breaking walls Premieres WOMEN SPEAK/WORLD LISTEN Tonight

breaking walls premieres its production of WOMEN SPEAK/WORLD LISTEN, tonight, Oct. 31, 2014 at the 4th Street Theatre in New York City (83 East 4th Street) at 7 p.m. WOMEN SPEAK/WORLD LISTEN is a multi-media, passionate exploration of the lives of 13 young women coming-of-age in the midst of chaos and conflict. Written by young artists in New York City; Berlin, Germany; Bethlehem, Palestine; and Cape Town, South Africa, the play showcases the strength and beauty of the female spirit. Ticket purchases will fund the organization's international non-profit creative writing and performance initiative that will take place in Barcelona in 2015. Tickets are $25 online, and $30 at the door (cash only).

Fran Tarr founded breaking walls in 2011. Her mission is to help young people find their "voice" through nine-day writing and performance art workshops around the world. Participants learn to utilize their talents to provoke social justice, and inspire growth within themselves and their communities. The organization has gained great respect within both the theatre and social justice communities, and was recognized for its peace efforts by the Global Movement for the Culture of Peace and Global Walk.

"breaking walls empowers me as an artist, a leader and most importantly as a young woman," said Neha Dutt, an artist from Berlin. "I overcame my fears of sharing my innermost thoughts; the gasps, laughter, or applause of a live audience when a certain phrase strikes a chord is an unforgettable experience."

This year's production is part of the Estrogenius Festival (http://estrogenius.org/breaking-walls/), an annual celebration of female voices that is one of New York City's largest women arts festivals. The play is directed by Chivonne Michelle, and performed by emerging New York actors. The international writers each created videos to introduce their pieces, and there will be a Q & A after the show. Broadway actor, writer, and producer Nick Walker, mentored the artists on their pieces.

For more information on breaking walls, please visit www.breakingwallsprogram.org.For tickets, go to http://www.eventbrite.com/e/women-speakworld-listen-tickets-13268300845.