Ma’an News Agency

Egyptian Rafah – Ma’an – The parents of slain American activist Rachel Corrie were denied entry into the Gaza Strip Tuesday, following day-long efforts to secure their entry and cheer on teams at the Rachel Corrie Ramadan Soccer Tournament.

The Corries and a delegation accompanying them continue to wait at the Rafah border at Egypt, but have thus far been denied entry. Egyptian crossing authorities have given various reasons for the delegation’s delay, despite the group having previously coordinated with Egyptian authorities, who said they informed crossings officials that the delegation had been cleared for passage.

“After weeks of coordination with the US State Department and through them to the US Embassy in Cairo and with the Egyptian Embassy in Washington and the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, I stand tonight at 7pm before the Rafah crossing,” Craig Corrie, Rachel’s father said.

Our mural project now has its own official website. To get updates and get involved, visit the Olympia-Rafah Solidarity Mural Project wesite.

“To call My Name Is Rachel Corrie anything but a tragedy would be a huge disservice to the inspiring young woman of the title,” writes Marcus Crowder of the Sacramento Bee. “Rachel Corrie was a real person, and the one-woman play about her recalls the Olympia, Wash., native’s brief life and horrendous death through her own words from journals and e-mails.”

Beyond the Proscenium Productions, along with Jewish Voice for Peace and the the Palestinian American Congress are presenting the performance in Sacramento, which runs until June 14th at the Threepenny Theatre in Midtown Sacramento. Tygar Hicks portrays Rachel.

Tickets are $18 general admission and $15 students, seniors, military and SARTA members. Show times are Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm. Seating is extremely limited so reservations are required. Please email contact@beyond-pro.org or call 916-456-1600.

You can find out more about the play at the BPP Theatre News blog.

My Name is Rachel Corrie is being performed for the first time in New Zealand. the play will premier in Christchurch on May 29 at The Forge, The Court Theatre, and run through June 27. Accoridng to the theatre’s press release, “in addition to its four-week season in The Forge,” the company will also take the play on a tour of local high schools, “where the performance will be followed by discussions with students about the political aspects of the play.”

“This is a thrilling and terrifying experience all rolled into one,” Kate Prior, the actress who will be portraying Rachel, was quoted as saying. “When push comes to shove it’s just me up there trying to do justice to the memory of this vibrant young woman. Whenever the task at hand becomes overwhelming Rachel’s words are right there to remind, inspire and encourage me.”

The play is being directed by Lara Macgregor who said she feels “honoured to be a part of such a socially and politically relevant play.” Macgregor said “politics aside, this is a play about Rachel — writer, artist, poet. Rachel — the daughter, girlfriend, student, co-worker and friend. My Name Is Rachel Corrie is Rachel’s story, told in her own words. Regardless of whether audiences agree or disagree with her views, her life and commitment to her ideals is inspirational.”

Uno Fest writes for Pacific Free Press that My Name is Rachel Corrie is coming to Victoria, BC, on May 22nd, at 6:00 p.m.: It is the “enhanced reading” version, not the full production – but the same performer as in Vancouver, Adrienne Wong.

70 minutes Metro Studio (1411 Quadra)One Reading Only: Friday May 22, 6:00 pm. Get more information here.

My Name is Rachel Corrie (Enhanced Reading) from the writings of Rachel Corrie edited by Alan Rickman and Katherine Viner Neworld Theatre (Vancouver BC) Read by Adrienne Wong, Directed by Marcus Youssef Director of Original Production: Sarah Garton Stanley Stage Manager: Dani Fecko Photographs: Jon Elmer

Passionate, sometimes irreverent and always intelligent, My Name is Rachel Corrie explores an extraordinary young woman’s singular experience in a region most of us only know from the news. Rachel Corrie sought to discover for herself the human impact of her own country’s foreign policies on people thousands of miles from her home.

In June 2006, Neworld Theatre staged a community reading of My Name is Rachel Corrie, featuring 10 readers ranging from 10 to 60 years old, men, women and children. In December 2007, they co-produced a full production with Montreal-based Teesri Duniya Theatre.

In February 2008, Vancouver audiences lined up for hours at the Havana Theatre on Commercial Drive. For Uno Fest, Neworld Theatre brings a one-night-only reading, an adaptation of the production that brings to life the passion, wit and wisdom of Rachel’s words.

intrepidtheatre.com