Simpson College’s theatre fraternity Alpha Psi Omega (APO) put on a theatre performance Wednesday night about equality and the struggles women face for the third year in a row.

About 65 people attended the performance, which took place in Pote Theater.

The event illuminated different struggles that women face through different styles of performances including slam poetry, stand-up comedy, one-act plays and modern interpretations on classic pieces.

Some performers presented serious pieces talking about struggles different women face on a daily basis, while others used a more relaxed approached to tell their story.

“My pieces focus on a different aspect of feminism and equality that shine light on what happens when this new wave of feminism collides with an older generation of older values,” senior Lydia Magalhães said of her two performances.

APO hoped the event would help create more dialogue on campus about issues portrayed in the performances.

“Theater does a great job bringing people together, and this performance does a great job bridging the gap between things we need to talk about and things people need to realize,” junior Livie Gordon said.

The event also showcased more than just a female perspective, since some male members of APO performed both by themselves and in a group.

“I think it’s extremely important to have representation other than just women. To have men and non-binary people talking about these issues is truly the balance and equality we wanted out of this event,” Gordon said.

The non-female performers were also aware of how they should present themselves but also saw the event as an opportunity for dialogue.

“The title of our performance here was ‘Balance for Better,’ so I think the idea of having male advocate for women’s rights for feminist theory and advocacy is incredibly important, but on the same hand, we need to be careful that we don’t commandeer the event,” sophomore Michael Roets said.

He said that hearing different voices and perspectives, “has a unique impact on how we perceive the movement and allows us to better articulate what the problems are.”

APO hopes to continue the event in the future.