ABOUT THE FILM
Carrie Chapman Catt (Karissa Vincent) and Fannie Lou Hamer (Deana Tavares) singing
From the play, Alice Paul (Libby Franck) and others
From the play, Betty Friedan (Marty Green) and Bella Abzug (Anne Perrah)
We Did It For You! is an engaging musical that tells of the struggles and triumphs women have undergone to get their basic rights in America. A high school student has a history project to figure out who has done the most for women of today, and she learns the answer from the women who were there. The film starts with the struggle women had in the 17th century Puritan Revolution and goes through to our 21st century empowered women politicians. The few women portrayed in the film are not the whole story. Women have not only struggled to obtain their rights, they have made contributions that have been overlooked in many history books. In so many areas, women have been the first to accomplish things, have ideas, create inventions, and solve problems.
As a play, We Did It For You! has been performed across California and eastern Massachusetts, including for the League of Women Voters, American Association of University Women, Soroptimists International, National Council for Jewish Women, and Daughters of the American Revolution. Over 400 soldiers at the Ft. Irwin National Training Center gave the cast a standing ovation and shook the hands of each and every performer. Thousands of women, men, high schoolers and college students have seen it. A dedicated troupe of volunteer women who care about women's rights and active participation in our democracy performed in the play because they loved entertaining and educating people with this incredible experience.
Our History
First produced by the Women's Journey Conference in Costa Mesa, CA in 2010, We Did It For You! went on to be showcased at conventions, organizations, schools, museums, and other venues throughout California. We developed the play-reading workshop version in 2011 and have been working with schools, colleges, and women's organization in many states since then. Many groups go on to do staged readings afterwards. On Women's Equality Day 2017, We Did It For You! began performances in Massachusetts in order to begin bringing this play to venues on the East Coast. In 2019, we began using the strength of the historic women as the essence of Empowerment Workshops. And during the pandemic, we continued doing performances online. Finally, in 2022, we turned the play into a film.
Just some testimonials
“The play is one of the most entertaining and interesting re-enactments of the history of women I have seen to date. It is so well put together that it easily captures the interests of all age groups-especially our younger generation ...who need to know where we have been in order to see the potential of where we can go when we work together!” - Amy Lance, California State University, Chico
“The performance was so outstanding and moving that I got goose bumps and cried." - Lilly Ledbetter, Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the first act of legislation signed by President Obama
The lessons learned here apply to both genders and all ages and can be applied to contemporary issues, making them as relevant today as they were 100 or more years ago. - Mitzi March Mogul, Vice President, Heritage Square Museum