Behind the Sheet

by Charly Evon Simpson

Moderated by Michelle Mitchell

In 1840s Alabama, Dr. George Barry is on the verge of a miraculous cure: treatment for fistulas, a common but painful complication of childbirth. To achieve his medical breakthrough, Dr. Barry performs experimental surgeries on a group of enslaved women afflicted with the condition. Based on the true story of Dr. J. Marion Sims, the “father of modern gynecology,” Behind the Sheet remembers the forgotten women who made his achievement possible, and the pain they endured in the process.

About the playwright 

Charly Evon Simpson

Charly Evon Simpson’s plays include Jump, Behind the Sheet, Form of a Girl Unknown, It’s Not a Trip It’s a jJourney, Sandblasted, and more. Charly was named the 2019-20 recipient of the Paula Vogel Playwriting Award from the Vineyard Theatre, co-recipient of the Dramatists Guild’s Lanford Wilson Award, was nominated for the Outer Critics Circle’s John Gassner Award, and had two of her plays on the 2019 Kilroys List. Her play Jump is the first recipient of the David Goldman Fund for New Plays. 

Charly loves to teach playwriting and storytelling to people of all ages. She has been an adjunct lecturer at Fordham University, SUNY Purchase, and Hunter College. She has also taught with the 92Y, Engaging Educator, and National Theater Institute. Previously, she worked in middle schools as a full-time tutor, a social worker, and playwriting teacher.

She received her BA from Brown University, a master’s in Women’s Studies from University of Oxford, New College, and her MFA in Playwriting from Hunter College, where she studied with Annie Baker, Brighde Mullins, and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.  

Charly lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son, and pup.

About the moderator

Michelle Mitchell

Michelle E. Mitchell is a proud native of Memphis whose passion for the arts began at the tender age of three. Over the years, she has cultivated a dynamic career spanning acting, writing, directing, producing, and dancing, —building an impressive body of work both locally and nationally.

A graduate of Southern University and A&M College, Michelle earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing with a concentration in sales. Merging her business acumen with her artistic passion, she founded A Taste of Theatre—an innovative dinner theatre experience that blends live performance with fine dining.

Since its inception, Michelle has successfully produced a wide range of productions, including full-length stage plays, vignettes, and concerts. Beyond her work as a producer, she is a seasoned choreographer, motivational speaker, and mentor. Michelle also continues to perform as an actress, with credits in film and commercials on both local and national stages.