"I like to think of these yoga classes as a massive FUCK YOU to the patriarchy. Makes them easier to get through.."
~LRB: Millennial Church
words, words,
WORDS...
"Is it possible to have a passion without letting it consume you?"
~LRB: Succulents
Experience My Work:
A (series of) readings of a feminist Hemingway adaptation with The Plagiarists:
Synopsis:
In 1927, an open air train station, in Spain, Phillip gives Jig a choice: have an abortion and continue to travel the world with him as his wife and muse, or keep the baby at the expense of the relationship.
This feminist adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants," explores the two futures associated with Jig's two options. One leads to a future as a wife in America, the other as a mother in Italy.
However, both options leave her unfulfilled. Ultimately, this play is about the choices women have, the way we are represented in literature, and our ultimate search for happiness and autonomy.
A new radio play (Spirit of the Radio) now streaming on Spotify:
Kate L. & Kate R. host the first all-female morning radio show in Chicago, but a lack of listeners means that they are about to be moved to the dreaded night slot. But then Kate R. is attacked live on air, and Kate R. is left hosting a morning show that is becoming popular for all the wrong reasons. This fully immersive radio play is 50% love letter to radio, 50% satire of true crime, and 100% rock and roll baby
Writing Portfolios:
Bio:
Leah Roth Barsanti is a Chicago-based artist with an MFA in Writing for the Screen and Stage from Northwestern University and a passion for writing in any collaborative medium. Her work focuses on strong women and girls trying to make space for themselves in a world that doesn't ever make that easy. Her protagonists struggle against expectations: both their own and those of others. While the ultimate goal of Leah's work and life is to make the patriarchy squirm, her side goal is to use her writing to figure out what it means to be a "Millennial" in this crazy world. Her specific areas of interests include anything related to mental health, sports, forgotten or overlooked moments from history, and zombies. Leah's plays have been semifinalists for The O'Neill, Screencraft Stage Play, and Blue Ink Awards, finalists for the Goodman's New Stages Residency, and winners of the Judith Barlowe Prize. She is also an active roller derby player with the Windy City Rollers.