The annual multi-disciplinary event features women artists whose work calls attention to human struggles globally. The festival will kicks off April 8 with Expatriate, a new musical by poet, playwright, and performance artist Moïse that explores black womanhood, friendship, sexuality and freedom.

Davis will perform her solo play Warriors Don't Cry, adapted from the memoir of the same name by Melba Beals, one of the "Little Rock Nine" who marched through segregationist picket lines in 1957. Balaban, Laurie, Redgrave, and Sheedy will participate in a conversation and dramatic reading with Death Row exoneree Sonia "Sunny" Jacobs, whose story was told in Culture Project's The Exonerated. Goldman will present Preemptive Strike, a comedy performace.

Additional theater highlights include Seven, a new play by award-winning playwrights Paula Cizmar, Catherine Filloux, Gail Kriegel, Carol K. Mack, Ruth Margraff, Anna Deavere Smith and Susan Yankowitz (April 13); Chiori Miyagawa's play, I Have Been to Hiroshima Mon Amour (April 15-16); a Short Plays Fest, featuring emerging women directors presenting short works with a focus on social change (April 19); ViBe Theater Experience, a performing-arts education organization for under-served young women (April 20); a new play by award-wining performance artist Heather Woodbury (April 22); Abigail Nessen's The Magic Show: The Story of the Barefoot Angels (April 24); and a grassroots theater project featuring NYC immigrant domestic workers (April 26).

The festival will conclude with a special music event: Emancipate: Stories and Songs from New Orleans, which will present new songs by artists Pamela Means, Alix Olson, Vicki Randle, Cris Williamson, Asia Rainey, Gabrilla Ballard and Sunni Patterson.

For more information, visit www.cultureproject.org.