The university theatre program began preparations for the performance of “She Danced with a Red Fish,” the winner of the 2018 Inkslinger Playwriting Competition.

The play, written by Carolyn Nur Wistrand, will be performed on Feb. 19-22 from 6:30 -7:30 p.m.

The competition called for an original, unpublished, full-length play for the university. Anne-Liese Fox, third time guest director for the theatre department, explained the process of entering the competition down to winning and performing it.

“Playwrights from all over the country submit their original plays, and the SLU theatre department offers a full production of this new play,” said Fox. “The contest promotes and encourages new works by emerging playwrights. Achieving this gives Wistrand the opportunity to present her play ‘She Danced with a Red Fish,’ to a 445-seat theatre on this coming Feb.19-22.”

According to Fox, Wistrand’s method of storytelling will give a fresh perspective on the most famous Creole woman of New Orleans, Marie Laveau. Fox discussed the show’s plot.

“Set in 1820-1821 in New Orleans, ‘She Danced with a Red Fish’ imagines the story of the New Orleanian legend Marie Laveau as a young woman before she became one of New Orleans’ most famous citizens,” shared Fox. “When the Saint-Domingue priestess Sanité Dédé performs a midnight ritual cleansing in Marie’s cottage on St. Ann Street, the unexpected return of her husband, Jacques Paris, disrupts the ceremony, ultimately leading to Marie’s mystic awakening through African traditions.”

Fox expects magic to take the theatre stage.

Fox stated, “Filled with 19th century legendary Louisiana Black Creoles, the mysterious Jacques Paris, Vodou priestess Sanité Dédé, conjure man Dr. John, quadroon Colette Delacroix, crippled laundress Mary Earle and runaway slave and survivor of the 1811 slave revolt Bras Coupé, the magic of the Vieux Carré, the French Quarter, is brought to life in this wickedly delicious tale of female empowerment, love and magic.”

The show will be performed at the Vonnie Borden Theatre. General admission fee is $15. Senior citizens and non-university students can get in for $10, and the admission is free for the university students.