About Word for Word
WORD FOR WORD Performing Arts Company performs short works of fiction in their entirety, preserving the author’s voice and honoring their intent with exciting visuals and inventive staging.
Word for Word, a program of Z Space, is an ensemble whose mission is to tell great stories with elegant theatricality, staging performances of classic and contemporary fiction. Founded in 1993 by Susan Harloe and JoAnne Winter, Word for Word believes in the power of the short story to provide solace, compassion, and insight into our daily lives. We bring stories from diverse cultures to our diverse communities, and develop future audiences’ love for the printed and spoken word.
"I wish that Word for Word would do all my stories. Their brilliant inventiveness in performance, choreography, and staging has created a new art form, and a deeply affecting experience.”
—Tobias Wolff
Co-Artistic Directors JoAnne Winter and Susan Harloe founded Word for Word Performing Arts Company in 1993 as part of the Artists in Residence program at The Z Space Studio (Z Space's original name). Harloe and Winter became Word for Word's Co-Artistic Directors and led the company together until Harloe's departure in September 2021. Winter currently still serves as Artistic Director alongside Associate Artistic Director Vanessa Flores Chacko.
In its vibrant history, Word for Word has performed over 70 stories by some of the world’s best writers. Many of these stories have been performed in front of the authors themselves. They perform regularly at Z Space and since 1996 have toured annually throughout California and France. See Awards Page for listing of recognition.
It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that our dear friend and Word for Word Charter Member, Jeri Lynn Cohen has passed away after a long illness. Please visit our memorial page to her.
During the pandemic Word for Word was unable to perform to live audiences, so they explored new and different ways of bringing content to you. In addition to radio appearances, we developed the WORD for WORDcast, a podcast using Word for Word’s unique theatrical style augmented by emotive sound design, recalling early radio dramas.
Our First Show
Word for Word’s very first performance was to a packed audience in a rehearsal space on Howard Street in 1993. The work was Dorothy Parker’s “The Standard of Living,” it was directed by Amy Freed and featured John Balma, Susan Harloe, and JoAnne Winter. Shown above, left to right, are Susan Harloe and JoAnne Winter in this production. Photo by Benjamin Winter.
Past Shows
Top Left: Velina Brown, Edris Cooper, Margo Hall, Khary Moye in "All Aunt Hagar's Children" | Rosie Hallett, Rudy Guerrero in "Night Vision" by Emma Donoghue | Velina Brown, Jia Taylor in "All Aunt Hagar's Children"
Bottom Left: Stephanie Hunt, Rudy Guerrero in"Silence" by Colm Tóibín | Jeri Lynn Cohen, Howard Swain in "The Office" by Alice Munro | Jackson Davis, Søren Oliver, Rotimi Agbabiaka in "Dancing Dan's Christmas" by Damon Runyon: Holiday High Jinx
A highlight reel of some past Word for Word shows:
1) Rose-Johnny by Barbara Kingsolver, 1997 directed by Sandra Langsner Heinzmann - Featuring: Delia MacDougall and Susan Harloe
2) Immortal Heart by Amy Tan, 2004, directed by Delia MacDougall - Featuring Michael Cheng, Tina Huang, Lisa Kang, Brian Rivera, Dennis Yen, Kerry Lee, Julia Cho, and Melissa Wong Renati
3) The Halfway Diner by John Sayles 1998, directed by Sandra Langsner Heinzmann - Featuring: Margarette Robinson, Casey Jones-Bastiaans, Stephanie Hunt, JoAnne Winter, M. Cristina Sánchez, Patricia Silver, Minerva Garcia, Brian Russell.
Best Literary Remix: "Word for Word is all about the story".
-Best of 2017 San Francisco Magazine
After early performances in public libraries and schools, Word for Word soon began performing short stories on stage, quickly becoming a local theater favorite. In 1994, Word for Word became a program of Z Space and has maintained popularity ever since. In 1998, they established an arts education program known as YOUTH ARTS employing the Word for Word style of in-depth, literature-from-the-inside-out workshops in Bay Area schools.
Core CompanY
The Word for Word Core Company is the core acting ensemble and directing pool for the company. More information about the Core Company >
authors council
The following writers have had their work performed by Word for Word, and lend their names in support of the work of our company.
Greg Sarris | Honorary President
Daniel Handler
Edward P. Jones
Barbara Kingsolver
Armistead Maupin
George Saunders
Octavio Solis
Amy Tan
Tobias Wolff
Julia Alvarez
T.C. Boyle
Sandra Cisneros
Siobhan Fallon
Paul Fleischman
Richard Ford
Ellen Gilchrist
Joanne Greenberg
Andrew Sean Greer
