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Archetype of the Woman Warrior

archetype, archetype of the woman warrior, woman, warrior, woman warrior, feminist, feminism, #metoo, #timesup, fight choreography, shield maiden, viking warrior, viking woman warrior, shield maiden play, united solo festival, new york city, new york, off broadway, theatre district

Shield Maiden Play shines a light on the archetype of the woman warrior. What happens when women step beyond nice and polite? How do you feel when you witness one woman’s vulnerability, sexuality and rage all in one conversation? What does unapologetic female power look like? And…

What’s it like to see a woman warrior wield deadly weapons?

I’m supported by a team of amazing warrior sisters including director Nicolle Nattrass and production manager, Sandy Cumberland. I worked with my friend EJ Hurst, a blackbelt in the Kyokushin Karate tradition. She helped me ground down into some deeper warrior energy. Her energy is with me every time I’m on stage. When I rehearse, when I go over lines, when I listen to music that inspires my inner warrior – I feel that strong archetypal influence.

However, some of the physicality of being a warrior is really tough for me to access. I’m specifically talking about weapons and how to use them. Sandy found a hot shot to help me dive in deeper. He is Choreographer R Robinson Wilson. Not only is he a highly respected Fight Guy, he is super well versed in all things Norse. We have our first fight rehearsal session tomorrow. I am so excited to see how we can further develop the visual strength of the Viking warrior woman. We have discussed the possibility that my character, Ingrid, needs a sword, a shield AND an axe. Keep your eyes open for posts of my practice injuries. They could be phenomenal.

Most of us will never need to be proficient with axes and swords and other forms of weaponry. But I want you to come away from my production feeling like if you ever needed to…you could. That’s the power of art. Archetypes work this way too. They tap into the common unconscious experience and reflect it back.

The archetype of the woman warrior is needed now more than ever. 

archetype, archetype of the woman warrior, woman, warrior, woman warrior, feminist, feminism, #metoo, #timesup, fight choreography, shield maiden, viking warrior, viking woman warrior, shield maiden play, united solo festival, new york city, new york, off broadway, theatre district

This is the zeitgeist of the #MeToo movement, the #TimesUp movement. The line has been crossed for the Fourth Wave of Feminism. As a result, don’t expect the mother/nurturer to show up and explain things gently and hand you cookies while she’s doing it. Nope. Warrior Woman shows up solid and unyielding to your incorrect assumptions about her. And she is ready to dissolve the arena where all the injustice has occurred.

So I’m working very hard to get this play out in front of people. Because sometimes, unless you see and hear a strong woman speak her truth and not back away from other people’s bullshit, you don’t realize how much you’ve been groomed to stay quiet and well behaved. Above all, you don’t realize how strong the woman warrior is in YOU.

Go see shieldmaidenplay.com

Contact us for information regarding our modern day woman warrior post show panel discussions.

  • United Solo This is the largest juried solo show in the world and happens off Broadway in the famed Theatre District of New York City.

Want to help get Team Shield Maiden to NYC this fall? Email us and donate air miles and/or funds. Have friends and family in the NYC area who love kick ass feminist theatre? Spread the word about our show at USolo.

  • British Columbia this fall (dates tba)
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Women Warriors

Shield Maiden Play, Melanie Teichroeb, United Solo Theatre Festival, New York City, Canadian Theatre, Canadian Actor, #meetoo, Gabriola Island, British Columbia, Edmonton, Toronto, Victoria, Viking Warrior, Woman’s Rage, #timesup, Women Warriors, Strong Woman, Panel Discussion, Feminist, Canada, United States, Playwright, Canadian Playwright, Feminist Playwright, Iyeshka Farmer, April Warn-Vanini, Sheila Malcomson

While writing “Shield Maiden” in 2017, the #Metoo Movement was at full tilt boogie. I had a moment where I thought that women warriors were irrelevant. That moment was incredibly short lived. Yours truly was temporarily deluded by hope and denial. The truth is that women warriors are needed now more than ever.

Marginalized people have gained so much in the last few decades. But the current back-sliding of civil rights is terrifying. Our most vulnerable people are at risk. There are amazing white men in power attempting to stave off this tsunami of degradation. Even more powerful are the heroes from the marginalized population. These are the voices that carry. These are the voices we need to hear. “Shield Maiden” represents my very humble attempt to add volume to the uproar.

Panel Discussions

We need a howling chorus to affect change. Post show panel discussions take the theatrical experience of “Shield Maiden” and demonstrate the power and possibility of modern day women warriors. The panel discusses topics from the play. We cover sexism, gender bias, sexual freedom, trauma and more.

The women warriors on our panels are real life super She-roes. Black belts, politicians, therapists, business leaders, researchers, and artists to name a few. Sheila Norgate is a visual artist and performance artist who boldly states that “the risk of flying without a net finally became smaller than the risk of never having flown at all.”. She inspires so many women to find creative expression despite their fears. Sheila Malcomson is the MLA for the Nanaimo, BC riding. As a politician, Sheila works hard for women, indigenous people and environmental rights. As a human, she encourages women to take positions of leadership.

It’s important to me as the play’s creator that the message NOT end when the curtain drops. Interested in bringing “Shield Maiden” to a theatre near you? Inspired to rally warrior women for a post show panel discussion? Please contact us for more information.

Shield Maiden Play, Melanie Teichroeb, United Solo Theatre Festival, New York City, Canadian Theatre, Canadian Actor, #meetoo, Gabriola Island, British Columbia, Edmonton, Toronto, Victoria, Viking Warrior, Woman’s Rage, #timesup, Women Warriors, Strong Woman, Panel Discussion, Feminist, Canada, United States, Playwright, Canadian Playwright, Feminist Playwright
Shield Maiden Play Panel Discussion
Shelila Norgate, Shield Maiden Play, Melanie Teichroeb, United Solo Theatre Festival, New York City, Canadian Theatre, Canadian Actor, #meetoo, Gabriola Island, British Columbia, Edmonton, Toronto, Victoria, Viking Warrior, Woman’s Rage, #timesup, Women Warriors, Strong Woman, Panel Discussion, Feminist, Canada, United States, Playwright, Canadian Playwright, Feminist Playwright
Shiela Norgate
Shield Maiden Play, Melanie Teichroeb, United Solo Theatre Festival, New York City, Canadian Theatre, Canadian Actor, #meetoo, Gabriola Island, British Columbia, Edmonton, Toronto, Victoria, Viking Warrior, Woman’s Rage, #timesup, Women Warriors, Strong Woman, Panel Discussion, Feminist, Canada, United States, Playwright, Canadian Playwright, Feminist Playwright
Shield Maiden Play Panel Discussion
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