Name of Respondent: Cynthia Millhorn, Creator and Director
Name of Show: Daughters
“I’m here to resurrect ghosts in a long and rich sisterhood of storytelling.”
- Why should people see your show?
This is a unique show that reimagines characters that you think you know, and creates a sense of connection and understanding that will leave you curious about the authentic female experience and equipped with a more accurate understanding of classic stories whose messages are subversive, surprising, and scintillating!
- What about festivals intrigues you? And why the Atlanta Fringe?
I love the opportunity to come together in community to support and experience other artist’s work and to present my own work to people who are interested in art and offer challenging and exciting feedback for emerging artists, new art work and art forms, and hardworking artistic visionaries.
- What inspired you to create this?
I have a lifelong love of folk and fairytale, but could never reconcile the damsel in distress/happily ever after scenarios that are so widespread in our understanding of these stories. I recognized the abundance of female characters populating the pages of the stories and I wanted to dig deeper to excavate the true stories of women within the narrative. I wanted to amplify the voices of women who I believed coded their subversive messages in the oral tellings over centuries. I’m here to resurrect ghosts in a long and rich sisterhood of storytelling.
- Life has been weird the last few years, to say the least. How has the “real world” affected the art you’re creating?
Themes of isolation, and a longing to belong, be heard, and connect (which flood the waters of folktales) have only helped me develop this work, and treasure the moments, when we get to come together, share our work, and experience a communion between audience and performers.
- What have you learned from working on your show so far?
I’m always learning something new. Every time I perform the show, the feedback I receive affirms and inspires me to keep digging and exploring my content.
I’ve discovered that my process, as described by a well-respected peer, is neither storytelling nor acting but much more like channeling. I’ve never done a show like this before – I have to play four distinct characters with seemingly different motives and intentions but who are all determined to survive. I must transition between them seamlessly to achieve success. So far, it’s been going great! But I truly feel like I am inviting real women to visit me for the performance who then return to their respective resting (or mischief making) places. My show always feels like I am inhabiting a liminal space I have been granted access to for an ephemeral moment.
- There’s a mysterious stranger in the back row of your show, wearing a big ol’ N95 mask and a baseball cap and there’s something weirdly familiar about them, and then they come up afterwards to tell you they loved your show. In your WILDEST DREAMS, who is this mysterious stranger? (Bonus points if your mysterious stranger is an Atlanta celeb.)
Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, or Lily Tomlin – basically any of the 9-5 trio. Jane represents ATL, too!
- Fringes are the place to really push the boundaries so we gotta ask: are you inviting your family to this show are “Hey, maybe sit this one out you guys…”
My family knows what I’m about so they are ready for it!
I deliver truth but I’m sly so that most audiences understand at the age appropriate level of their understanding. But these are not Disney tales.
I go deliciously dark at sometimes unexpected turns but general admission can handle it!
- Will your show change the world?
I believe that my show can help change the world by inspiring audiences to her, recognize the struggles of women and see how much women have influenced culture and can continue to amplify our voices and those around us
- Zoom meetings: dress up head to toe or Donald Duck it?
Donald Duck it all the way!
- We’re making an excellent Fringey Feelings playlist. Describe your show in two or three songs we can add to keep the jams flowing.
Just A Girl – Florence + the Machine
labour – Paris Paloma
Savage Daughter – Sarah Hester Ross
Sounds amazing, right? Click here to learn more and get your tickets to this show today.
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