Wake Up Sleeping Beauty!

"Wake Up, Sleeping Beauty!"

An original Play invites us to participate in the creative reawakening of a young woman's psyche, asleep for more than a thousand years in an enchanted wood. Using song, imagery and movement, this princess' rebirth is the death of the damsel-in-distress archetype. With story by theatre-artist and musician Michelle Riu, live original music by the Gritty Girl Ensemble, set and costumes by visual artist Kristie Stephenson, and hand-drawn animations by Diego Romero, 'Wake Up, Sleeping Beauty!' is a tale of metamorphosis, intuition and communion that explores female empowerment, self-esteem and anti-bullying. 

Not appropriate for children under 12.

Funding for this project is provided in part by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council with support from the Broward Center's Arts Access Program. This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. 

Purchase Tickets Here 

Serving as a Creative and Performing Arts Lab, Gritty Girl workshops guide girls in finding their voices- individually and collectively- through acting, poetry-writing, and music skills. Under the facilitation of professional singer-songwriter, actress, and teaching-artist Michelle Riu, the girls create and perform original music and skits.

Presenting 'Wake Up, Sleeping Beauty!' An Original Play for one day only Sat. Sept. 15th, 8pm at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts 
 http://grittygirl.com/wordpress/

The Warrior in Me

Warrior Women Photo Series

I've been reading "Women Who Run With the Wolves" according to the book aggression is bred out of girls by the age of 5.  Females are taught to be polite and nice in the face of the grotesque.  Without going into any details here I can relate.  When I look back  I feel empowered now to speak my mind, to roar like a wild woman and not care what anyone thinks.   Thought I'd share the poem below written by Michelle Riu Romero.

It highlights warrior queens, histories hidden heroines and modern day warrior women for you to become aware of so you can start to do your own research and discover more.

A New Mythology

I have the stoic spirit of Rosa Parks
I have the warrior heart of Joan of Arc.
I am as brilliant as I am dark
And you ain't even seen me start

I come from a long line of African Queens
My truth is the truth of Ma’at.
I come to claim my Kemet Kingdom
Now give me back what you got.

You see I traced my history,
I finally understood
Now give me back my priestess power
take your virgin-motherhood.

I am as beautiful as the Queen of Sheba
as raging as Kali
As sensual as the poet Sappho
as silent as the Furies…

I am as fiery as Brigit,
I’m the one who said no
I’m Lillith, I’m Nefertiti
and so many more you don’t know.

I am Judith, I am Esther, I am Deborah, I am Ruth
I am Nepthys, I am Hathor, I am Isis, I am Nut

I am the primordial Goddess, the first and the last
Some call me Gaia, some call me Tiamat

I am as independent as Artemis,
as whole and as fierce
And though you break through my hymen
my ‘virginity’ You can NEVER pierce.

I have the stamina of Eleanor, the guts of the Virgin Queen
I have the boldness of Hathsheput, and the strategy of Athene

I have the vision of Cady Stanton, the resoluteness of Susan B
I have the integrity of Dido, the depth of Proserpine

I am as wise as Sophia, as fruitful as Demetre,
I am as well-learned as hypatia, and man, would I have liked to meet her!

I am Inanna, I am Ishtar, I am Theodora, and Cybele,
Though I stand before you calling myself Michelle

i am evreywoman no matter how my name is spelled...

i am evreywoman no matter how my name is spelled.


in honor of women's history month, by m. riu