In my play about Maria, Most Affectionate Daughter, that message teaches us that religion and science needn’t be at odds. They are really more similar than dissimilar.

My second piece, Daring to Dream, tells the story of Amelia Earhart and carries the message wrapped in its title: Go after your dreams. A lot of people thought Amelia was crazy and/or reckless. She often took off in planes that were inadequately equipped or took chances. But she knew what she wanted to do, and she didn’t let anyone stand in her way.

Ghosts of the Desert focuses on Gertrude Bell, a British spy in the Middle East during World War I. Perhaps the most serious of my works, it urges respect and consideration for different countries and cultures. It also has great relevance to world events today.

La Vie Divine, by contrast, is much more light-hearted. It “stars” Sarah Bernhardt, the flamboyant French actress who lived her life on a grand scale. As befits her life, the message here is that life rewards those who live with great passion.

Another great woman was Abigail Adams, wife of the second U.S. President and mother of the sixth. Remember the Ladies captures Abigail’s feistiness, her determination and the large role she played in shaping the country.

As Queen or Queen Mother during the Protestant Rebellion, Catharine de Medici certainly played an enormous role in the history of her adopted country. Her story is retold in The Black Queen -- which suggests that history might have judged her too harshly.

A battle of a different sort was waged by Margaret Sanger, the founder of the organization that became Planned Parenthood. My aptly named Woman Rebel illustrates just how long and hard Sanger worked to make birth control legal, affordable and safe.

The fight to preserve and restore Florida's natural environment, meanwhile, is explored in A Voice for the Everglades, my show about Marjory Stoneman Douglas. It's a particularly fitting play for Floridians but will resonate with anyone who has felt the loss of nature.

In the Shadow of Glory, by contrast, tells a much more personal tale -- that of Mary Todd Lincoln, her many tragedies and her fight to regain her independence after her son Robert had her declared insane. Like Catherine de Medici, Mary was a woman out of her time, and she paid a great price for that difference.

The Mind Must Be Convinced. Like all my other women, Ida Tarbell was not typical for her time. The only female included among the "Muckraking journalists" of the early 20th century, she took on the Standard Oil Company -- and helped break up Rockefeller's massive monopoly. Her story is told in The Mind Must Be Convinced.

As I continue to "discover" other women, the stories and messages I have to share grow. It is a most rewarding process. Every time I develop a new play (please see the complete list on the left), I am reminded that these pieces give me the chance to do three things I love.--.researching, writing and performing. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to follow my own dreams. I hope that, by sharing the lives of admirable women, I can inspire and educate others..

Each of my programs is fully costumed, runs about an hour and requires little space, making them ideal for small groups. Only a small table and chair are required. All other props are supplied. Post-performance question/answer sessions can also be arranged.

For more information, references or to arrange a performance, please contact me at (239) 592-1137 or Janina@janinabirtolo.com.