ABOUT WET PRODUCTIONS

WET Productions is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1999 to empower women and girls by producing media that challenges female stereotypes and advocates for equality. WET develops, produces and promotes new material for theater, film, television and education. 

SELECTED CREDITS:

Theatrical Productions: The world premiere of A Perfect Couple by Brooke Berman, directed by Maria Mileaf, Featuring Dana Eskelson, Annie McNamara, Elan Moss-Bachrach, James Waterston; The world premiere of BFF by Anna Ziegler, directed by Josh Hecht, featuring Sasha Eden, Laura Heisler, Jeremy Webb and Sean Dugan (published by The Dramatists Play Service, and in the Smith and Kraus anthology, The Best American Playwrights of 2007); The world premiere of Big Times, written by and starring Mia Barron, Maggie Lacey, Danielle Skraastad, directed by Leigh Silverman; The world premiere of St. Scarlet, written by Julia Jordan, directed by Chris Messina, featuring Rosemarie DeWitt, Michael Chernus, Ivan Martin, Susan Louise O’Connor (published by Dramatists Play Service); The world premiere of Scab, written by Sheila Callaghan, directed by Hayley Finn, featuring Shannon Burkett, Sasha Eden, David Wheir, Flora Diaz and Anne Carney; The New York premiere of Bold Girls written by Rona Munro, directed by Hayley Finn, featuring Denise Lute, Marian Tomas Griffin, Jordan Simmons and Sasha Eden; I Stand Before You Naked written by Joyce Carol Oates, at the NY Int’l Fringe Festival and The Harold Clurman Theatre (with original material written by Ms. Oates exclusively for WET’s production), directed by Heather Scarlett Arnet, featuring Rayme Cornell, Gayton Scott, Christy Marie Moore, Ayo Haynes, April Black, Jan O’Dell, Anita Dashiell, Sasha Eden, Francesca Carlin.

Events: LOVE, a one-night only event featuring short plays on the subject of love by some of the hottest female playwright read by celebrated actors, directed by Abby Epstein: Love 2010: Awards ceremony honoring Lynda Obst (Sleepless in Seattle) with the We Empower Together Award presented by Nora Ephron(Julie & Julia), and Maria Zuckerman (Vice President of HBO films, Grey Gardens), with the Risk Taker Award presented by Alexandra Campos (Risk Taker Series Alumnae) CAST: Emmanuelle Chriqui(Entourage), Rosemarie DeWitt (Rachel Getting Married), Carla Gugino(Sucker Punch),Mamie Gummer (Taking Woodstock), Ron Livingston (Office Space), MaulikPancholy(30 Rock), Zachary Quinto(Star Trek),Jennifer Westfeldt(Kissing Jessica Stein), Jennifer Carpenter(Dexter),Hamish Linklater (New Adventures of Old Christine) and Rachel Dratch(SNL). With Plays by:  Megan Mostyn-Brown, Julia Cho, Laura Eason, Sarah Treem, Susanna Fogel and Joni Lefkowitz. The event was held at the Angel Orensanz Foundation and sponsored by SELF Magazine, Yogaworks, Room & Board Home Furnishings, The Empire Hotel and JetBlueAirways. LOVE 2009 featured performances by Debra Messing, Blythe Danner, Perrey Reeves, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Maulik Pancholy, David Alan Basche, John Lloyd Young, Tracie Thoms, Andre Royo, Alysia Reiner, JD Williams, Alex Frost, Sabine Singh, with plays by Jenny Lyn Bader, Annie Baker, Lucy Boyle, Laura Eason, Ann Marie Healy, Ellen Melaver, Susan Miller, Anna Ziegler. LOVE 2008 featuring performances by Lauren Ambrose, Martha Plimpton, Jane Alexander, Ricki Lake, Neil Patrick Harris, Gretchen Mol, Peter Hermann, Laila Robins, Michael Cerveris, Josh Hamilton and Sabine Singh, with plays by Jenny Lyn Bader, Lucy Boyle, Brooke Berman, Julia Cho, Julia Jordan, Liz Tucillo and Francine Volpe. LOVE 2006, hosted by Diane von Furstenberg at the DVF studios featuring performances by Emmanuelle Chriqui, Ally Sheedy, Mark Feuerstein, Cady Huffman, Jessica Hecht and Jackie Hoffman; The 2009 INKubator Summer Series, featuring Current Nobody written by Melissa James Gibson,Dusty and the Big Bad World written by Cusi Cram and Swimming in March written by Kate Robin and musical improv superstars, Glennis McMurray and Eliza Skinner in I Eat Pandas.  Letters to A Young Artist, a performance of the book written by Anna Deavere Smith, Hosted by Daryl Roth, read by Ms. Smith, Olympia Dukakis, Eve Ensler, Bill T. Jones, Josh Hamilton, Eugene Jarecki, Lisa Kron, and James C. Nicola; Waitress, a reading of the then un-produced, original screenplay, written and directed by Adrienne Shelly, starring Paul Rudd, Gretchen Mol, Amy Sedaris and Michael Cerveris; The New York Film Premiere of Friends With Money ,presented in association with Sony Pictures Classics, followed by a talk-back with writer/director Nicole Holofcener and actor Catherine Keener. Bottom Of The World, a new play commissioned by WET, written by Lucy Thurber at The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, The Tribeca Theater Festival and The Public Theater; The Morgan Stories, written and directed by Adrienne Shelly, starring Billy Crudup, Ally Sheedy, Jessica Hecht and Paul Rudd; The Modern Woman Unbound I and II with New York Times Best Selling authors, including Nicola Kraus and Emma McLaughlin  (“The Nanny Diaries”), Amy Sohn  (“Run Catch Kiss” and “Kiss and Tell”), Beth Harpaz (“Girls in the Van”) and Lorene Cary (“Pride”, “Black Ice”);  Laugh ‘til You WET Your Pants parts I and II, stand up comedy nights of all star female talent held at Gotham Comedy Club and Gramercy Comedy Club featuring Judy Gold, Corey Kahaney, Vanessa Hollingshead and other notable female stand up comics.

