WAM Theatre/Sisters for Peace 'Half the Sky' Screening Set for Friday

Sisters for Peace and WAM Theatre will host a free screening of the PBS Documentary 'Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide' at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center this Friday, March 15 at 7pm as part of the March Berkshire Festival of Women Writers.

This powerful documentary, inspired by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn's bestselling book, introduces women and girls who are living under some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable and fighting bravely to change them. The film reflects viable and sustainable options for empowerment and offers an actionable blueprint for transformation.

The film will be followed by a community discussion exploring effective actions and agents of change for women and girls in our own community and beyond. The panel will be moderated by Kristen van Ginhoven of WAM Theatre and will include Janis Broderick of Elizabeth Freeman Center and The Berkshire County Commission on the Status of Women, Maia Conty from AIER's Women's Financial Empowerment Series, Shirley Edgarton from Rite of Passage for Girls program and the Women of Color Giving Circle, Jeanet Ingalls from Shout Out Loud Productions, Bryan Nurnberger from Simply Smiles and Ananda Timpane from Railroad Street Youth Project.

There will also be a special performance during the evening, featuring Lizzie West, local singer songwriter. Lizzie has toured at length and has had her music in films, TV, and on the radio. Entertainment Weekly called her a "visionary troubadour." She performs with her husband Baba Buffalo, a seasoned player of a most magical music sound.

Caroline Wheeler, founder of Sisters for Peace, states, "Through the Half the Sky stories, Kristof and WuDunn help us see the key to economic progress lies in unleashing women's potential. They make clear how so many people have helped to do just that, and how we can each do our part. Sisters for Peace has been wanting to host a screening of this documentary since it came out and we hope many people will join us to hear more and share how they have also been inspired by Half the Sky."

Kristen van Ginhoven, Artistic Director of WAM Theatre, adds "WAM is proud to successfully be using theatre as our way of being part of the Half the Sky movement. We are delighted to be co-hosting this screening and look forward to meeting more agents of change in our community."

The Half the Sky screening is sponsored by McTeigue & McClellend and Sisters for Peace.

About Sisters for Peace:
Like many who have read Half the Sky, Sisters for Peace founder Caroline Wheeler was compelled to engage others to get involved and to work together to help empower women and girls around the world. In just over a year, Sisters for Peace has rallied to do volunteer work and has given over $8,000 to local and global organizations. Sisters for Peace is an entirely volunteer organization, and every dollar donated goes directly to the NGOs that work to empower women and girls. It doesn't take an extensive network of partners and investors to start making a difference. www.sistersforpeace.org

About WAM Theatre:
WAM Theatre is a theatre company based in the Berkshires of Massachusetts and the Capital Region of New York State. Inspired by the book 'Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide' by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, WAM Theatre was founded in 2009 by professional theatre artists Kristen van Ginhoven and Leigh Strimbeck. WAM's philanthropic mission is two-fold; first, producing theatrical events for everyone, with a focus on women theatre artists and/or stories of women and girls; second, to donate a portion of the proceeds from those events to organizations that benefit women and girls. WAM has donated over $7000 to its beneficiaries by creating professional theatre for everyone that benefits women and girls.www.wamtheatre.com

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