Every woman has to change her appearance and demeanour depending on who is in front of her. What happens when/if we drop the mask? Is there a real impact on those around us or not? When we are vulnerable and real with ourselves and others, what happens? Can we be real and vulnerable?

This video was an installation project for “Disorderly Conduct”, an International Women’s Day exhibit on Gabriola Island, 2025.

It was a deep honour to exhibit alongside other amazing Gabriola Women Warrior artists for this show.

Ilze Bebris

Catherine Hallam

Tomoyo Ihaya

Yarrow Koontz

Debbie Marshall

Sheila Norgate

Marcia Pitch

Michele Provost

Frances Usher

Additionally, I am proud to say that my work existed in two places on this globe for IWD 2025. In addition to “Disorderly Conduct”, I was invited to perform Shield Maiden in London on March 8th for IWD.

For this video, I use three of my characters that I have embodied on stages; Ingrid the Warrior, Honey La Rue the hostess, Kandi Kayne the party girl. The viewer sees a sped-up version of me “getting into character” or “every woman”. What is edited down to four minutes took over two hours. I could feel my face change as I became each character. I could feel my mouth and eyes move into place. That perfect tilt of the head, or not. I could feel my resistance, my surrender.

I love Chaka Kahn’s version of her song “I’m Every Woman”. This disco anthem from the 70’s is a short, powerful treatise on how strong and variable the female spirit is. This was the perfect back drop to my transformation between identities. Certainly, it felt important to have Kahn’s words on the screen so the viewer had to pay attention to her message.

The vulnerability you see at the end was not planned. It was an honest reflection of the labour and effort that goes into stepping into different characters.

By the way, I do not have this shit figured out.

But I am actively learning how to show up authentically in my power, in my compassion and in my sexuality. I am a work in process. I am every woman.

Thank you to Ilza Bebris and Sheila Norgate for inviting me to take part in “Disorderly Conduct”. It was an honour.

Even warriors need rest. Shield Maiden is taking a summer break from touring and performing. Our team has been so grateful for all the opportunities and interest in the play.

I am taking a break from performing. but the reasons why I created Shield Maiden are still real and present dangers. Women’s rights, safety and autonomy are being challenged to a greater degree today and that is very hard to deal with. Even the themes from Shield Maiden seem to be more relevant today than when the play was first written.

One of the main themes is rage; what it looks like, who gets to express it, what costs come with expressing it.

A recent article in The Guardian titled “All the rage:women are furious – and repressing it can ruin our lives” highlights the very real consequences of inequality on women. It’s a great article and I hope you take the time to give it a read. We keep fighting the good fight. We keep standing up for ourselves at work, at home, in our art, and it is exhausting. And even if we are privileged enough to express our rage we know so many other women are not safe to get angry. Male violence is on the rise and women are the victims. And this is exhausting. I feel compelled to shout even louder from even more hilltops. But allowing rage to go unchecked is dangerous itself. For me, I lose focus. It impacts my show and my relationships. After hitting a wall I realize even warriors need rest.

I decided to take the summer off. Our daughter just graduated from high school and moved out (yes, it’s a very big deal). Our family dog of 13 years died. We started a new business. All these things were a year in the making but they all happened at once. Luckily, I didn’t have a nervous breakdown (would you blame me if I did?). I did however realize that I needed time to connect with friends and family. I needed to slow down and take a breath.

I have been performing Shield Maiden since 2018.

I love being the character Ingrid. I love her more today than I did in the beginning. Stepping into this role has gifted me with the opportunity to explore rage in a way I NEVER would have before. It has been very hard to crack the nice girl veneer that was cemented into me by family and society from early on. I still am that nice girl. However, I am now more honest with myself and those around me. I have better boundaries that are easier to maintain. But I have to be honest. – it’s also been exhausting.

I think being a human right now is exhausting.

I’m not special in that way. This is a weird time. So, I have laid my swords down. I am stepping away from the battle temporarily and I have retreated to my sweet little homestead to regroup, swim in the ocean and rest.

I hope that you can rest a little too. I know everyone’s situation is different and perhaps a rest looks like stepping into a cool library to read a magazine. Maybe it’s as simple as watching a show on Netflix that makes you giggle. I think any attempt we can make to take a break is monumental. I will say it again…even warriors need rest. Recharge the batteries. Get ready. The fight is long and far from over.

Until next time, stay tuned for updates. Because let’s be honest, of course I’ve been working behind the scenes on something big for Shield Maiden. But now, rest. Sköl! To resting!

