Dames Like Us
Francesca Rizzo's
fearless, funny and fabulously female
ensemble monologue play
uses true wit and real characters
to trash taboos and smash stereotypes
about women “of a certain age”.
Audiences are welcomed by Sofia, the Argentinian bikini-waxer
who is the take-no-prisoners proprietress of
Salon de Sofia, a tiny NYC salon spa.
Outrageously honest as it is funny, the play touches on some taboo hotspots, sexual, political and otherwise, blowing the lid off what is really said in the company of dames. Each character is drawn from life: living, breathing women you're sure to recognize from your own circle of friends and family.
And while the show may seem geared to the baby-boomer generation, it turns out that millennials and gen-Xers swear it also speaks directly to their experience of life in the 21st Century.
Dames Like Us remains always fresh and topical with its innovative structure of adding in new material, rotating characters and cast - so it's the kind of show you can come back to see again and again!
Although she originally performed the play solo, Rizzo is now joined by a revolving cast of four top New York character actors as they all move from wig to wig and persona to persona, transforming themselves into a series of beauty technicians and their diverse clientele, mature women with surprising pasts, sturdy opinions and enduring passions.
 |
|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
"The writing is just brilliant
and her performance is impeccable."
Elizabeth Reid, Our Town
Men,
bring your defibrillators
Women,
bring Depends.
DAMES LIKE HER
is now
 Francesca Rizzo |
|---|
 Susanna Dalton |
 Maureen Shannon |
 Andrea Weston |
 Mary Elaine Monti |
 Ivy Austin |
 Ardes Quinn |
 Deirdre Brennan |
Click
to read about
our FAB cast!
Perfect for GALS!
NEW YORK TIMES
Perfect Women's Night Out! ... this wonderful show is amazing. I went with 4 good friends and we can't wait to see her again. Don't miss it!
– Stephanie,
New York, NY
Dynamite fun for those of us at "a certain age" and beyond! Kudos to Ms Rizzo for a superb performance."
– Carol Yeager,
New York, NY
This is definitely a FIVE STAR EXCELLENT show ... go! enjoy! laugh!
– Hillary Rollins,
New York / Santa Monica
Funny from beginning to end ... laugh until your sides hurt dialogue. This show is a winner ... go and enjoy it.
– Cheryl Restaino,
Pequannock, NJ
New York BRAINIACS
Francesca was hilarious!
It was a fun nite out!
- Madelene, NY Brainiacs
Hysterically funny!
- Deb Maylath, NY Brainiacs
Francesca was a hoot!
-- Ivy, NY Brainiacs
New Jersey ARTHOUSE
Lots of fun watching Francesca move from character to character. Witty monologues! Packed house!
– Marsha,
NJ Arthouse
It was funny and brilliantly written!
– Beth Cofone,
NJ Arthouse
She was excellent, and had the audience in stitches in recognition of the characters she played, and even the men laughed! I'd love to see the show again if at all possible.
– Cristina,
NJ Arthouse
I had a great time...I laughed the whole night!
- Fatima,
NJ Arthouse
Francesca was great!!!!
- Dawn Lee,
NJ Arthouse
GUYS love us, too!
NEW YORK TIMES
Laughter and insights - you don't just see them, you feel them. Francesca becomes her wonderful ensemble of characters with such comfort and warmth that, no matter how outrageous their edge or OMG moments you encounter.....you really like them because deep down Francesca likes them, too.
It is truly laugh out loud funny -- usually for its cleverness, surprise and insight, but never the result of cheap vulgarity. There are any number of times when the women laugh a lot louder than we men do .... which reminds us that great humor has a foundation of great truths.
This is not stand-up..... this is good writing and any of these characters could have stepped out of a play or novel. Rizzo seems as much in command of fine character driven writing as she is in portraying the characters themselves.
– Leonard Steinbach,
New York, NY
A wonderfully fun peek into the lives of women, I loved this rare chance to be a 'fly on the wall. Ms. Rizzo truly pays tribute to them, and she treats them - for all their quirkiness - with respect and love.
The result is both comical and heartwarming: a funny comedy aimed at our adult sensibilities.
– MJ Mangan,
Ocean Grove, NJ
Laughing till it hurts. I saw this hilarious show twice! Ms. Rizzo’s characters are memorable and owned the sold-out crowd. The woman next to me laughed so hard she dumped a glass of red wine on my pants.
Usually, when I leave a good show one or two characters bounce around my mind. After this show several characters stayed in my head leaving me laughing out of context for the next week.
Don’t miss this show.
– Thomas R. Pryor,
New York, NY
Laughed my head off -- This must of been what it was like when Judy Holiday performed at the Village Vanguard and later Lily Tomlin at the Blue Angel. Bravo ! It wigged me out.
– Alex Adams,
Princeton, NJ
The play plays with themes of identity and the wigs play an important role.