My Name Is Rachel Corrie: Oregon State Univ. October 21-24

The Department of Anthropology, the office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, the Center for the Humanities, and the University Theatre of Oregon State University will present Alan Rickman’s and Katherine Viner’s My Name is Rachel Corrie, October 21-24, 7:30 PM, and October 25 at 2:00 PM in the Lab Theatre of Withycombe Hall, 30th and Campus Way. There will be free pre-show lectures (listed below) in the Green Room of the theatre at 6:30 PM exploring the events that formed some of the background of the play (Sunday talk begins at 1PM). There will be post-show discussions following every performance. Tickets are available at the door. A two dollar donation is suggested.
The play relates the story of Rachel Corrie, a student at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, who went to Gaza to work for Palestinian human rights and was tragically killed there on March 16, 2003. Rachel was a vital young woman driven by her need to make a positive difference in the world. Inspired by her story, and with permission from her family, Rickman and Viner edited Rachel’s diaries, journals, and e-mails to create this fascinating and moving portrait of this dynamic young woman. Newsweek said the play is “theater that not only stirs our hearts but sticks in our heads.” Time Out (London) said of the original production that it had “extraordinary power” and was funny, passionate, bristling with idealism, and luminously intelligent. The London Guardian reported that when theater is as “good as this,” it will “send us out enriched by other people’s passionate concerns.” USA Today noted that the play was “deeply, authentically human.” Rachel Corrie’s story has moved audiences around the world and there have been productions throughout the United States.

The role of Rachel will be performed by Elizabeth Helman, director of the 2009 Bard in the Quad’s Twelfth Night and faculty member in Theatre Arts at Oregon State. The play is directed by Charlotte Headrick and design is by George Caldwell. Cassandra Kornman is stage manager for the production.

Due to the design of the Lab Theatre, latecomers cannot be admitted. The play is performed without intermission. Box office opens at 6:15 PM on nights of performance and at 1:30 PM for the Sunday matinee. This play contains language and situations that are not suitable for young audiences.

For further information on the production, contact the director at [email protected] or 737-4918 or David McMurray of the Department of Anthropology [email protected] at 737-4515.

Preshow talks are in Withycombe Hall 62 (the Green Room) and are listed below:

Wednesday, October 21st, 6:30 PM
Theresa May, Theatre Arts, University of Oregon
Radical Theater versus Theater about Radicals:
Thoughts on My Name Is Rachel Corrie
Play follows at 7:30 PM in Withycombe Lab Theater.

Thursday, October 22nd, 6:30 PM
Steve Niva, Government and International Studies, The Evergreen State College
Student Activism and Rachel Corrie
Play follows at 7:30 PM in Withycombe Lab Theater.

Friday, October 23rd, 6:30 PM
Smadar Lavie, Anthropology, University of Virginia
Israel, Palestine, and Rachel Corrie
Play follows at 7:30 PM in Withycombe Lab Theater.

Saturday, October 24th, 6:30 PM
Joel Beinin, History, Stanford University
Historical Context of My Name Is Rachel Corrie
Play follows at 7:30 PM in Withycombe Lab Theater.

Sunday, October 25th, 1:00 PM
Craig and Cindy Corrie (Rachel¹s parents)
Olympia, Washington
Continuing Rachel¹s Work in the Gaza Strip
Play follows at 7:30 PM in Withycombe Lab Theater.