Drama Queens, a five-star arts journal focusing on female artists

KJ Stewart has chosen her audience and is speaking from the heart and the times.

Cowgirl Summer tells the story of twin sisters, Melanie, and Theresa, as they write and record their own Harry Styles fan fiction in their school library. From here, the show goes into “parable of social media” mode as their fun becomes becomes popular online — and you know what that means. Stewart’s prose hit the mark as laughter quickly turned to murmurs as the snappy, funny dialogue and situations took a sharp turn into serious territory.

Gianna Milici brilliantly wielded a high-energy ensemble in both the real world and fantastical scenarios. Notable showings include Nanouli Shevardnadze and Yuval Benit. Katie Kane, Calliope Pina Parker, Katelyn Kahn, Erin Browning, Kyla Jeanne, and Maaike Laanstra-Corn conveyed an energy that proved contagious to the audience (bad word these days but it was true) as an audience member was heard to squeal “Now THAT was REAL! upon her exit. It certainly was. 

I would be remiss to not include the lighting and sound design. Festival are cursed with limited means but what Chris Voegels and Beau Valentine accomplished went about and beyond.

Cowgirl Summer enjoyed a limited run at the fresh Fruit Festival in NYC in May. A play of this potential will return.