What Kind of
Woman
Premiering
Sept. 23, 2022 Carnegie Stage, Pittsburgh
Oct. 19, 2022 The Cell, New York City
History is repeating itself -
right before our eyes
And if recent events are any indicators, American society is inching dangerously close to mirroring events from the last century.
Written by
Abbe Tanenbaum
Directed by
Kira Simring
with
Virginia Wall Gruenert*
Abbe Tanenbaum*
Stage Manager: Katie Mack *
Production Stage Manager: Erika Cuenca*
Production & Set design: Tucker Topel
Lighting Design: Forrest Trimble
Sound Design: Shannon Knapp
Back Stage Management: Janus Young
Costume Design: Laura Irene Young
Associate Producer: Katie Mack
Marketing & Outreach: Laura Irene Young
Operation Manager: Jenna Kunselman
What Kind of Woman began development in 2016 when real-life actress and personal organizer Abbe Tanenbaum was working with a client in New York City. While organizing paperwork, they uncovered twenty letters from women seeking abortions in the early 1970’s before Roe vs Wade became law.
These original letters are the inspiration for this play. One of the letters can be seen above, with all personal information redacted.
onStage
Pittsburgh
"...the stars aligned when Gruenert happened upon What Kind of Woman. This play unmasks the essence of womanhood in all its glory, heartache, and intricacy. "
The Village Voice
New York
“…carefully crafted…
"...wildly funny..."
"Subtle, alert, and psychologically astute, What Kind of Woman explores how people, and their minds, grow and change.
Stage Biz
New York
"One of my favorite sshows of the year...the script is wonderfully crafted. ... Gruenert and Tanenbaum work together well – they are a textbook example of theatrical chemistry."
'burgh Vivant'
Pittsburgh
"...a powerful performance ... guaranteed to spark more joy than a Marie Kondo special...there are a myriad of twists and turns in “What Kind of Woman,” and they’re not all pleasant, but the story borders on brilliant.