Ally Sheedy and
Kathryn Erbe will headline a new production of
Eve Ensler's
The Vagina Monologues, which will be presented on April 1st and 2nd at 8PM at All Souls Unitarian Church (1157 Lexington Avenue at the corner of 80th Street).
"Join us as we celebrate women, raise awareness and envision a world without violence, with a Spotlight Focus on 'The Comfort Women,'" state press notes.
Presented by V-Day Upper East Side, produced by Fiona McKinney and directed by Amy Coleman, the production will feature Erbe (Tony-nominee for
The Speed of Darkness), Sheedy (
The Breakfast Club, Hedwig and the Angry Inch off-Broadway), radio personality
Valerie Smaldone, Danielle Egnew, Jenny Sherwin (a.k.a Sheena Metal), Senator Liz Kreuger, and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, as well as Marlo Del Toro, Ann Fleuchaus, Claudia Ghetu, Melissa House, Kris Hoover, Kelly Jo Johnson, Amy Coleman, Kristine Mason, Emily Jane Nelson, Abigoliah Schamaun, Ellynne Skove, Kazue Tani, Megan Winston, also, representatives from Nassau County Correctional Center: Sandi Long Belfon, Officer Berlinda Myers, and Fmr. Deputy Undersherrif Frances Rosa. The Bert Williams Trio will be featured as the show's musical guests.
Proceeds will benefit V-Day with a spotlight on "The Comfort Women", V-Day and "The Lotus Project."
"V-Day is a global movement to end violence against women and girls that raises funds and awareness through benefit productions of The Vagina Monologues. In 2005, more than 2500 V-Day events took place in the U.S. and around the world. To date, V-Day has raised over $30 million and educated millions about the issue of violence against women and the efforts to end it; crafted international educational, media and PSA campaigns; reopened shelters; funded safe houses in Kenya, South Dakota, Egypt and Iraq and over 5000 community-based anti-violence programs. The 'V' in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina.
'The Lotus Project' first began in early 2000 as a Women's Prison Wellness Program in a maximum-security prison on Long Island, teaching women inmates "energetic principles" of healing; the program included Yoga, Meditation, Non-Violent Communication Skills, Aromatherapy and Reiki/Polarity Therapy. It was designed to help the women deal with life within prison, to give them tools to understand themselves better and to help them change their patterns. All of the women come from abusive backgrounds. 'The Lotus Project' is an offshoot of this program and so called because the lotus plant is one of the few plants that thrive in the mud.
'The Comfort Women' are women who were abducted during World War II at ages 12 – 20 and raped by the Japanese Soldiers. One woman (age, 15) was raped 100 times in succession and died soon after. The Japanese Government has never apologized for their inhumane acts against these women. The Comfort Women represent every woman and we stand with them in solidarity to stop wartime crimes against women and young girls."
The original off-Broadway production of
The Vagina Monologues ran at the West Side Theatre from October 3rd, 1999 through January 26th, 2003. Dozens of theatre, film and television stars were featured in the show--which was directed by Joe Mantello--over the years.
Ticket prices are: $40 ("Friends & Family"), $50 (General Admission) & $125 (Show + VIP Pre-Event Reception). Credit cards are accepted in advance, and cash at the door. Tickets for the production are available through SmartTix. Call 212-868-4444 or order on-line at
www.smarttix.com.
Visit
www.vday.org or
www.vdaynyc.org for more information on V-Day.
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