Voices HEaRd: A Women’s Theatre Festival

Voices Amplified, a collective dedicated to equitable arts education and performance, is proud to announce the inaugural Voices HEaRd: A Women’s Theatre Festival. Running June 3–14 at the Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center, this historic event is the first of its kind in Lexington.

Themed "Reclamation," the festival explores how women take control of their legacies by challenging the myths, stereotypes, and sensationalized headlines that have long defined them. Through a curated blend of parody, true crime, and original new works, Voices HEaRd centers on women reclaiming their own narratives.The multi-week lineup features a diverse range of workshops, musicals, and short plays designed to empower local artists and provide a platform for underrepresented stories. The festival schedule includes:

Disenchanted!

by Dennis T. Giacino with Fiely Matias

Forget the princesses you think you know—the original storybook heroines have tossed their tiaras and come to life to set the record straight in this hilarious hit musical that’s anything but Grimm. These royal renegades are none-too-happy with how they are being portrayed in today’s pop culture, and they’ve arrived to expose the truth by changing the narrative of their own "happily ever afters."

In DISENCHANTED! your favorite princesses comically belt out a subversive, "not-for-the-kiddies" truth that rips the script to shreds. While they tell the princes exactly where to stick their stereotypes, this "Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical" nominee also celebrates individuality and the beauty found within. See for yourself if they really lived happily ever! PG-13.

BORDEN: A NEW MUSICAL (Development Presentation)

Everyone knows the name Lizzie Borden. Fewer know the name Emma - the older sister who stood beside her, who kept her secrets, and who paid the longest price. BORDEN: A New Musical tells Emma's story. And this June, it comes home.

Developed in New York City by Kentucky-rooted writer and performer Cavan Hendron, BORDEN will make its workshop debut at the Downtown Arts Center in Lexington, Kentucky, on June 11–13 as part of the Voices HEaRd Festival, presented by Voices Amplified. Audiences will have a rare opportunity to witness a new musical in the making, before its next stage of development, in the city that shaped the artist who made it.

The production also brings an extraordinary scholarly voice to the table: Cara Robertson, author of The Trial of Lizzie Borden, widely regarded as the definitive account of the case, is serving as the show’s official dramaturg and historical consultant. Robertson will be present at the June 11 performance and will participate in a special post-show talkback with the creative team.Attendees are expected from across Kentucky, New York, and the country for this limited-run presentation.

TICKTOCK Play Festival

This showcase of short plays written by female identifying playwrights from Kentucky to New Zealand advances the festival’s focus on agency and the power of women to claim ownership of their stories. By reshaping the narrative, we reclaim the pen from those who have miswritten our pasts—or would distort our futures. This festival centers the truth of our lived experiences, setting the record straight unapologetically and in our own voices.

Festival Workshop:

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Opening Night of the Festival

Arrive early to celebrate with our opening act: LexComedy Co.!

House opens @ 6:30 pm

LexComedy Starts @ 7:00 pm

Disenchanted starts @ 7:30 pm

Thursday, June 4, 2026 @ 7:30 pm- Disenchanted

Friday June 5, 2026 @ 7:30 pm - Disenchanted

Saturday, June 6 @ 1:00-4:30 pm - Workshops (visit www.voicesampd.org for more information)

Saturday, June 6@ 7:00 pm AND 9:30 pm Disenchanted

Sunday, June 7@ 2:00 pm Disenchanted

Wednesday, June 10 @ 7:30 pm TickTock Festival

Thursday, June 11 @ 7:30 pm Borden Workshop Presentation with a talkback with Historian and New York Times bestseller Cara Robertson

Friday, June 12 @7:30 pm Borden Workshop Presentation

Saturday, June 13 @2:00 pm Borden Workshop Presentation

Saturday, June 13 @7:30 pm TickTock Festival

Sunday, June 14 @ 2:00 pm TickTock Festival

Ticket prices :

Disenchanted!

Adult $25 Students $18

Table for 4 $120 (limited)

Thursday, June 4 is Pay What You Will AT THE DOOR ONLY

Borden

Adults $20 Students $15

TickTock Play Festival

Adults $20 Students $15

Tickets go on sale at the end of April .

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE: https://ci.ovationtix.com/36286

Or Call: (859) 425 -2550

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