Dozens of Detroit area theatre artists are raising their voices as part of a global initiative in opposition to the war on Iraq. A large fraction of the Detroit theatre community is uniting to produce a staged reading of the Ancient Greek Anti-War play Lysistrata scheduled for March 3rd at the Bonstelle Theatre. The local reading is part of the international Lysistrata Project, in which theatre artists worldwide are raising their collective voice against war in Iraq by producing readings of the anti-war classic on the same day. To date, 389 play readings are scheduled in 32 countries including three in Ann Arbor and two in Detroit. The reading at The Bonstelle Theatre will be followed by a panel discussion of community leaders discussing the human cost of war, including Rudy Simons of the Cranbrook Peace Foundation, Grace Rivera of Freedom House and Fern Katz of W.A.N.D. as well as others.

The Bonstelle reading directed by Gillian Eaton and Lavinia Moyer Hart will include dozens of faces familiar to area theatre goers including Terry Heck, Lynnae Lahfeldt, Henrietta Hermelin, Ebony McLain, Laurie Logan, Shirley Benyas, Danny Jacobs, Tom Mahard, Will Young, Council Cargyle, Tom Suda, York Griffith and Matt Wortroba. The cast of over 60 people includes performers from The Hilberry, The Gem, Performance Network, Jewish Ensemble Theatre, The Theatre Company, Plowshares Theatre, Detroit Repertory Theatre, Planet Ant Theatre and Meadowbrook Theatre.

Lysistrata tells the story of women from opposing states who unite to end a war by refusing to sleep with their husbands until the men agree to lay down their swords. Powerless in their society and distraught over too many of their children being slaughtered in battle, the women take the only tactic available to them: they withhold sex.

The Detroit reading at the Bonstelle Theatre will begin at 7:30 on March3, 2003. Suggested donations of $5.00 or more are being accepted at the door. Tee shirts commemorating the event will be on sale in the lobby along with the popular "no war" lawn signs and pins. The event will benefit the Freedom House in Detroit whose mission is to provide food, clothing, shelter and legal services to people who have been devastated by torture and the refusal of human rights. The Bonstelle Theatre is located at 3424 Woodward Ave near the corner of Mack and Woodward. Anyone interested in volunteering as ushers, parking attendants, assisting with distribution of publicity materials or making monetary donations should contact Amy Lynch at (313) 577-7899.

Contact: Amy Lynch
Voice: (313) 577-7899
Web: www.media.wayne.edu