Cast members of “Good Lazy Woman”(from left to right): Jennifer Virts, Gloria Salazar, Beverly Williams, Linda Herdering, Kendall Ludwig, Betty Pritt, and Kim Alexander.
On the eve of the 2024 Presidential election, with the first woman Vice President of the United States running to become the first woman President, AAUW-Garrett Branch held a reading of the play “Good Lazy Woman: 2024 Election Edition” written by Catherine Stewart. The event took place on Sunday, November 3, at the Bethel Center in Mountain Lake Park and was attended by approximately 50 people. A welcome was given by Mayor Don Sincell, who provided history about the building and expressed his pleasure that the building was hosting the play reading. The play was brought to the attention of the AAUW-Garrett Branch by branch member Mary Helen Spear, who reached out to branch member Jennifer Virts for her expertise in play production and direction. They were the impetus behind Sunday’s production.
Based on research done with millennial voters in 2016, the play is a comedy featuring the political rhetoric of Victoria Claflin Woodhull (candidate in 1870), Margaret Chase Smith (candidate in 1964), and Shirley Chisholm (candidate in 1972), which weaves through one woman’s relationship to ambition. Using archival and contemporary verbatim text, “Good Lazy Woman” provokes conversation on why America wasn’t then yet ready for a female leader. It leads to a discussion about whether we might be ready now.
Woodhull, Smith, and Chisolm are 3 of 24 women who have been candidates for the President of the United States and identified by the Center for American Women and Politics. The center offers the following biographical information on each of the candidates featured in the play.
Victoria Claflin Woodhull (candidate in 1872) – The first woman to run for United States President, Woodhull was the candidate of the Equal Rights Party. Her opponents were Ulysses S. Grant (R) and Horace Greeley (D). She fought for women’s rights and founded her own newspaper. She became the first woman to own a Wall Street investment firm. In the AAUW-Garrett Branch production, Woodhull was portrayed by Jennifer Virts.
Margaret Chase Smith (candidate in 1964) – Smith was the first woman to have her name placed in nomination for President by a major party. She received Republican primary votes in New Hampshire, Illinois, Massachusetts, Texas, and Oregon, among others, and had twenty-seven first ballot votes at the Republican National Convention. She removed herself from contention after the first ballot. In 1940 she was elected to the U. S. House of Representatives to fill the vacancy caused by her husband’s death; she served in the House for four terms. She was easily elected in 1948 to her first term in the U.S. Senate and reelected to the Senate three more times. In the AAUW-Garrett Branch production, Smith was portrayed by Gloria Salazar.
Shirley Anita Chisholm (candidate in 1972) – Chisholm was the first African American woman to seek a major party’s nomination for U.S. President. She campaigned throughout the country and was on the ballot in twelve primaries in what was largely an educational campaign. She received just over 150 delegate votes at the Democratic National Convention. Chisholm served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1969 to 1983, the first African American woman to serve in Congress. Prior to her service in Congress, she served in the New York state legislature from 1964 to 1968. She was a schoolteacher and director of childcare centers before going into public service. In the AAUW-Garrett Branch production, Chisholm was portrayed by Beverly Williams.
Also in the production were Kendall Ludwig as Claire; Linda Herdering as Jessica; Betty Pritt as Ashley; and Kim Alexander as Sarah. Additional information about the play, the playwright, and bringing the play to a school or organization near you can be found at https://goodlazywoman.com/.
Following the discussion, a talkback session was held with audience members asking questions about the production, cast members sharing their perspectives, and all invited to offer comments about their thoughts and reactions. Judy A. Carbone, President of AAUW-Garrett Branch and Co-VP Public Policy of AAUW-Maryland joined the talkback to provide some statistics about women’s representation in political campaigns and elected offices, which has grown over time with the sacrifices of women pursuing inclusion but is still far below the proportion of women in the general U.S. population.
The play was brought to the attention of Mary Helen Spears by her granddaughter, Colleen, who is active in the New Hampshire Theater Project and knows the playwright. Colleen told her grandmother that there was an attempt to have the play read and discussed in all 50 states before Election Day. Says Spear, “I immediately thought AAUW-Garrett Branch could present the play reading. AAUW focuses on women’s equity issues and is non-partisan. This play features three women from different political parties who ran for president before Hilary Clinton. There is much in this year’s election-related to women’s equity, especially in terms of health, pay equity, and representation in government. Our branch is known for providing scholarships for women, but we also hold local events which promote women’s equity and factual information about these issues.”
On her reasons for getting involved in this production, Jennifer Virts says, “I was very proud to be a part of this play reading as the mother of three young girls. The play brings up some honest questions about the current and future role of female leaders in our country. The turnout was wonderful, as was the healthy conversation afterward about the state of not only women in politics but our electoral system. The biggest takeaway is to vote! No matter who you vote for, don’t waste your voice, please vote!”
Donations were also collected for the AAUW-Garrett Branch Scholarship Fund, which gave almost $10,000 last year to Garrett County women continuing their education in college or through certification, as well as those attending leadership programs for women such as the annual National Conference of College Women Student Leaders. This year, a new scholarship program has been added targeting women pursuing education and skill development in agriculture, funded in part by Annie Simcoe and inspired by her FarmHER art series. The goal for next year’s AAUW-Garrett Branch Scholarship awards tops $12,000. To contribute to the Scholarship Fund, the public is invited to go to https://givebutter.com/aauw-garrett.
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) is the nation’s leading voice promoting equity and education for women and girls. Since its founding in 1881, AAUW members have examined and taken positions on the fundamental issues of the day — educational, social, economic, and political. The Garrett Branch of AAUW has been working since its creation in 1946 to bring strong women together for activities related to women’s empowerment in our community.
If you are interested in learning more about the AAUW-Garrett Branch and supporting the branch’s initiatives and programs, please visit their Facebook page or call Judy A. Carbone, Branch President, at 301-616-5036.
