“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.”

Directed by: Lara Macgregor
Venue: The Forge, The Court Theatre, Christchurch
Cast: Kate Prior
Performance times: 6:30pm Monday / Thursday; 8pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday (no show Sundays).
Tickets: Adults $30, Senior Citizens $25, Tertiary Students $20, Group discount (10+) $20, 30U Club $12
Bookings: The Court Theatre, 20 Worcester Boulevard; 963 0870 or www.courttheatre.org.nz

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

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.

“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

At his blog, Vs. the Pomegranate, Joseph Shahadi has posted his interview with Ashley Marinaccio, Robert A.K. Gonyo and Casey Cleverly, the Co-Artistic and Literary Directors of Co-Op Theatre East who are putting on a production of My Name is Rachel Corrie in New York.

Snippet:

ASHLEY: I have been thinking about the loss of innocence… we have a young Rachel (age 12) and the older Rachel and we decided to split her in two to reveal a loss of innocence after experiencing life in a war zone.

I think a stage full of Rachels would be a great approach too. We had spoken (in the beginning) about having more than 1 older Rachel.

JOE: When the original production came to New York it was controversial. When I attended the theatre there were people standing outside, passing out fliers refuting the veracity of her testimony. I declined to take one so I am not sure what their individual points were, although I have read that the Israeli Army claims that the house that she was protecting with her body was above tunnels employed by terrorists.

ROBBY: We’re confident that there is no way Rachel would have knowingly protected a “network of terrorists” so to speak. It’s going to be disputed either way. What’s important to take from this is that this girl believes in a cause so strongly she makes the ultimate sacrifice.

— Read the whole interview at Vs. The Pomegranate