Women of Dorset join forces for theatre project

The play is being written by Stephanie Gale (left) and directed by Penny Levick (right)

Women from across Dorset are coming together to create a play about extraordinary women who have lived and worked in the county.

The community theatre project is building an all-women collective to help shape and inform the work, which will feature professional actors and a community chorus.

It is being led by playwright Stephanie Dale, director Penny Levick and producer Rowan Seymour.

They are hosting workshops where people can learn about the project, experience being part of a community chorus and contribute their own stories.

Researchers have been uncovering untold stories about historical women

Researchers have been working in Dorset Museum, collecting untold stories and archive material about women from the past.

The Women of Dorset team wants women to attend one of the workshops, running from Monday 17 to Friday 21 March.

Ms Dale said: "It's going to be a fun, relaxing environment, hearing about historical women discovered by the researchers.

"Participants will share their stories too.

"We are creating something new and fresh."

The workshops, taking place in Dorchester, Bridport, Poole, Weymouth and Shaftesbury, are free to attend but booking is essential via the Dorchester Arts website.

Stephanie Dale said the group hoped to create a women's creative movement

"The first half of the workshop is about what we have discovered and what you have discovered," said Ms Dale.

"The second half is about the play and to show what a community ensemble can do."

The sessions have been funded by the Maria Bjornson Memorial Fund.

Further workshops are planned in the summer to develop the community ensemble and theatre production group with the eventual goal of touring the finished production in Spring 2026.

"We are slowly building," said Ms Dale.

"We want to start a women's creative movement across Dorset."