ABOUT ALL OF THE ABOVE
ALL OF THE ABOVE is an intimate theater production of monologues that features stories anonymously written by women, and then performed by different women and female-identifying actors. Monologues range across a variety of formats, from first person narrative, to poetry, songs, etc.
The goal of AOTA is for women of all backgrounds to feel seen, affirmed, and connected to one another. Through storytelling, we can find both community and solace with each other across divides, similarities, and a broad range of experiences and feelings. ALL OF THE ABOVE seeks to celebrate women and the power of our voices - both collectively and individually.
Why is it called “All of the Above”?
We aren’t just one thing — we’re full of so many intersecting dreams, fears, shames, beliefs, experiences. We’re made up of countless contradictions. We’re feeling lost. Found. Eager to please. Confident as hell. Dreading being a mother. Thrilled to be a mother. We’re hopeless romantics. We love being alone. We’re in the closet. We feel exposed. We’re bored. We’ve never felt more alive.
We’re All of the Above.
FROM THE DIRECTOR
A Letter from Director Jaimie Woo:
Back in 2012, I was a junior at Duke University, when I auditioned for an all-women production called All of the Above. I performed a monologue written by a fellow female student who shared her intimate experience with having an abortion, and all of the emotions and feelings that came with it. I later learned that this anonymously written monologue was submitted by a friend. It dawned on me then how little so many of us knew of one another, and that also, despite my never having had that experience, how deeply I connected to her character. I had also had my share of shock, disappointment, fear, and surrender. But mine just manifested differently.
My experience of performing in this production brought me a beautiful sense of community and connection not only with the fellow women I performed with, but also the anonymous women -- who could have been my classmates, friends, next door neighbors, and more -- who wrote and submitted their stories. It made me realize how often we hold or hide the deepest, truest parts of ourselves. In this current era of 24/7 social media sharing, it’s felt more important than ever to not only honor truth and authenticity, but also affirm one another unapologetically. I applaud the women who took the courageous step to share their stories in this format.
One of the things I loved most about All of the Above was that all stories were written anonymously. As an actor, I was able to bring my own sense of perspective and interpretation to the character and story, and imbue it with my own. I didn’t have the ability to look up who wrote it, make judgements based on what I found, and attempt to become the person who the monologue was about. Instead, it became a brand new character that truly represented all of the above.
My hope for re-introducing this concept of All of the Above is to cultivate that same sense of affirmation and connection with women in my current community, Los Angeles.