Women+ on the Edge of Democracy
10-minute plays. Cold drinks. Conversations about democracy.
When: Sunday November 1 at 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Where: Sturdy Shelter Brewing, 10 Shumway Ave, Batavia, IL 60510
Cost: Free!
FREE TO ATTEND · BRING A FRIEND · PULL UP A CHAIR
Democracy isn't only shaped at the ballot box. It's shaped when neighbors come together to listen, ask difficult questions, and imagine a different future.
Ahead of the midterms, Rogue Acts Theater invites you to practice democracy with us at our local gathering for Women+ on the Edge of Democracy: a nationwide act of listening, one community at a time.
Think book club meets play reading meets a night out with friends!
We'll gather around the table, share 10-minute plays by some of today's leading playwrights, and use their stories to spark conversation about the state — and future — of American democracy.
Read a part, listen in, or just join the conversation. No theater experience, memorized lines, or preparation required.
Democracy is a creative act. And everyone has a role to play.
Democracy doesn't have an audience. It has a cast.
Theater gives us a creative way to explore questions that don't always have easy answers. You don't need to be an actor, a political expert, or even someone who's ever attended a play reading. You just need to be willing to show up and practice democracy with us.
Part of a nationwide conversation
From October 23 through November 3, 2026, communities across the country are coming together for Women+ on the Edge of Democracy.
Initiated and commissioned by the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts in partnership with the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, this national project brings together some of the most insightful playwrights of our time to witness, question, and illuminate this pivotal chapter in American civic life.
Participating communities are sharing these plays in theaters, libraries, classrooms, community spaces, and around ordinary tables — making room for conversations about democracy through the power of storytelling.
We're proud to bring this nationwide initiative to the Fox Valley.
Learn more about the initiative: https://www.democracy.flynnvt.org/
Meet the playwrights: https://www.democracy.flynnvt.org/playwrights
Join us November 1!
Sunday, November 1 · 5–6:30 PM
Sturdy Shelter Brewing · Batavia, IL
FREE TO ATTEND · BRING A FRIEND · PULL UP A CHAIR!
No RSVP necessary. Just come as you are.
Women+ on the Edge of Democracy is presented by the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts in partnership with the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Original artwork by Paula Scher/Pentagram.
Be more than a spectator in democracy. Be a spect-actor!
See a show, support a good cause
For Women's History Month 2025, we hosted a food drive in support of Mutual Ground.
As an extension of our Stage the Change workshop, where we collected donations for Mutual Ground, we collected food and personal care items during our production of The Revolutionists.
Mutual Ground's mission is to create a safe environment where individuals impacted by domestic violence, sexual violence, and substance use are able to reclaim their power. Mutual Ground supports the healing of our community through education, awareness, and life changing services as a commitment to equity for all.
About Rogue Acts Theater
Rogue Acts Theater is a community arts initiative in Geneva, Illinois, dedicated to creating bold theater experiences that go beyond the stage towards a better world.
This isn't theater that stays in its seat. Through plays, workshops, and boundary-pushing creative collaborations, we bring communities together to act—on stage, in the streets, and in their own stories.
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