the story of Rachel’s life and death is not new to many who have lived in the Pacific Northwest, or those who have come across her writings or have seen the play, My Name is Rachel Corrie. But her work with the people of Rafah, Gaza, is now reaching more as a new documentary, Rachel, by French filmmaker Simone Bitton, becomes more widely circulated.

My Name is Rachel Corrie returns to Virginia to be Charlottesville and Harrisonburg. M. Hillary directs the play, reviving the April of 2008 run in Staunton, Virginia. The 2008 production had three packed performances.

Based on the writings of Rachel Corrie, the play has been opening to an increasing number of theatres in the U.S. since it first opened in New York two years ago.

In Charlottesville at the Ix Event Space on May 7, 8 and 9 at 8 p.m. Sponsored by the Charlottesville Center for Peace and Justice, the Virginia Organizing Project, Lander Creative and the Ix Project. Find more information here.

In Harrisonburg at Eastern Mennonite University’s main stage on May 15 and 16 at 8 p.m. Sponsored by EMU’s theater department and the Conflict Transformation Center. For more information or to book, see the university’s website.

Director Simone Bitton’s 2008 documentary on Rachel Corrie is opening in North America for the first time this week at the Tribeca Film Festival in Lower Manhattan. At left is a scene from Simone Bitton’s Rachel (Image courtesy of the Tribeca Film Festival).

Showings of the film are set for Tuesday, April 28, Thursday, April 30 and Friday, May 1. To find locations and book seats, visit the Rachel page at the Tribeca Film Festival website.

“She took a stand that many disagree with, and she knew that. Everyday I see so many young people afraid to take a stand, afraid to get involved or even to express a strong opinion, afraid of displeasing the powers-that-be. We teach them not to take chances, lest they imperil their possibility of getting good grades and eventually a good job.” Liberata’s blog has an interesting, frank review of My Name is Rachel Corrie, which you can read here.

I saw a young woman who could not help but see that there was a bigger world out there beyond Olympia and who struggled to understand if there was a place for her in that big world and, if so, just what that was. The young college student’s diary entries ring true. Even though it’s now so long ago, I still remember.

Ashley Marinacci, a co-founder/artistic director of Co-Op Theatre East in New York has posted a series of photos from the production there of My Name is Rachel Corrie.

Ashley  is an activist and artist dedicated to creating theatre that challenges the status quo. Ashley has numerous directing, playwriting and performing credits. Most recent COTE credits include My Name is Rachel Corrie (director), Documentary: A Suicide Narrative (playwright/director), A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer (co-director), and two directing selections in Questionable Content.

COTE’s production of My Name is Rachel Corrie is presented in collaboration with actress Theresa C. Johnson and Pace University, with support from Pace University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs, Sociology/Anthropology Department, Theatre and Performing Arts Department, Project Pericles, and Pforzheimer Honors College.

— See the photos at Ashley’s blog, This Artist’s Life