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Paula Cizmar has joined with other award-winning playwrights on a powerful new multi-author, multi-voiced documentary
theatre piece, SEVEN, created by Many Shining Lights, Inc., in association with Vital Voices Global Partnership.
The award-winning playwrights of Many Shining Lights, Inc. are: Paula
Cizmar Catherine Filloux Gail Kriegel Carol K. Mack Ruth Margraff Susan
Yankowitz Anna Deavere Smith
Based on personal interviews
with seven extraordinary women around the world who are working to end injustice and violence, SEVEN explores the lives of
people who dare to create change--even when their own lives are endangered.
The
women, now all associated with Vital Voices, an international human rights organization, are:
HAFSAT
ABIOLA, promoting democracy, Nigeria
FARIDA AZIZI, women's rights,
Afghanistan
ANNABELLA DE LEON, ending poverty, Guatemala
INEZ MCCORMACK, peace and economic development, North Ireland
MUKHTARAN
MAI, education for women, Pakistan
MARINA PISKLAKOVA-PARKER, ending
domestic violence, Russia
MU SOCHU, campaigning against human trafficking,
Cambodia
FACTS: 70% of the 1 ½ billion persons living in poverty are women.
2/3 of illiterate adults are women.
4 million women and girls are trafficked annually.
50 million women are victims of violence annually.
Vital Voices,
a nonprofit organization supporting the
advancement of women as leaders in developing countries, has worked with
over 5,000 women in more than 85 countries thus far. Vital Voices Global
Partnership believes in the transformative value of women's participation in
society. They invest in emerging women leaders - pioneers of economic
development and human rights in their countries and help them build the
capabilities and connections needed to become catalysts of global progress.
These women share the common bond of overcoming immense challenges while
working for economic, social, and political progress in their societies. The
stories that have emerged from these struggles are powerful, touching deeply
those who have been privileged to hear them.
SEVEN was workshopped by Voice & Vision Theatre at the 2007 Envision Retreat at Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New
York, July 15 - 29, with a public performance on July 28. Directed by Gerda Stevenson.
SEVEN received its premiere presentation in a staged reading
at the 92nd St. ‘Y’ on
January 21, 2008, directed by Evan Yionoulis, and with the support of Vital
Voices Global Partnership:
“Vital Voices is proud to be
collaborating with such distinguished playwrights on this groundbreaking work
of documentary theatre. SEVEN has truly captured the important work and
remarkable lives of a diverse and courageous group of women leaders. We hope
the SEVEN stories will inspire audiences to commit themselves to changing our
world for the better as well.”
American
productions of SEVEN are in the works. Check back!
International
presentations of SEVEN are underway beginning October 08.
Many Shining
Lights, Inc., is actively fundraising for future events and performances related to SEVEN.
To support Many Shining Lights and SEVEN, you can send a check to: Vital Voices Global Partnership 1150
Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 600 Washington, DC 20036
Write
"MANY SHINING LIGHTS" in the memo section.
For a view of Vital Voices
and its many projects, click below:
www.vitalvoices.org
To find out more about the activists, the playwrights, and SEVEN, the play, click below:
SEVEN Info, Photos, Press, Video
More links to sites related to SEVEN and the Many Shining Lights playwrights...
