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:: Monday, March 20, 2006 ::

 
    NY Event - Words & Life of Rachel Corrie, March 22, 2006

Press Release: International Solidarity Movement, March 20, 2006

What: Rachel's Words - An Event to Honor the Words and Life of Rachel Corrie

When: 8:00 PM Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Where: Riverside Church, 490 Riverside Drive, New York, New York

Hosted by: Amy Goodman and James Zogby

On March 22, New York City will hear the words of Rachel Corrie at the Riverside Church in Manhattan. Rejecting efforts to silence Rachel's voice, a growing list of performers, writers, academics and activists will read selected writings from Rachel Corrie, and honor her through poems and songs. They will discuss the context in which her words were written, and the pervasive climate of fear in which they have been suppressed.

Rachel was a human rights activist and gifted writer. She was crushed to death by an Israeli Army bulldozer as she tried to protect the home of a Palestinian pharmacist from demolition in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on March 16th, 2003. Rachel was 23.

"My Name is Rachel Corrie" is a powerful one-woman show based entirely on the writings of Rachel Corrie. The play was scheduled to open at the New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) on March 22nd. The NYTW postponed the play indefinitely sparking an escalating controversy. James Nicola, the Director of the NYTW, told the New York Times that he needed time to "contextualize the play". The play, edited by Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner from Rachel's diaries and emails, was produced by the Royal Court Theatre in London. Starring Megan Dodds, it played to sold out audiences and wide acclaim.

In an extraordinary grassroots response to this controversy, Rachel's Words was launched by a handful of activists from a NYC apartment. In two weeks the organization has coordinated a worldwide response to ensure that Rachel's words will be heard. On March 16th, the 3rd Anniversary of Rachel's killing, her words were read at events in 13 countries, including ten locations in Palestine and Israel, and over 40 locations in the United States.

Vanessa Redgrave "contextualized" just what the postponement meant in an interview with Democracy Now: "Rachel's voice was silenced by an IDF bulldozer. In the play Rachel makes a speech as a ten year old about world poverty, and her belief that the world could end poverty. The New York Theater Workshop silenced that little girl too, who is speaking for people all over the world."

Participants include: Cindy & Craig Corrie, Anthony Arnove, Huwaida Arraf, Brian Avery, Nirit Ben-Ari, Leila Buck, Kia Corthron, Sherif
Fam, Suheir Hammad, Leonard Hubbard (from The Roots) with A. Marcy Francis (Vocalist), Brian Jones, Liz Magnes, Malachy McCourt, Betty
Shamieh, Jonathan Tasini, Zafer Tawil, Tom Wallace, Ora Wise, and
Maysoon Zayid

Participating by video: Maya Angelou, Patti Smith, Eve Ensler, Mariam
Said, Najla Said

Media Contact: Ann Petter: 212.246.7528, Tom Wallace: 617.461.1041

For updated information visit http://www.RachelsWords.org/

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0603/S00373.htm

>> posted by BootCAT at 4:54 PM   

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