Sue Scott’s Island of Discarded Women with Sheila O’Connor & Jonatha Brooke

Excited to welcome author Sheila O'Connor as our special guest! Her book "Evidence of V" chronicles her search for the truth about her grandmother who was incarcerated at Sauk Centre in 1935 for being pregnant at 15. Musical guest Jonatha Brooke and playwright Laurie Flanigan Hegge are currently writing and composing a musical bringing to life Sheila's discoveries in "Evidence of V." We will be featuring songs from this powerful and poignant musical. Begging the question of how young pregnant women and girls are treated within the Pr*son system today, Autumn Mason, a doula with the MN Pr*son Doula Project, will share her insights based on her personal experience of giving birth while incarcerated. + Singer/songwriter Zippy Laske and Host Sue Scott!

Sue Scott: Host

Sheila O'Connor: Special guest

Jonatha Brooke: Musical guest

Autumn Mason: Guest Contributor

Laurie Flanigan Hegge: Guest Contributor

Zippy Laske: Singer/Songwriter

+ Live Real-Time Captioning available at this show. Bring your smartphones!

Creator, host Sue Scott is a veteran actor, who for 24 years was the female cast member on the public radio show A Prairie Home Companion. Since 2019, Sue has been thoroughly immersed in producing Island of Discarded Women live show & podcast. Special guest Sheila O'Connor is an award winning author of six novels. Her most recent, Evidence of V: A Novel in Fragments, Facts and Fictions, is inspired by O’Connor’s research on her unknown maternal grandmother who was incarcerated in Sauk Centre, MN in the 1930's with the crime of being pregnant at 15. "Evidence of V" is a poignant excavation of familial and national history that remains disturbingly relevant - a harrowing story of exploitation and erasure, and the infinite ways in which girls, past and present, are punished for crimes they didn’t commit. Guest Contributor Autumn Masonis a certified Doula, Parent Educator and a Peer Support Professional focusing on supporting families impacted by the Criminal Justice system. She stepped into this work as a part of her own healing journey after experiencing the trauma of incarceration, family separation and Pr*son birth. Autumn works with many correctional institutions nationally as well as community organizations like the MN Pr*son Doula Project. Musical guest Jonatha Brooke, is a folk Rock singer/songwriter/recording artistwho has been hailed by Billboard as "one of the most gifted and unique artists!" She’s co-written with Katy Perry, The Chicks and Katharine McPhee. She's written for three Disney films and multiple television shows. Jonatha created her award-winning, one-woman musical, “My Mother Has 4 Noses,” which she performed Off Broadway. She is currently writing 3 new musicals, “Switched,” “Tempus,” AND "Evidence of V" with playwright Laurie Flanigan Hegge. Laurie Flanigan Hegge isa playwright, lyricist, and theatre artist. She's written multiple plays and musicals. Her play PRICK premiered at the Edinburgh Festival and London's West End in 2024. She is currently creating a musical with Jonatha Brooke based on Sheila O'Connors' "Evidence of V."

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