María Irene Fornés

pictured left to right: Julia Miles and María Irene Fornés at a WP event.

photo by Martha Holmes

María Irene Fornés changed the way we think about plays, and her brilliant, truly original work cuts a through-line across WP’s history.  Julia and Irene collaborated six times throughout their careers, from A Festival of Short Plays in 1974, to The Summer In Gossensass in 1998.  Their artistic partnership and deep friendship helped shape Women’s Project from its inception, and we celebrate their shared legacy of loyalty, inspiration and artistic bravery.

Irene was entirely sui generis, and a force beyond measure.  Her memory lives on in this place.

Additional audio excerpt from The Primary Stages Off-Broadway Oral History Project interview with Kathleen Chalfant.

Photo credits: The original New York Theater Strategy production of “Fefu and Her Friends” at Relativity Media Lab in 1977. Left to right, seated: Connie Cicone, Margaret Harrington, Gordana Rashovich, Gwendolyn Brown, and Carolyn Hearn; standing: Rebecca Schull, Joan Voukides, Janet Biehl. Photo by Rena Hansen.