Women of Resistance arrives at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center on March 25 and 26 with a production that blends theatricality and historical reverence into a single, powerful evening. The performance transforms the stories of seven extraordinary World War II heroines into an immersive experience shaped by original music, contemporary dance, and striking visual art.
The women at the center of the production are Hedy Lamarr, Josephine Baker, Nancy Wake, Noor Inayat Khan, Andrée Peel, Lee Miller, and Virginia Hall. They represent a spectrum of courage that crossed borders, backgrounds, and expectations. Some used fame as a shield for espionage. Some guided Allied pilots through the night. Some documented the liberation of the camps. Some built the technology that would shape the future. All risked their lives in the name of resistance.
Women of Resistance brings their stories to the stage through a collaboration with Sarasota Contemporary Dance. Eight choreographers contribute to the work, each creating movement that reflects the individuality of the woman they portray. The result is a performance that moves through tension, ingenuity, heartbreak, and triumph, giving audiences a visceral connection to the choices these women made.
The project began when artist and writer Vicki Chelf visited a small Resistance museum in a French village and encountered these stories for the first time. The impact stayed with her and grew into a series of portraits that captured the women’s strength and spirit. As interest in the paintings grew, so did the desire to tell the full stories. “I was trained as a painter — I never intended to create theater. This story came to me in meditation and would not release me until I said yes,” says Chelf.
Composer Warren Slim Williams created the score that anchors the production. His music shifts between urgency and reflection, guiding the audience through each woman’s journey and giving the dancers a soundscape that deepens the emotional impact of the work.
Women of Resistance ensures these women are remembered not as footnotes, but as central figures in the fight against fascism. Their courage shaped the world we live in, and their stories continue to resonate. Chelf explains, “Whenever I feel a task is too large or doubt my own ability, I think of our women and I find the courage to move forward.”
Performances will take place March 25 and 26 at 8 pm at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.womenofresistance.org.
