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"My Name is Rachel Corrie" - A Debate Over Why
the Play is Not Opening in New York
Rachel Corrie's Parents React to New York Theater's Postponement
of a Play Based on Their Late Daughter's Words
Helen Thomas Asks President Bush Why He Went to War
"My Name is Rachel Corrie" - A Debate Over
Why the Play is Not Opening in New York
"My Name is Rachel Corrie" - a play based on the
words of the American peace activist crushed to death three
years ago by an Israeli bulldozer in Gaza - is causing controversy
after the New York City theater that was scheduled to run
it postponed production. We host a discussion with Katharine
Viner, the editor of the play in London and James Nicola and
Lynn Moffat, the two top directors of the New York Theatre
Workshop. [includes rush
transcript - partial]
We turn now to the controversy over the play "My Name
is Rachel Corrie," which is based on the words of the
late U.S. peace activist.
Three years ago this month Corrie died at the age of 23 after
she was crushed by an Israeli military bulldozer. At the time
Corrie was attempting to block the demolition of the home
of a Palestinian doctor in the Gaza town of Rafah.
The play opened last year in London to rave reviews and sold
out audiences. It was scheduled to come to New York and open
tonight at the celebrated off-Broadway New York Theatre Workshop.
But there will be no opening night.
In late February, the theater announced it was indefinitely
postponing production of the play due to the current political
climate.
The theater's artistic director James Nicola told the Guardian
of London: "In our pre-production planning and our talking
around and listening in our communities in New York, what
we heard was that after Ariel Sharon's illness and the election
of Hamas, we had a very edgy situation." Nicola went
on to say, "We found that our plan to present a work
of art would be seen as us taking a stand in a political conflict,
that we didn't want to take."
But the theater has been accused of political censorship.
The co-creator of the play, Alan Rickman responded by saying,
"This is censorship born out of fear" and that the
theater had effectively canceled the play.
Today, in a broadcast exclusive, we host a discussion between
one of the creators of "My Name is Rachel Corrie"
and the New York theater group that postponed the production
of the play.
In London we are joined by Katharine Viner, the co-editor
and co-producer of "My Name is Rachel Corrie." She
is an editor at the Guardian newspaper in London. Here in
our New York studio we are joined by James Nicola, the artistic
director at the New York Theatre Workshop as well as the theater's
managing director Lynn Moffat.
- Katharine Viner, the co-editor and co-producer of "My
Name is Rachel Corrie." She is an editor at the Guardian
newspaper in London.
- Read Viner's article: "A
Message Crushed Again"
- James Nicola, artistic director at the New York Theatre
Workshop.
- Lynn Moffat, managing director of the New York Theatre
Workshop.
Rachel Corrie's Parents React to New York Theater's
Postponement of a Play Based on Their Late Daughter's Words
We speak with Rachel Corrie's parents, Craig and Cindy,
who have traveled to New York to attend a public reading of
Rachel's writings and emails at the Riverside Church on what
was supposed to have been the opening night of the play "My
Name is Rachel Corrie."
We are joined in our firehouse studio by Rachel Corrie's
parents, Craig and Cindy Corrie. They have traveled to New
York to attend a public reading of Rachel's writings and emails
at the Riverside Church tonight -- on what was supposed to
have been the opening night of the play "My Name is Rachel
Corrie" at the New York Theatre Workshop.
Last year the Corrie's initiated lawsuits against the State
of Israel, the Israel Defense Forces and Caterpillar -- the
manufacturer of the Israeli military bulldozer that killed
Rachel.
- Cindy Corrie, mother of Rachel Corrie. She is a former
educator and music teacher.
- Craig Corrie, father of Rachel Corrie.
Helen Thomas Asks President Bush Why He Went to War
At the White House Tuesday, veteran correspondent Helen
Thomas took President Bush to task on his reasons for invading
Iraq. It was the first time Bush had called on Thomas, known
as the “First Lady of the American Press”, in
three years. [includes rush
transcript]
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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