“The Holy O,” written and performed by Lauren Hance, takes a whole body approach to spirituality and God, and makes its West Coast premiere at Whitefire Theatre’s Solofest on Wednesday, March 9.
“The Holy O” by Lauren Hance does not shy away from the often paradoxical intersection of body and spirit. Vera, a vivacious and possibly lost woman, is contemplating becoming a Catholic nun but has never considered celibacy one of her virtues. Her situation is complicated by the onset of visions and rapturous prayers. As Vera sorts through the remaining bits of what she owns, her story unfolds and is intertwined with stories of other women’s experiences exploring the connection between the body, the spirit, and sexuality. Vera interacts with the audience as they become characters from her past and saints in her preset. Will Vera enter the religious life or abandon it for something better? “The Holy O” borders between interactive and immersive theatre as the audience is invited to become part of the story and determine its outcome. Vera’s journey is interwoven with stories inspired by interviews with dozens of women and female-identifying people
Lauren Hance
Writer and performer Lauren Hance is a playwright, producer, director, and actress. Lauren’s plays have been produced across the country including Chicago, Minnesota, Texas, New York, New Orleans, and California. She has worked as a writer and director at Southern Rep Theatre in New Orleans in the 6×6 and 3×3 Playwriting Program. Lauren has been published through Mushroom Cloud Press. As an actress, Lauren has worked with multiple theatres across Texas including, Unity Theatre, The Ensemble Theatre, Abilene Shakespeare Festival, and is a troupe member of CSz Houston- Home of ComedySportz. She has directed and produced over 30 productions, including “PROOF,” “LITTLE WOMEN,” “A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM,” and “THE WIZARD OF OZ.” Lauren is the founder of Out of Mind Productions, a small production company with the mission to present stories that stir the heart and served two years as the Director of Theatre & Theology at CITA. Lauren holds a BFA in Directing from Abilene Christian University, and a MAT in Arts and Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. She resides in Houston with her husband and two daughters.
Amelia Peterson
Director Amelia Peterson is a writer and director based in Knoxville, TN. She is a founding member of River & Rail Theatre Company. Amelia earned her BFA in Theatre Studies from Southern Methodist University where she studied directing. She has spent much of her career working with budding playwrights on new works. Prior to moving home to TN, Amelia lived and worked in New York City where she co-directed the world premiere of “MORBID POETRY” at the Incubator Arts Project and a folktale adaptation series “LONG, LONG AGO” with Firebone Theatre Company, and “THE UNUSUAL TALE OF MARY AND JOSEPH’S BABY” at the New York International Fringe Festival. She has also directed new works for the CalArts Arts in the One World conference (Valencia, CA), the Kennedy Center’s Page to Stage Festival (Washington, DC), and the Inkwell Theatre’s Showcase Reading Series (Washington, DC). She lives in Knoxville, Tennessee with her husband and three children.
MORE ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
“The Holy O”was birthed from a combination of events that occurred at the beginning of Ms. Hance’s Master’s program in 2018. Ms. Hance’s first seminary paper was entitled “How Trinitarian Unity Embraces the Female Orgasm as a Means to Marital Oneness,” delving into a topic few seminarians broach in a course on the Trinity. Next, Ms. Hance appeared as a guest on the podcast “Rabbit Hole Motel,” where she and the hosts discussed the mysteries of saints and mystics and performed improvised scenes based on events like the rapturous prayers of St. Teresa of Avíla. Furthermore, Ms. Hance was processing her own sexual experiences and how they related to her faith. These events sparked the foundation for what would eventually become Ms. Hance’s thesis project, and now “The Holy O.”
As Ms. Hance began crafting “The Holy O,” she knew Vera’s story was not just an exploration of her own discoveries of the connection between the body, spirit, and sexuality, but a reflection of many women’s stories. Stories of nuance that are often overlooked in the wake of the #metoo movement, but have just as formative impact. Ms. Hance began interviewing women about the connections between their bodies, spirits, and sexuality. These women’s stories have been dramatized and are now a pivotal part of “”The Holy O.”
Making “The Holy O” a predominantly female-led project has been a priority for Ms. Hance and Ms. Peterson. Both women are mothers and have had to balance career and motherhood throughout this project, and the past decade of their lives. Rehearsals have been scheduled in conjunction with the ebbs and flows of raising children, making both home life and career priorities. The team is intent on providing opportunities for women that might not otherwise occur due to various demands in life.
Covid
Proof of vaccination or negative Covid-19 test required. Masks required.