Looking for Lilith is a theatre company that is dedicated to re-examining history through women's perspectives, both past history and history in the making today, in order to reveal and celebrate women's contributions. The ancient story of Lilith embodies our struggle.

Lilith's story represents to us an instance where a strong woman's voice was quieted, and her story lost. Inspired by her, we seek to use women's histories-- both oral and written, to create multi-disciplinary performance pieces that will bring women's voices to a wider audience. In addition to creating original work, we are exploring current feminist works and re-examining old works.

Looking for Lilith also has a strong commitment to education. In our outreach programs, we guide young people in workshops which further explore the themes and histories of the performance we have shared with them, or themes and histories of interest to them. In some instances we guide them in researching, devising, and sharing new works that give voice to the members of our society who have historically been under-represented. Through these programs and our performances, we help show the value of multiple perspectives on history.

Who is Lilith?

In early Rabbinical myth, Lilith is Adam's first wife and the first woman mentioned in the Bible. When one looks at the first few chapters of Genesis today, Lilith's presence can still be detected, as there are two different tellings of the creation story. In Genesis 1:26-28, God creates man and woman together out of the dust (male and female he created them, in his image) and he gives them dominion over the plants and animals, but not over one another. As legend has it, Adam soon went to God with the complaint that Lilith was demanding and bossy, and God banished her from the garden. Time passed, and Adam returned to God and cried out, "Bring her back! She was beautiful and kind, and I miss her!," and God did. Days went by, and again Adam said, "God, this woman is driving me crazy! Banish her!" God told Adam that because he could neither live with Lilith, nor without her, God would end the situation once and for all. God put Adam to sleep and created Eve from his rib, so that there would be a natural subservience and she would be his "help-mate." This second story is also reflected, in Genesis 2:18-24.

In Jewish tradition, Lilith leaves the garden and becomes a vindictive spirit who returns to kill young male babies, tempt men sexually, and even appears as a serpent--in order to tempt Eve with knowledge. In Celtic tradition, Lilith is known as "The Fairie Queen"--mysterious but benevolent. In Christian tradition, Lilith is utterly unknown.