Virginia Repertory Theatre

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Archive: How to Bruise Gracefully

By Brittany Fisher
Directed by Melissa Mowry
World Premiere

Presented by Cadence Theatre and Virginia Rep

May 12 – 21, 2023

At Libby S. Gottwald Playhouse, 600 E Grace Street

Advisory: Contains graphic descriptions of medical procedures and adult content. Recommended for audience members aged 16+.

Run time: 90 minutes without an intermission.

A young YouTuber, Vi, is hiding something. What begins as a typical workday at Burger King soon spirals into a deep exploration of fear, trauma, and inner strength through the eyes of women who have both nothing and everything to lose. This is a crash course on survival and how to cope with the reality of not being in control of your own body.

Brittany Fisher is an NYC-based playwright from Richmond, VA and a recent graduate of Juilliard's Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program. Her play How to Bruise Gracefully was a finalist for the Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition, won the 2021 Kennedy Center Lorraine Hansberry Award, and was recognized by the Rosa Parks Award and Paula Vogel Award.

Meet the cast on the Cadence Theatre facebook page

In the Media

"How To Bruise Gracefully explores little-known history to relate the stories of Black women."
Style Weekly

"Playwright aims to open hearts and minds with premiere production"
Richmond Free Press

  Covid Safety

This performance takes place at the Libby S. Gottwald Playhouse at Dominion Energy Center. Their current Covid-19 policy is available at dominionenergycenter.com/health-safety.

How to Bruise Gracefully How to Bruise Gracefully

Photos by Jason Collins Photography

Sponsors

Cadence Theatre’s Season 13 is made possible through the generosity and support of The E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, Salomon & Ludwin, Reeves Moran Conn Attorneys at Law, and Betsy Rawles.

Artwork by Jess Cimicata