Venus Theatre is the longest-running regional theater producing only plays written by women. The theatre was founded as a nonprofit in Laurel by Deborah Randall in 2001. [1]
Deborah Randall is the founding Artistic Director. The musical director is Alan Scott. Venus Theatre was an outgrowth of Venus Envy, an all-female improv troupe and outreach company. Venus Envy was an outgrowth of the SHE Co in DC. Venus Envy did community outreach with other organizations such as: Code Pink, The House of Ruth, Take Back the Night, and Break the Chain. Venus Theatre has primarily produced works by and about women.
Awards: Helen Hayes/American Express Award for Artistic directors. Past productions have won the Maryland Theatrical Association's Best Drama Prize in 2002 and 2005.[2]
Venus Theatre moved out of its space of 15 years in Laurel, MD in February of 2022. The Covid epidemic along with a nearly 30% rental increase were the determining factors.
Production history includes:
2019 COLLABORATIVE ITERATIONS- Jane app by Deborah Randall, #solestories by Renee Calarco, The Finger by Doruntina Basha, The Powers that BE by Deborah Randall and Alan Scott; 2018 This Little Light by Jennifer Faletto, The Speed Twins by Maureen Chadwick, Living and Dying with Tricia McCauley by Deborah Randall, Running On Glass by Cynthia Cooper; 2017 SELECTIONS FROM: the Methuen Drama Book of Suffrage Plays edited by Naomi Cruz, Tunnel Vision by Andrea Lepcio, Aglaonike’s Tiger by Claudia Barnett, The Ravens by Alana Valentine; 2016 FUR by Migdalia Cruz, Garbage Kids by Jayme Kilburn, Rock the Line by Kathleen Warnock, Soft Revolution: Shafana and Aunt Sarrinah by Alana Valentine, 2015 GOD DON' LIKE UGLY by Doc Andersen-Bloomfield, dry bones rising by Cecelia Raker, Witches Vanish by Claudia Barnett, RAW by Amy Bernstein; 2014 Virus Attacks Heart by Shannon Murdoch, We Are Samurai by Daria Marinelli, Light of Night by Cecilia Copeland, Ding!. or bye bye dad by Jayme Kilburn; 2013 No. 731 Degraw-Street, Brooklyn or Emily Dickinson's Sister by Claudia Barnett, Gift of Forgotten Tongues by Fengar Gael, Grieving for Genevieve by Kathleen Warnock, Following Sarah by Rich Espey; 2012 A Girl Named Destiny by Rand Higbee, Punk Rock Mom by Alyson Mead, Devil Dog Six by Fengar Gael, Claudie Hukill by Sean O'Leary; 2011 The Last Reading of Charlotte Cushman written by Carolyn Gage | directed by Karen Shields, Hypnotic Murderess written by Steven Levingston, Lou by John Carter, The Stenographer by Zoe Mavroudi; 2010 Looking for the Pony written by Andrea Lepcio | directed by Catherine Tripp, Play Nice! written by Robin Rice Lichtig | directed by Lee Mikeska Gardner, In the Goldfish Bowl written by Kay Rhodes, Zelda at the Oasis written by P.H. Lin | directed by Lynn Sharp Spears; 2009 not such stuff by Chris Wind, Homokay's Medea by Julianne Homokay, Why'd Ya Make Me Wear This Joe? by Vanda, Helen of Sparta by Jacob M. Appel; 2008 wRighting Women Reading Series: Baby Dykes, Straight Chicks, and Actresses/Ordinary Mourning/Oh...God...Yes! by Linda Suzuki, wRighting Women Reading Series: JUVENILLA by Reina Hardy, wRighting Women Reading Series: Breaking the Bell JaR plays on poems by sylvia plath by Julianne Homokay, All female Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare, wRighting Women Reading Series: Tophet Point by Chris Shawn Swanson, wRighiting Women Reading Series: THE AMAZING YAMASHITA AND THE GOLDDIGGERS OF 2009 by Carolyn Gage, THE PARMACHENE BELLE CALAMITY JANE SENDS A MESSAGE TO HER DAUGHTER AND OTHER SOLO SHORTS written by Carolyn Gage | directed by Carolyn Gage. LYSISTRATION: A FEMINIST ROCK OPERA by Deborah Randall (DC Fringe Festival), wRighting Women Reading Series: ON THIN ICE by Lisa Bonita Bridgens, wRighting Women Reading Series: Three Sisters From Queens by Claudia Haas, wRighting Women Reading Series: A SLICE OF HER LIFE by Gina Stewart | directed by Carolyn Gage; 2007 Heartfriends Musical for Children: Boogsnot and the Disco Dancing Meltdown of the Snows by Deborah Randall and Alan Scott, Heartfriends Musical for Children': Fiona the Fish and the Magical Carwash, by Deborah Randall and Alan Scott, Heartfriends Musical for Children: Juanita the Walrus Goes on a Shopping Spree (reprise) by Deborah Randall and Alan Scott; 2006 Are You A Daughter of Molly Maguire? by Deborah Randall, How She Played the Game by Cynthia Cooper | directed by Benjamin Pohlmeier, Heartfriends Musical for Children; Juanita the Walrus Goes on a Shopping Spree by Deborah Randall and Alan Scott; 2005 Cigarettes and Moby Dick by Migdalia Cruz, A Little Rebellion Now by Lisa Voss; 2004 Ugly Ducklings by Carolyn Gage, Bad girls III Summer Play Festival: The Redemption written by Dale Spender, Charisse Montgomery, Jeni Bindeman, Jae Kramison, Linda Suzuki, Deborah Randall, Jenny Klion, and J. Montegue; 2003 Bad Girls II Summer Play Festival; 2002 Bad Girls Summer Play Festival, CodePink Outdoor Play Readings: Rules of the Playground by Carolyn Gage, A Chat With Miss Chicky by Dale Spender; 2000 Daughters of Molly Maguire by Deborah Randall; 1999 Til It Hurts Solo Tour by Deborah Randall; 1998 The Voice Inside the Vessel, three woman tour by Deborah Randall
Recent productions include Shakespeare's Measure for Measure and On Thin Ice. The theater's annual "retro-classic" new works series for 2009 featured Chris Wind's Not Such Stuff, Julia Homokay's Homokay's Medea, Vanda's Why'd Ya Make Me Wear This, Joe, and Jacob M. Appel's Helen of Sparta.[3]