PWTF IS SEEKING NEW BOARD MEMBERS
PWTF is growing tremendously both programmatically and organizationally. We are seeking folx interested in committee work, strategic planning, volunteering and shaping a vision of future sustainability. We are restructuring our requirements to positions on our board to remove any potential barriers, and are giving priority consideration to BIPOC candidates. Fill out the application below to be considered.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Christine Petrini, President
Polly Edelstein, Vice President
Ginger Agnew (she/her)
Ginger Agnew, M.Ed. is a director, teaching artist, writer, actress, photographer, Barrymore Nominator, Philadelphia Independence Awards Adjudicator, Guide Educator for Historic Germantown, and reviewer whose involvement in many aspects of theater goes back to the 1970’s. Ginger's recent performances include: Bernice/Charlotte Cushman/Minnie Madden Fiske in Leading Ladies with Pulley Buttonhole, Suddenly in NYC as a part of the 2019 Opioid Project with Elephant Room Productions. In 1998 Ginger founded OFF Book Productions as director, theater educator, and producer of original plays. Ginger’s theater education work extends to private coaching, head-shot photography, and numerous youth programs in the Philadelphia area. Ginger is Committee Chair for Play Reading/Play Selection. Ginger appears in Philadelphia The Great Experiment on ABC, has done a variety of short films, and is one of the many local extras in Creed 2.
Shannon Agnew (she/her)
Secretary
Shannon Agnew is a freelance director and theatrical artist proudly working with industry professionals and students to create creatively affirming, socially responsible, and innovative theatrical experiences. She currently serves as an Artistic Associate for The Millbrook Playhouse, and as the Director of Children's Theatre for The Ocean City Theatre Company, a member of Liberate Artists, and now proudly joins the board for the Philadelphia Women's Theater Festival! She can be seen onstage and off stage as a director, performer, writer, and teaching artist. Favorite directing credits: Mama Mia, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, XANADU, The Marvelous Wonderettes, Annie, Barefoot in the Park, Menken's A Christmas Carol, Ellis Island: Gateway to a Dream, 8 Track: Sounds of the 70's, Junie B. Jones. Favorite roles include: Narrator, Every Brilliant Thing; Ursula, The Little Mermaid; Yente, Fiddler on The Roof; Myrtle Mae Simmons, Harvey featuring Elinor Donahue; Betty Jean, The Marvelous Wonderettes; Judith, Boeing Boeing; Mud Donahue; My Vaudeville Man (regional premiere); Liza/Barbra/Ethel, Forbidden Broadway; Charlotte, I Am My Own Wife. www.shannonagnew.com
Jade Cintrón Báez (she/her)
Jade is the Founder and Artistic Director of "¡Looking Bilingüe!", a storytelling and story-keeping series archiving, empowering and honoring multiculturalism and multilingualism within the Latiné community. Her background is as a Theatre and Language Educator specializing in teaching ESL through theatre, song & movement in Barcelona, Spain for 8 years. Inspired by personal experiences and struggles with cultural identity, Jade returned to the states to focus on the link between cultural identity and language education using the arts as a vehicle for understanding and community building. She holds her Masters in Arts Administration from Drexel focusing on enhancing cultural awareness through theatre and language education. She currently serves as the Bilingual Early Childhood Literacy Specialist for The Free Library of Philadelphia where she focuses on dual language learning using the arts and bilingual education in predominantly Latinx & Black daycares in North Philly and is a company member and on the leadership team for Teatro Paloma, Lancaster, PA’s first and only Latinx theatre company.
Colleen Coffey-Snyder (she/her)
Colleen Coffey-Snyder is the Administrative Manager for Development for The Philadelphia Orchestra & Kimmel Center, Inc. In 2010, she graduated from Drexel University with a Bachelor’s in Screenwriting & Playwriting. Following, she moved to Scotland to study at the University of Glasgow and graduated with a Masters’ in Dramaturgy & Playwriting. Her works have been performed in both Philadelphia and Scotland on numerous occasions.
Lauren Fanslau (she/her)
Lauren Fanslau is an educator, creator, practitioner and advocate of the arts and has had the pleasure of working in the Philadelphia cultural sector for the last decade. After 5+ years as the Assistant to the Dean of the Ira Brind School of Theater Arts at the University of the Arts, Lauren now serves as the COO of Ground Up Training, combining her creativity with her passion for health & wellness. She formerly served as PWTF's Director of Education and as Theatrical Trainer's Head of Choreography and Dance Pedagogy and helped to launch The Body Aesthetic Project. During PWTF's inaugural festival in 2015, Lauren performed in Wingspan by Arden Kass alongside longtime collaborator, Shannon Dooling-Cain, directed by Brenna Geffers and performed her solo piece, ReCalculating, during PWTF's 2016 Festival Week. In 2013, Lauren had the immense privilege of working at the Abbey Theatre (Ireland’s National Theatre) in Dublin through a grant provided by the Villanova-Abbey Theatre Exchange and shared her experiences during her TEDx Talk, "Theatre Beyond Theater." She also had the opportunity to serve as Production Coordinator for the Abbey's US tour of Me, Mollser as a part of their 'Priming the Canon Series' for Young Audiences in 2016. Lauren received her B.A. in Theatre / Education from DeSales University in Center Valley and her M.A. in Theatre from Villanova University and is the founder / artist behind Pours by Zorb.
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Molly O'Connor (she/her)
Molly O'Connor is an instructor and PhD Candidate in education at Rutgers University. Prior to pursuing her PhD, Molly did program management, external relations, fundraising, and marketing for various non-profits. She holds MAs in Education from Rutgers University and in International Affairs from American University, as well as a BA in Politics from the University of Dallas, where she worked for the university's drama department, took acting and film studies courses, acted in shows, and served in many off-stage production roles. Her theatre career began at four years old on stage and continues today through her time and talent support of Philadelphia arts organizations.
Adrena Williams (she/her)
Treasurer
Adrena Williams is a freelance dramaturg and theatre maker based in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After receiving a degree in English Language and Literature from Temple University in 2016, Adrena went on to complete a Master’s Degree in Theatre at Villanova University in 2019. Her regional production history includes collaborations with Hedgerow Theatre, Simpatico Theatre Co., Inis Nua Theatre Co., Drexel University, and Villanova University. Adrena is also involved in new play development, evaluating submissions for the Kitchen Dog New Works Festival, the MITTEN Lab, and the Bay Area Playwrights Foundation, among others, and serving as a festival dramaturg for the BAPF virtual festival in 2021. She is currently engaged as the coordinator/producer for Inis Nua’s staged reading series.