Karen Berman (co-Artistic Director and co-founder of Washington Women in Theatre) has directed over 200 plays and musicals at locations from the Smithsonian to off-Broadway. As co-founder and co-artistic director of Washington Women in Theatre she has directed and produced numerous new plays for WWIT including Astra, Uncle Julie, and On the Road to Havana, among others. She is past president of the Association for Theatre in Higher Education and a dean emerita of the College of Fellows of the American Theatre.  She received the Georgia Governor’s Award for the Arts in 2017. After teaching at Georgetown University for 15 years she was chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance at Georgia College (GC) for 12 years. She directed and co-wrote four original plays about Czech heroes that WWIT co-produced with GC students performed in 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016 in Prague and at an international theatre festival in the Czech Republic. She is currently co-editing a two-volume book entitled Stories of the Holocaust Onstage and In Concert: Art for Healing and Renewal (Volume One) and Stories of the Holocaust On Screen and In the Gallery: Art for Healing and Renewal (Volume II). Karen thanks Laurie Mufson, Kellynn Meeks, and all the playwrights, actors and staff that are part of this festival.

Laurie Mufson (Co-Artistic Director, Festival Coordinator), faculty emeritus of Mercersburg Academy, was inaugural holder of the Palmer Family Chair in the Arts. Over a 23 year career there, she served as Arts Department Chair, Director of The Burgin Center for the Arts, Director of Theatre and Director of the Arts.   Before moving to PA, Laurie was an active member of the Washington DC theatre community. She served on the board of the Actors Center and directed new plays for Source Theatre Company’s Washington Theatre Festival ( Best Director for Burying Fiona by Jeanie Marshall in 1996).  Laurie also directed for The American Century Theatre and received a special citation by the Maryland House of Delegates for her work as Artistic Director for Potomac Theater Company in 1998.  Her acting career has included stage, television and film work. Laurie is a certified Lessac kinesensic bodyvoice  trainer and served on the Board of Lessac Training and Research Institute as President and is currently on its Executive Leadership Team as past president. Laurie is thrilled to return to DC area theatre in her new role as Co-Artistic Director of  WWIT and to help the company emerge from the Pandemic with this 20th Anniversary Festival.

Susan Lynskey (Co-Artistic Director) Susan Lynskey is thrilled to celebrate a decade with WWIT, collaborating with longtime dearest friend Karen Berman, the wonderful group of WWIT creatives (as actor, director and co-artistic director) and is delighted to be reading the words of WWIT playwright/cofounder Sidra Rausch with beloved artist-friends Ms. Twyford, Mr. Currier, and Mr. Britton, and Mr. Redmond. Lynskey’s work has garnered multiple Helen Hayes nominations for Outstanding Lead/ Supporting Actress and Outstanding Acting Ensemble, The DCTS Audience Choice Award and Individual Artist Awards from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Susan is a DCCAH 2023 Artist Fellowship award winner.  She has recently appeared twice Off-Broadway and has an extensive roster of regional productions; DC, and its extraordinary theatre community, are her Artistic home. Susan just finished a tour-de-force run as ‘Gloria’ in Gloria: A Life, at Theater J, portraying feminist activist-author Gloria Steinem, (attended by Ms. Steinem herself, Eleanor Holmes-Norton and Justice Sonia Sotomayor opening night)—an important feminist work by Emily Mann which uplifts and celebrates the women’s movement, Steinem, Flo Kennedy, Dorothy Pittman-Hughes, Bella Abzug and others and their dedication to women’s rights and the fight for equality. Lynskey is dedicated to new work development that centers womxn’s voices, our contributions to the past and present and work that paves a way for future art and artistry.

Paul Accettura (Administrative Associate) has worked with WWIT since its founding as part of Creative Music Workshop. He has served as a production assistant, board member and treasurer for WWIT. He co-wrote several plays with Karen Berman that were produced by WWIT in the Czech Republic. He is a retired attorney.

Cat Piker (Production Stage Manager) is very happy to be here and to work on such an exciting event. She is a current theatre arts undergrad student at McDaniel College, and a stage manager in shows such as Heathers:The Musical at McDaniel college. She is also a theatre technician and a KCACTF merit recipient sound designer for the second production of Sherlock! The Musical. She is thankful for a wonderful experience and warm welcome to DC theatre!