Shield Maiden hits the stage in Kelowna, BC at the 2024 Pacific Contact.

Pacific Contact is an amazing opportunity that connects artists with presenters in British Columbia and beyond. Four days of conferences, meetings, performances and opportunities.

This year, Shield Maiden has been invited to showcase in the Short5’s. This is a great opportunity to pitch the play to many folks at once. In addition, we will have a booth #26 in the Contact Room. Come by and say hello!

Had a great time this past weekend when we performed Shield Maiden in Powell River at the Max Cameron Theatre!

Ingrid took the stage for International Women’s Day, March 8th.

We had a great, rowdy crowd with a powerful talk back session steered by Ann Kurtz, the Executive Director of Powell River & Region Transition House Society/Powell River Community Services Association (Together known as qathet SAFE).

The highlight was an opening and land acknowledment by the Tla amin warrior drumming sisters. They made the space sacred and brought in all the ancestors for us that night. Video highlights of that coming soon!

Shield Maiden marketing has been focused from the start. A consistent package, brand, message and imagery proves this powerful one woman show delivers what it promises.

With clear and brilliant photography from Bill Pope Photography, HA Photo, and video captures by Port Theatre and Mitch Miller, Shield Maiden is ready to market to your audiences.

Audiences everywhere are coming back to theatre in full force and they are hungry for new, innovative and exciting theatre. Shield Maiden delivers all that and more. Contact us today for bookings. With professional and ready to go content, Shield Maiden marketing is easy to package. Give your theatre audience what they are ready for.

SHIELD MAIDEN

Written and Performed by Melanie Teichroeb

SHIELD MAIDEN is funny, sexy, fierce and unapologetic!

Imagine a 10th century Viking TED Talk on what it means to be a Viking warrior woman. As Garrison Commander Ingrid Larsdottir comedically endeavours to engage new recruits, she inadvertently reveals her own tragic and violent personal history. Watching her struggle with her trauma is unsettling. Witnessing her tap into her inner strength is inspiring. Ingrid’s clarion call for equality and new recruits wins! She empowers women to reclaim the warrior archetype in a substantive way.

This modern feminist story uses a character from the past to expose the sad reality that not enough has changed in the treatment of women since the time of Vikings…one thousand years ago. 

The show challenges untruths about women and gendered expectations and is based on an historical character who history gaslit the hell out of. 

What a great conference for Shield Maiden at 2023 Pacific Contact! Thank you BC Touring Council for a wonderful opportunity.! Thank you BC Touring Council for a wonderful opportunity to connect and spend time with presenters, artists and agent/managers from all parts of BC. Our booth was incredible thanks to images by Dirk Heydeman and Bill Pope and folks loved getting their photo taken with Ingrid and her bad ass swords.

This conference was a true success for the show. Melanie and Sandy networked with presenters from the Vancouver area all the way up to the near and far north. What an amazing group of humans dedicated to bringing live performance to all parts of BC.

The impacts of Covid were still keenly felt. Performers and presenters are all trying to carve a new path back to success. For Shield Maiden 2023 Pacific Contact was empowering to strategize, recognize and share experiences.

Stay tuned for more information because the 2024/2025 Touring season is shaping up!

With a stellar tech crew, lighting design by Hilary Britton-Foster, and ASL interpretation by Katt Campbell, Shield Maiden Slays Nanaimo! This was one of our biggest Shield Maiden shows ever. The amazing staff and crew at the Port Theatre created a warm longhouse feel and our rowdy crowd showed up ready to roll!

Big thank you to David Warburton and his entire Port Theatre Staff and crew!

Thank you also to Sandy Cumberland, Graham Croft, Mitch Anderson and Dave Teichroeb for tech support and filming. New promo video coming soon!

ASL and Live Theatre

Melanie is hard of hearing, wears hearing aides and lip reads. Her Production Manager, Sandy Cumberland, is hard of hearing and wears hearing aides. Melanie has been exploring what it means to be part of the d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community. She has started taking sign language classes as well.

Melanie paired up with Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing to provide ASL interpretation for Shield Maiden. The Port Theatre was extremely supportive of this endeavour and the amazing Katt Campbell arrived to interpret for a rowdy crowd from the d/Deaf community in Nanaimo. Katt was incredible and the plan is to create inclusivity at as many shows as possible moving forward.

Did you know ASL is regional? Signs for certain words on Vancouver Island are different in Newfoundland. As we move the show forward, hiring interpreters from the region will be vital to good representation for all audiences.

The Shield Maiden team invites venues to seek out resources to make the performances they present as accessible as possible. Contact us for more information!