This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Neighbor News

Musical Hosted by League of Women Voters Needham November 3

Hear about 400 Years of Women's History in one hour!

Performers from the production of "We Did It For You!"
Performers from the production of "We Did It For You!"

The musical We Did It For You! is more than just something to entertain people. “It offers a multi-century parade of feminine genius and courage, and does it with humor and fun,” according to Paul Williams, the Oscar-winning songwriter. Written by Thea Iberall, We Did It For You! is a charming musical that tells of the struggles and triumphs women have undergone to get their basic rights in America.

We Did It for You! will be performed on November 3 at 3 p.m. at Needham Town Hall. Tickets are $15/adults and $10/students in advance. After the performance, there will be a Q&A with the cast and playwright.

The play follows a high school student whose history project requires her to determine who has done the most for women of today, and she learns the answer from the women themselves. The cast portrays more than 25 impactful women in US history.

Find out what's happening in Wellesleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

When members of the Needham League of Women Voters saw We Did It For You!, they knew this was an important piece of theater to bring to Needham. LWV Needham President Karen Price said, “As I was watching the musical for the first time, I envisioned it being performed in historic Powers Hall. We are excited to bring the play to Needham for a special matinee performance as part of our yearlong celebration of women.”

Audience members have said, “The play was amazing! I laughed, I cried, and I sang along. Watching that play was a gift. I learned so much and really was awed by what women accomplished, against giant odds. Beautiful experience.”

Find out what's happening in Wellesleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Maryann Ziemba, a social studies teacher, said, “The play is an instructional gem.” To encourage young people—boys and girls—to attend, we are offering a lower price for students.

We Did It For You! has been performed in Massachusetts since 2017 in churches, libraries, theaters, and museums. What makes We Did It for You! so special? Playwright Iberall didn’t want to just tell the basic story of women’s suffrage and the women’s rights movement in the 1960s. She dug deeper, doing research that brought in early influences on women’s rights such as the Puritan Revolution and the Abolitionist Movement. She also augmented known stories with lesser-known activists and constructed the play around specific anecdotes. It’s not what the women did, but how and why. “The result is like peering at history through a magnifying glass,” Iberall said.

Tickets are $15/adults and $10/students in advance, and $20 at the door, if available. Visit www.lwv-needham.org for information and to purchase tickets. For photos, more about the play, and ticket purchasing, visit www.wediditforyou.org. For questions contact president@lwv-needham.org. The program is partially funded by a grant from the Needham Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, and the League of Women Voters of Needham Education Fund.

###

If you would like more information, please contact Thea Iberall at thea@iberall.com or at 562-243-0191, or contact Karen Price at karenprice.ma@gmail.com or at 781-771-9059.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NeedhamLWV

Facebook: www.facebook.com/WDIFY

YouTube: https://youtu.be/XS45Bfbobk0

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Wellesley