Adina Taubman Takes Flight with Bold, Hilarious Look at Women’s Lives
Playwright and Performer, She Takes Flight
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Adina Taubman, Artistic Director of Chrysalis Theatre Company, is no stranger to telling it like it is. With She Takes Flight, she and four powerhouse co-creators—Sora Baek, Cindy Keiter, Gabriela Kohen, and Susan Ward—take audiences on an unfiltered, laugh-out-loud, and deeply resonant journey through the real lives of women in midlife in New York City today.
“This show is about truth-telling,” says Taubman, who also serves as a writer, producer, and performer in the production. “We’re putting our struggles, our joys, our pain—and our ability to laugh through it all—onstage.”
The result is a devised piece that combines poignant monologues and sharply comedic ensemble scenes to explore everything from menopause and plastic surgery to navigating relationships with teenage daughters.
Directed by Kelly O’Donnell, SHE TAKES FLIGHT is the product of two years of raw, brave collaboration.
“We’ve built a sisterhood. A family. A community,” Taubman reflects. “These women are fearless and hilarious, and I’ve learned so much from them.” Their connection shines in rehearsal—and in the comedic scenes that Adina counts among her favorites: “We can’t stop laughing!”
The show is not only a creative triumph but also part of a landmark week for Taubman. Her short film SIZZLE, a dramedy about a middle-aged widow reluctantly reentering the dating app scene, premieres at the Big Apple Film Festival on May 12—just days before SHE TAKES FLIGHT opens on May 15 at The Chain Theatre.
A born-and-raised New Yorker who grew up in San Diego, Adina’s inspirations range from Lily Tomlin to Anna Deavere Smith to recent standouts like Andrew Scott in Vanya and the provocative Two Sisters Find a Box of Lesbian Erotica in the Woods.
“I’m lucky to live in a city where I’m constantly inspired by the artists around me,” she says.
Adina hopes SHE TAKES FLIGHT leaves its audience—especially women—feeling seen, heard, and emboldened.
“This isn’t the time to be silent,” she asserts. “We need to speak up, speak out, and join communities of women. Whether it’s onstage, to a friend, or in a journal—just tell your truth.”
When she’s not making theatre or film, you might find her dreaming of writing in Bali or Paris, or recalling her days as a competitive equestrian.
“There is no room for fear,” she quotes Toni Morrison. “We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.”
