BETTE DAVIS AINT FOR SISSIES

Bette Davis Ain’t For Sissies is a critically acclaimed solo play written and performed by Jessica Sherr and directed by Drama Desk Award-winner Karen Carpenter. The show brings Hollywood legend Bette Davis to life — tracing her rise, her battles with the studio system, her fierce ambition, her vulnerability, and her unrelenting fight for artistic control.

More than a tribute, the piece explores what it costs a woman to demand power in an industry built to silence her. Though rooted in Hollywood’s Golden Age, its themes remain deeply relevant today.

For nearly 15 years, Bette Davis Ain’t For Sissies has toured nationally and internationally, reaching more than 485 performances across 35 states and three continents.

As the production approaches its 500th performance milestone, the show will launch an Off-Broadway run — marking the most ambitious chapter in its history.

Funds raised through Fractured Atlas will support:

In tandem with the Off-Broadway run, Jessica is developing a cinematic version of the play to expand its reach globally and preserve the work for future audiences.

Reaching 500 performances is not the end — it is the beginning of the show’s most ambitious evolution yet.

With your tax-deductible support, we can bring Miss Davis back to New York — and onto the screen.

Press
“Sherr is a one-woman revolution.”
 — Windy City Times

“An enlightening portrait of a trailblazing feminist indelibly etched upon our collective mind.”
 — Broadway World

“Sherr’s writing is crisp, her acting riveting, her voice spot-on. Her use of props—particularly the antique phone—nearly makes you forget she’s alone on stage.”-- Theater Pizzazz.