MY BODY NO CHOICE Presented By 8 Valley Theatres Pre-Election

The Bridge Initiative is joining a national effort to raise awareness around the issue of women's bodily autonomy in advance of the November midterm elections. When Roe v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in June, Molly Smith, Artistic Director at Arena Stage in Washington, DC, responded by commissioning monologues from eight leading playwrights. The resulting free public event, entitled My Body No Choice, will be fully staged at Arena and presented as readings at 20 universities and theatres across the country over the next few weeks. The Bridge Initiative is helping bring it to ASU Kerr in Scottsdale November 1st & 3rd at 8:00pm.

"I knew I had to make a theater piece in response to this horrifying decision," Smith said. "Now women need to change the conversation... We need to tell our stories. It's past time." The stories collected in My Body No Choice tackle choices ranging from pregnancy and abortion, to body size, to end of life.

Ronin Theatre Company was the first to learn of the national effort and they reached out to The Bridge Initiative to partner. As the only theatre company in Arizona whose mission is dedicated to gender parity, "It was a no-brainer," says Bridge Artistic Director Brenda Foley. She suggested the two companies invite others to join as, "I think a lot of people want to amplify this message. So many people feel silenced and sidelined right now. This project is exactly how theatre artists can best contribute to the conversation."

The eight monologues represent stories that are both fiction and nonfiction from playwrights Lee Cataluna, Fatima Dyfan, Lisa Loomer, Dael Orlandersmith, Sarah Ruhl, Mary Hall Surface, V (formerly Eve Ensler), and "Anonymous." Bridge and Ronin will be joined by local companies B3 Theatre, Laughing Pig Theatre, Megaw Theatre and Actors' Studio, Order Chaos Theatre Company, Southwest Shakespeare Company, and Space 55 Theatre Ensemble. Participating actors and directors include Cherylandria Banks, Lydia Corbin, Cody Goulder, Melody Knudson, Ilana Lydia, Elaine 'EE' Moe, and Shonda Royall, with more to be announced.

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