As you walk down Market Street in Ballard there are coffee shops, bakeries, gift stores - and Live Girls! Theater.

Wait a minute! What is a theater devoted to live girls doing in an area as wholesome as downtown Ballard? Well, it is empowering women.

According to founder and Artistic Director Meghan Arnette, Live Girls! is a theater dedicated to producing and developing new works by women. The name of the theater was inspired by a friend of Arnette's who worked nearby the notorious "Live Girls" neon sign on First Avenue in downtown Seattle.

The theater's name does get people to ask questions, which is exactly what Arnette wants.

"I love how using the name (Live Girls!) for a company, which is such a great positive space for female artists, challenges perceptions of what those words mean," said Arnette.

Live Girls! does in fact sum up what the theater is all about: plays written, produced and directed by women. Founded in 1999, the company moved to Ballard in 2005.

After studying acting at Cornish College of the Arts, Arnette was frustrated by the lack of representation of women in theater. Having acted in plenty of shows, Arnette knew many female playwrights, but had never been in a play written by a woman. "I wanted to see stories from a female perspective," she said.

Live Girls! usually does three full-length plays a year, some short plays called Quickies and a Cabaret series. Not only are works by established playwrights produced, Live Girls! also fosters new talent. Arnette said they are committed to working with young writers.

As a partner with A Contemporary Theatre's young playwright program, Live Girls! hosts readings of new plays by teen writers. "Notorious Women" is another program produced by the theater. According to Arnette it is "a tribute to women who have impacted the world and pushed the boundaries of female roles throughout history."

Playwright Elena Hartwell said that "Live Girls! is one of the few companies producing new works, which ... makes them exciting."

In order to foster artists and produce new plays, the theater relies heavily on volunteers and donations. Live Girls! is an all-volunteer run theater with more than 100 volunteers a year. The main company is made up of 10 people who commit to one full year tenure. These 10 people keep the theater in operation.

While a little under half of the budget comes from ticket sales, donations are essential in keeping Live Girls! running. "It is the combined support of tons of friends of the theater that really keep a roof over our head," said Arnette. Live Girls! also receives some support via grants.

Live Girls! is located in the basement of the historic Kress Building. The theater space is shaped like "a small black box," Arnette said. Seating and stage are moved around depending on the production. Because it can only seat 50 to 70 people the theater is cozy, which adds to its appeal.

"I find working with smaller companies with a lot of heart to be a large part of my work as an artist," said Hartwell.

In an age when many small theater companies have been forced to shut down, Live Girls! continues to produce new works. With a small space and small budget, Live Girls! uses resourcefulness and creativity to turn out shows.

Over the past two years Live Girls! produced four full-length productions by local artists. The theater cultivated the first showings of "Girls" by Zoe Fitzgerald, "Whirligig!" by Erin Stewart, "W(h)acked, A Love Play" by Stephanie Timm and "Mudd Angel" by Joy McCullough-Carranza.

As well as helping playwrights, Live Girls! works with many female directors. "I am indebted to the opportunities they have provided for me as a young female director and I am incredibly thankful to have this commitment in my community," stated Jess Smith, director.

Live Girls! has combated what people think women might produce. "800 Words: The Transmigration of Philip K. Dick" was a science fiction themed play that ran Oct. 19-Nov. 17. "W(h)acked" featured a fictional ladies' serial killer club.

Current play listings can be found on the Live Girls! Web site: http://www.livegirlstheater.org/. Ticket and donation information are also available.

Katie Utehs is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory and may be reached via bnteditor@robinsonnews.com