In Defense of Women

Written in Italy in the 16th century by Jewish dramatist Leone De' Sommi Portaleone, the poem "In Defense of Women" touches on the role of women in drama and reveals a great deal about the cultural considerations and power dynamics of this time when women were coming to the fore on the theatrical stages of Northern Italy, Rome, and Venice in the professional world of the commedia dell’arte. Dr. Erith Jaffe-Berg guides us through the work and its relevance to both historical and contemporary issues of equity and belonging as actors from theatre dybbuk read selections from the poem and other related texts.