Script Development:  The INKubator: WET Films and WET Plays develops new material (plays or screenplays) written by selected women writers throughout the year, providing dramaturgical, promotional and creative support. Writers in the INKubator have included Laura Cahill, Zakiyyah Alexander, Brooke Berman, Francine Volpe, Sarah Schulman, Julia Jordan, Cusi Cram, and more. As a part of the INKubator, WET has partnered with The Williamstown Theater Festival, Naked Angels, The National Theater Institute at The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center.

Educational Outreach Program: In 2004 WET launched the educational wing of the company with a unique media literacy and leadership program for teenage girls, WET’s Risk Takers Series. Risk Takers ran from 2004-2010 as a free, annual city-wide program for adolescent girls, from over 80 participating NYC schools, created to bolster girls’ self-esteem by teaching them invaluable skills that enable them to navigate the 21st century’s media-saturated landscape with wisdom, consciousness, courage and strength. By using a unique curriculum created by the founders of WET, inspired in part by the ground-breaking New York Times Best Seller, Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls, by Mary Pipher Ph.D, Risk Takers uses film as a launching pad for discussion to teach girls how to:  make the distinction between an empowering risk and a damaging risk (applying to college, speaking up in class vs. unsafe sex, drug use, eating disorders); look at the media with a critical eye; recognize and challenge stereotypes, identify; set and meet personal, educational, and professional goals; push personal limits by taking empowered risks to follow their dreams; employ survival skills taught in the program connected to body image, public speaking, sex education, media-literacy, stress management, and street safety. Plus, Risk Takers engages girls in candid discussions with positive female role models from the media - celebrated female actors, writers, directors and producers who choose to participate in the program in order to reinforce the essence of the program: be courageous, be respectful, and be true to yourself. Past Guest Risk Takers include: Frances McDormand, Mary Louise Parker Olympia Dukakis, Audra McDonald, Kerry Washington, Neda Armian, Jenny Lumet, Maria Maggenti, Nicole Holofcener, Mira Nair, Lili Taylor, Kelly McGillis, Keri Russell, Gina Prince-Bythewood, and Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith. This award-winning program has been recognized for enhancing the well-being of young women and empowering them to change the world.