Voice and Vision Theatre
Unterberg Poetry Center at the 92nd Street Y
Playwright Susan Yankowitz
Playwright Carol K. Mack
Playwright Ruth Margraff
Playwright Anna Deavere Smith
Playwright Catherine Filloux
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CALENDAR
SEVEN
produced by the acclaimed Riksteatern of Stockholm, is touring
Sweden. For the tour schedule, click on the link:
SEVEN Published by Dramatists Play Service (in press; Fall 2009)
SEVEN at The
Aspen Conference of Ideas Aspen, CO June 29, 2009
SEVEN at The
Royal Aeronautical Society London, England June 1, 2009
SEVEN at the
Skirball Center for the Performing Arts New York, NY March 26, 2009 8 pm
JOURNEYS
- World Premiere La MaMa e.t.c. in Association with Vital Voices Global Partnership presents
JOURNEYS
October
2 - 19, 2008
Series A: Inez McCormack (Northern Ireland) by Carol K. Mack Mukhtaran
Mai (Pakistan) by Susan Yankowitz Mu Sochua (Cambodia) by Catherine Filloux
Series
B: Hafsat Abiola (Nigeria) by Anna Deavere Smith Farida Azizi (Afghanistan) by
Ruth Margraff Anabella de Leon (Guatemala) by Gail Kriegel Marina Pisklakova-Parker (Russia) by
Paula Cizmar
Directed by Evan Yionoulis
Cast Betsy Aidem*
Terry Donnelly* Mercedes Herrero* Rachael Holmes* Christine Toy
Johnson* Alexandra Napier* Reena Shah*
Stage Manager Melissa
M. Spengler* Lighting Design Burke Brown Sound Design Sharath Patel Equity
Approved Showcase Performances Series A Oct 2, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 10, Oct 18 @
8 pm Oct 11, Oct 19 @ 2:30 pm Series B Oct 3, Oct 11, Oct 12, Oct 19 @ 8
pm Oct 5, Oct 12 @ 2:30 pm
La MaMa e.t.c 74A East 4th Street New
York NY Tickets $18 212.475.7710 or online at www.lamama.org
Journeys
is made possible by a consortium grant from the National Endowment of the Arts
SEVEN October
7 7 pm Reading (in Swedish)* translated by Hedda Sjrogen Folkteatern - Main Stage Gothenburg,
Sweden A talk will follow on women living in hiding in Sweden www.folkteatern.se
SEVEN October
16 Performance (in English and French) Womens International Forum 2008 Deauville, France Directed
by Evan Yionoulis Cast Betsy Aidem, Terry Donnelly, Mercedes Herrero, Rachael Holmes, Christine Toy Johnson,
Alexandra Napier, Reena Shah Presented by Diane von Furstenberg
SEVEN October
16 Reading (in Swedish)* Association for Foreign Policy University of Lund, Sweden A
talk will follow on the political power of theatre www.lask.se/upf
SEVEN November
12 8 pm Performance (in English) Harman Center for the Performing Arts Washington, D.C.
SEVEN November
17 6 pm Reading (in Swedish)* Elverket/Powerstation the stage for contemporary plays at Royal
Dramatic Theatre Stockholm, Sweden A talk follows with, among others, director Suzanne Osten www.dramaten.se/Dramaten/Elverket
SEVEN Mid-November Reading
(in Swedish)* Riksteatern, Hallunda Stockholm, Sweden A talk will follow on audience outreach
work www.riksteatern.se
*All starred events are part of Sweden's nationwide HomeNotHome
Festival www.homenothome.se/en
SEVEN was performed at The Culture
Project's Women Center Stage 2008 Sunday April 13 8 p.m. The
Culture Project 55 Mercer Street New York, NY
SEVEN Photos, Video, Info, Press
www.cultureproject.org
The Huffington Post on SEVEN
Also...
SEVEN
at the 92nd Street Y New York, NY January 21, 2008 Martin Luther King
Day Directed by Evan Yionoulis CAST: Linda Emond, Danai Gurira, Mercedes Herrero, Christine Toy Johnson, Mahira Kakkar, Joan MacIntosh, Heather Raffo Date &
Time: Mon, Jan 21, 2008, 8:00pm Location:
Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street Venue:
Kaufmann Concert Hall Price: $18.00
/ $10.00 Age 35 and Under Tickets: 212.415.5500 or online at www.92Y.org/poetry. Another presentation of SEVEN was sponsored
by Diane von Furstenberg March 6, 2008 in celebration of International Women's Week at
her studio in New York.
SEVEN was part of the Envision
Retreat at Bard Presented by Voice and Vision Theatre July 2007
Look
for a production of SEVEN Coming soon to a venue in New York, NY
OTHER PLAYS...
CANDY
& SHELLEY GO TO THE DESERT by Paula Cizmar directed by Ron House recently played at
the Hi-Desert Performing Arts Center Joshua Tree, CA October - November 2007
A
short play NOTHING SACRED was commissioned by Salt Lake Acting Company Salt Lake
City, Utah as part of The Water Project Spring 2006.
NOTHING
SACRED by Paula Cizmar directed by Ken Martines was presented in a reading at the
New Power Plays Reading You Our Writes All-Day Marathon at West Coast Ensemble Los
Angeles, California.
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