1812 Productions will present its most ambitious production to date with the world-premiere comedy “It’s My Party: The Women and Comedy Project,” April 25-May 19.
Created and directed by artistic director Jennifer Childs, the show features a diverse ensemble of female Philadelphia actors exploring gender stereotypes, how women use comedy and how that usage changes as they age.
To accomplish this, the production uses several artistic styles, going from a scripted play to standup comedy to cabaret.
Lance Kniskern, the out set designer for the show, was tasked with transforming the backdrops for the ever-changing environments on stage, which get more complex as the show progresses and range from a schoolroom to a temple to a discotheque.
“We start out in a very small room and we push into the large space that is not very specific,” Kniskern said. “A lot of inspiration came from Greek temples. We talked about spaces where conversations happen so we looked at kitchens and kitchen décor. I took all of that and created spaces and looks for everything. We gave it to Jen and took it from there.”
The show’s three acts take the audience through dissection of the academic, intellectual and historical parameters that have defined the “funny woman.”
It continues with real stories (drawn from more than 100 interviews with women from the East Coast) of lives lived and closes with a cabaret of self-expression. As part of the two-year interview and workshop process for the show, Childs opened the creative process to individuals with storytelling and improvisational gatherings, everywhere from 1812’s artist studio to halfway houses for women getting out of prison and victims of domestic violence.
“There’s a lot of wonderful moments and a lot of laughs,” Kniskern said. “There’s a thoughtful side to it as well, taking a look at how women change throughout their lives and how women use humor to get through something difficult.”
Kniskern added that, while the show focuses on women, it will resonate with everyone.
“It is women-specific but, seeing the show develop, I never felt like I was outside that realm,” he said. “Anyone that laughs and uses humor to get through a difficult situation would understand it and appreciate the message of the show.”
1812 Productions presents “It’s My Party: The Women and Comedy Project,” April 25-May 19 at Plays and Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey St. For more information or tickets, call 215-592-9560 or visit www.1812productions.org.