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axes, herbs and satchels

Rooted in the history and embodied wisdom of doulas and midwives, axes, herbs and satchels is a celebration of traditional knowledge held in the Black birth worker community and a potent examination of maternal mortality. 

 

The United States has a maternal mortality rate that is three times higher than any other high-income country. Black and Indigenous birthing people are particularly at risk, with death rates up to three times more likely than their white counterparts. Modern medicine may be at our fingertips, but did it come at the cost of losing the ancient practices of doulas and midwives? 

 

The play is being devised from an array of research materials; first hand accounts, medical textbooks, ethnological research, and primary sources documenting grand midwives and the history of midwifery.

axes
herbs

and

satchels

WORLD
PREMIERE

2025 Tour Dates

 

February 23 Arts Garage (Delray Beach, FL)

March 5 Wabash College (Crawfordsville, IN)
TBA
NYC

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Sandie Luna

Co-Director, Performer

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Melissa Moschitto

Co-Director, Executive Producer

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Jalissa Fulton

Lead Deviser, Performer

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Jayda Jones

Assistant Director,
Line Producer

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Asha John

Deviser, Performer

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Brianna Johnson

Deviser, Performer

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Nadia Mbonde

Anthropologist-in-Residence

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Devynity Wray

Contributing Writer, Deviser (2023 Workshops, 2024 EAG Residency)

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Shreyaa Suresh

Research Assistant, Deviser (2024 EAG Residency)

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Dr. Haile Eshe Cole

2023 Anthropologist-In-Residence

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Nazlah Black

Deviser

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axes, herbs and satchels and NEWS!

- The Theatre Times, July 26, 2023

"There was a beauty to this draft, and the dialogue it prompted, that left me thinking for days afterward."

- The Empowered Artist Collective Podcast, June 2023

- American Theatre Magazine, March 15, 2023

"The investigative theatre troupe will work with anthropologist Dr. Haile Eshe Cole to create a play about doulas and Black motherhood."

EAG
Winter 2024 Residency

Co-Directors/Co-Scriptors: Sandie Luna and Melissa Moschitto
Ensemble: Jalissa Fulton, Asha John, Brianna Johnson, Sandie Luna 

Lead Deviser: Jalissa Fulton

Contributing Writers: Devynity Wray, Melissa Moschitto, Sandie Luna
Assistant Director/Line Producer: Jayda Jones

Research Assistant: Shreyaa Suresh
Anthropologist-in-Residence, 2024-2025: Nadia N. Mbonde

Anthropologist-in-Residence, 2023: Dr. Haile Eshe Cole

Contributing Artists / Devisors: Nazlah Black, Jalissa Fulton, Miranda Hall, Asha John, Brianna Johnson, Sandie Luna and Nadia N. Mbonde.

This project is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, in addition to support from NYSCA/A.R.T./New York, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, the Episcopal Actors' Guild.

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DEVELOPMENTAL HISTORY

 

FEBRUARY 2024
Open Stage Residency - Episcopal Actors' Guild


OCTOBER 2023
Presented at Prelude '23, Invisible Dog Art Center

SPRING 2023

PHASE 1: Investigative Workshop & Research & Development, in partnership with American Anthropological Association.

Work-in-Process Performance: June 30th, 2023, 14 Y Theater 

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