and male today.
HER STORY, UNCUT
By Katie Cappiello
Deka, a 16-year-old New Yorker, is unknowingly scheduled to be cut during her summer vacation to her parents’ village in Somalia; Fatima, a 13-year-old Egyptian girl living in the UK, discovers she’s missing her clitoris while making anatomy flashcards for school, she soon learns 82% of girls in Egypt are “circumcised" illegally; Chloe, a 16 year old living in Minneapolis, fights to prevent her best friend, Almaz, from being during a planned Eritrean-community ceremony; and Lankenua, a 15-year-old Maasai girl living in Kenya, is one of the few uncut girls in her tribe and sees her mother’s activism as an act of bravery.
Female Genital Mutilation affects over 200 millions girls and women worldwide. Her Story, Uncut brings to life the stories of those impacted by this practice, examines the cultural pressures and gender norms that fuel FGM, and shines light on the inspiring efforts of community leaders to eradicate cutting. Each character in this one-act play is inspired by the research and interviews conducted by Katie Cappiello and Equality Now. Her Story, Uncut was commissioned by Equality Now and debuted at The United Nations in January 2016 on Zero Tolerance Day.
A DAY IN THE LIFE
By Katie Cappiello
A Day in the Life reveals the truth about sex trafficking and the impact of “pimp and ho” culture on lives of young people. Journey into lives of six teens whose paths have been forever changed by commercial sexual exploitation: Nadia attends her school’s annual "Pimp and Ho" party, Eve’s father is arrested for solicitation, Kaitlyn’s cousin has been on the streets for 4 years with no support from loved-ones, Rachel is targeted by pimps while trying to hide from domestic abuse plaguing her Upper West Side family, Desiree prepares to celebrate her Sweet 16 after finally escaping her trafficker, and Sonia is bounced from foster home to foster home as she fights keep her head above water.
These powerful stories, reflecting the real experiences of real girls, will give audiences an authentic look at the complex, often misunderstood reality of the sex trade in today's hyper-sexualized culture– and the ways we're all impacted.
FACEBOOK ME
By KatIe Cappiello
Six million girls ages 13-15 are on Facebook leaving countless adults to ponder what it would be like to come of age in the iGeneration. facebook me is a shockingly real look into the lives of ten teen girls as they attempt to navigate the excitement and embarrassment, the shame and the success of their adolescence online…where status is so much more than an update. Private battles are fought in public as thousands witness, comment, take sides and ultimately determine a victor. A witty comment, a suggestive photograph, a scandal revealed– nothing is too sacred or too personal in the goal to garner “likes” and be liked. facebook me bravely reveals the secret lives of teens online. facebook me was developed in collaboration with The Arts Effect All-Girl Theater Company under the direction of Katie Cappiello & Meg McInerney.
KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN
by Katie Cappiello
WINNER OF THE FRINGE MOST OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE AWARD, takes viewers on an unexpected journey inside the world of the girls of Westbrook Middle School! The tricky and trying realities faced by our daughters, sisters, and friends are humorously examined through the eyes of Winnifred, a precocious 11-year-old (1⁄2 Ramona Quimby, 1⁄2 Juno MacGuff) armed with a video camera and a laptop. Determined to move the masses, Winnie creates her very own reality web-series called Winnifred's Words of Wisdom. With help from her classmates, The Westbrook Wildcat Dance Team, the music of Gwen Stefani, Fergie, and Soulja Boy, and inspired by her hope for a better world, Winnifred reveals life beyond Disney Channel and Juicy Couture and captures real stories about real girls! KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN was developed in collaboration with The Arts Effect All-Girl Theater Company under the direction of Katie Cappiello & Meg McInerney.