WHO WE ARE
Founded in 2000, the intimate 501(c)3 nonprofit professional theatre, Powerstories Theatre’s mission is staging true stories to open minds and hearts and inspire action worldwide. In the speaking and honoring of these true stories of great learning, performers and audiences alike receive a powerful gift – the validation that they are living a unique, valuable life. Powerstories vitally connects people with each other, and helps inspire and motivate positive contributions to the world.
INFORMATION
See What Powerstories Theatre Has to Offer
6th Annual Voices of Women
Now in its 6th year, the Voices of Women Theatre Festival continues its proud tradition of amplifying women’s stories and perspectives on stage in proud partnership with Hillsborough Theatre. This season features full‑length plays in both the General category and the Playwrights Over 40 category, along with a slate of 10‑minute short plays that deliver powerful storytelling in concentrated form.
Audiences will encounter staged readings that span comedy, drama, history, and contemporary issues—each piece reflecting the voices, experiences, and creativity of women playwrights. From seasoned writers to emerging talents, the festival celebrates artistry, resilience, and imagination, ensuring women’s stories remain at the center of the conversation.
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March 5-8, 2026, at HCC Black Box Studio
1411 E. 11th Ave., Tampa 33605
March 5-7 - 7 PM | March 8 - 3 PM
All-Access Festival Pass - $59 or Single Tickets $20
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Conscience
Joe DiPietro’s Conscience is a play that chronicles the political rivalry between Maine Senator Margaret Chase Smith and Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy during the McCarthy era’s anti-communist fervor. Set in 1950s Washington D.C., it focuses on the events leading up to and following Smith’s famous 1950 “Declaration of Conscience” speech, which condemned McCarthy’s tactics of fear and manipulation. The play explores themes of political power, integrity, and the courage it takes to speak truth to power, set against the backdrop of the American “Red Scare.”
The Wash
The Wash by Kelundra Smith is a powerful new homegrown play inspired by the Atlanta Washerwomen’s Strike of 1881, produced in partnership with the Studio@620. Just weeks before the International Cotton Exposition swept into the city, bold Black laundresses took a stand—demanding the right to set their own wages. With humor, heart, and history, Smith’s play celebrates ordinary women who discovered extraordinary strength, transforming from workers into fighters and ultimately changing the course of labor rights in the South.
Raising Twelve
Raising Twelve on a Nickel and a Prayer is an original musical spanning three Christmas seasons, from 1950 to 1966. It follows the love story, adventures, and trials and tribulations of Betty, who dreams of having 12 children, and Harold, her husband, a Navy sailor. This performance is presented in a concert version.
Podcasts
On the first instalment of the ARTS AXIS FLORIDA Podcast, host Briana Jackson talks with Fran Powers from Powerstories Theatre about how the organization focuses on the telling of true stories of women through theatre. Fran also discusses the organization's mission and shares her experience of being invited to the White House for the work they have done with young girls in the community.
In this episode of the ART AXIS FLORIDA Podcast, we speak with Powerstories Theatre about their upcoming Voices of Women Theatre Festival. This event will showcase performances that put a spotlight on female experiences within our communities while championing their contributions to the arts and other areas of society.
