Lacey “G Souldier” Turner
What happens when the women of the Bible are given the opportunity to step beyond the pages of scripture and tell their stories from their own perspectives?
That question is at the heart of Sherre Ward’s upcoming stage production, I Am THAT Woman, coming to St. Louis on October 10, 2026, at The Empowerment Center, 3617 Wyoming St., St. Louis, MO 63116.
Ward is a playwright, producer, artistic director and founder of Kut-Nup Productions, a theatrical production company dedicated to creating meaningful entertainment and thought-provoking stories for the stage. Through her work, Ward explores themes of faith, resilience, culture and the experiences of women.
But for Ward, storytelling isn’t simply about entertainment. It is personal.
When asked what inspired her to create a company dedicated to bringing meaningful stories to the stage, Ward’s answer was simple: life.
“Life. I always look at it as we go through things for a reason. My journey and what I have gone through and what I have come out of can be a testimony or inspire other people. So I grab from that and I create from that.”
That philosophy is deeply woven into I Am THAT Woman.
“Their Stories Are Our Stories”
The title itself carries a powerful message.
When asked why she chose I Am THAT Woman, Ward explained that the idea came to her spiritually and creatively as she began thinking about biblical women and the experiences they endured.
“It was in my spirit to write about biblical women. Their stories are our stories, although ancient, women deal with what these women have gone through, such as loneliness or rejection and other things.”
For Ward, the distance between biblical times and modern life doesn’t necessarily separate women from these characters. Instead, their experiences can reveal similarities that still exist today.
She wanted to bring these women off the pages and onto the stage, allowing audiences to see them as more than historical or biblical figures.
“I wanted to put these women on stage and maybe the stories can relate to somebody in the audience.”
And the production tackles some powerful themes, including bravery, rebellion and bloodline, while exploring pain, faith, rejection, survival, choices and purpose.
Among the women whose stories are explored are Sarah, Hagar, Leah, Tamar, Delilah, Jezebel and Herodias.
Why Jezebel Challenged Ward the Most
Of all the women she explored as a playwright, Ward said Jezebel presented her greatest challenge.
Jezebel has become one of the most recognizable negative female figures in biblical storytelling, and the phrase “Jezebel spirit” has become part of modern religious and cultural language.
But Ward wanted to go deeper than the label.
“Jezebel, because she is evil, you know the saying when people say, you have a Jezebel spirit. That refers to rebellion. So I wanted to break down why she did what she did.”
Ward’s approach was to look beyond the reputation and examine the woman.
She explained that Jezebel was raised within her own belief system and refused to submit to anyone except the god she believed in. According to Ward’s interpretation of the character, that upbringing played an important role in the choices that ultimately led to Jezebel’s downfall.
While Jezebel is traditionally remembered as a wicked queen associated with the killing of God’s prophets, Ward wanted audiences to also consider the humanity behind the actions.
“She is human and she has pain and she suffered through grief. It was her upbringing. That’s all that she knew.”
That perspective is one of the intriguing elements of I Am THAT Woman: the production doesn’t simply ask audiences to remember these women for what they did. It asks them to consider why they became who they became.
More Than a Biblical Story
Although the characters come from ancient stories, Ward sees their experiences reflected in women today.
Loneliness. Rejection. The desire to be loved. The struggle to be heard. Faith. Pain. Resilience. Difficult decisions.
These are not confined to one particular era.
That is why Ward hopes audiences won’t simply watch I Am THAT Woman as a theatrical interpretation of biblical history. She wants them to see pieces of themselves—or someone they know—in the women onstage.
And ultimately, she wants the audience to leave feeling seen.
When asked what she wants people thinking about after the curtain closes on October 10, Ward gave an answer that captures the heart of the production:
“That they can relate, that they are strong, that they are loved, that they are seen, that they are smart. I want them to say to themselves that I am that woman.”
That statement may be the ultimate message behind the production.
I am that woman.
The woman who has survived rejection.
The woman who has experienced pain.
The woman who has questioned her circumstances.
The woman who has made mistakes.
The woman who has found strength.
The woman who is still standing.
An Evening of Theater, Reflection and Connection
With Ward serving as playwright, producer and artistic director, I Am THAT Woman represents more than another theatrical production for Kut-Nup Productions. It reflects Ward’s larger philosophy that personal experiences can become stories capable of connecting with and inspiring others.
And perhaps that is why these ancient stories continue to matter.
Because while the names may belong to another time, the emotions are still familiar.
Sarah. Hagar. Leah. Tamar. Delilah. Jezebel. Herodias.
Different women. Different circumstances. Different choices.
Yet each has a story.
And on October 10, Ward is bringing those stories to the St. Louis stage.
I Am THAT Woman
📅 October 10, 2026
📍 The Empowerment Center
3617 Wyoming St., St. Louis, MO 63116
🎟️ Tickets: $35
🥤 Refreshments will be provided
🎟️ Tickets are also available at the door
For Ward, the goal is ultimately bigger than simply filling seats.
She wants someone sitting in that audience to recognize something in one of these women—and perhaps recognize something in themselves.
And when the lights come up, maybe they’ll be able to say it with confidence:
“I AM THAT WOMAN.”
