SevenDays 2017 & Festival of Faiths present THE HINDU AND THE COWBOY; 3/26 Performance Focuses on KC's Diversity

"The Hindu and the Cowboy," the award-winning, one-act play drawn from true stories of Kansas Citians from different faith backgrounds, will be presented on Sunday, March 26, at the Jewish Community Center as part of SevenDays 2017. The 2 p.m. performance will be held in the Social Hall and is presented SevenDays® 2017 and the Kansas City Festival of Faiths (FOF).

While this event is free and targeted to interfaith youth 14-20, anyone interesTed May attend. Pre-registration is required by Friday, March 24. To register, please visit www.givesevendays.org/events-2017/.

Following the play's performance, a discussion will take place surrounding its messages and lessons.

SevenDays® 2017 continues the healing journey following the murders that took the lives of Dr. William Corporon, his grandson Reat Underwood and Teresa LaManno outside of Jewish facilities in April 2014. The three were killed by a convicted Neo-Nazi shooter. Determined to turn tragedy into triumph, family members and friends joined together to create something positive to overcome this senseless hate crime.

Now in its third year, SevenDays® 2017 takes place Tuesday, April 18 through Monday, April 24.

Sponsored by the Faith Always Wins Foundation and LaManno-Hastings Family Foundation in partnership with several organizations, SevenDays® promotes interfaith dialogue by engaging all people to discover commonalities and overcome evil with acts of kindness.

About the play

Written by local playwright Donna Woodard Ziegenhorn, "The Hindu and the Cowboy" is produced by Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre (MET) under the direction of Karen Paisley, "The Hindu and The Cowboy" is a series of vignettes about different people that create a mosaic of the faith and cultural diversity that is Kansas City.

"It focuses on the pivotal moments that shaped their lives," Ziegenhorn said. "My intent is to invite others into the inner lives of people who are different from them."

The stories include those of a young Muslim and his surprise encounter with New York City firefighters after the 9/11 terror attacks, an African-American pastor and the enslaved grandmother he will never forget, a Holocaust survivor turned baker and community care-taker, and the Hindu and the cowboy who come face-to-face over the fate of land in the area.

"I hope audience members will connect with people at a deep, human level and that it will cause them to see things in a fresh way," Ziegenhorn said.

SevenDays® of Kindness

Everyone has the power to make a ripple and change the world - and that's what SevenDays® is all about. Starting with Day One on Tuesday, April 18, each of the SevenDays® has a special theme - Love, Discover, Others, Connect, Go, You and Onward. Day One will include a special interfaith program at The Temple, Congregation B'nai Jehudah including a rabbi, minister and an Imam.

Each day of the SevenDays® event will provide an opportunity for participants to engage digitally and in person. Through the SevenDays web site, resources are available for educators, learners and organizations to engage in activities at various levels. Each day will feature special activities - everything from speakers and films to workshops and hands-on community service projects including a metro-wide blood drive. Community groups and organizations are encouraged to create their own and share them through SevenDays® social media sites using #givesevendays. All ages are invited to participate. Additional information about the themes, activities and sponsored events will be continuously updated on the SevenDays® website.

Historic Union Station is the new location for the annual Faith Love & Walk on Monday, April 24. The Walk route will take participants from the station north to circle the grounds of the National World War One Museum and Memorial before returning to the station for a celebratory conclusion. Registration for the walk is now open on the web site at www.givesevendays.org.

While most SevenDays® events are free of charge and open to the public, there is a $10 participation fee for the Faith, Love & Walk. The fee does include a commemorative T-shirt; other SevenDays®-themed items are also available through the web site's shop.

During the first two years of the SevenDays® effort, more than $89,000 has been given to various nonprofit organizations that further interfaith and kindness. The Reat Griffin Underwood Memorial Foundation and The LaManno Hastings Family Foundation are equal beneficiaries of net proceeds and donations of SevenDays® to continue this important work. Donations are welcome and are tax deductible.

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