Art Incites Action

I am so grateful to have experienced one of the final performances in Los Angeles of the Pulitzer Prize winning play, RUINED. The artists were astonishing; the story was both provocative and heartbreaking.

In creating this story, both playwright, Lynn Nottage and director, Kate Whoriskey traveled to Uganda and spent ten days with Congolese refugee women, interviewing them and listening to their horrific stories. What they discovered was that all of these women have a powerful desire to share their stories with the world. Whoriskey commented about this fact, "They wanted Peter Jennings and instead they had Lynn and Kate. We know that theater has such a small voice in comparison but we have done what we can to make these stories heard."

But the voice of RUINED is not a whisper but a powerful call to action. The story gives a face and voice to thousands of women who have suffered unspeakable horrors. They have been raped repeatedly, been beaten and tortured, watched as their husbands and children were tortured and murdered. They are not unscathed but what is truly remarkable is that what remains within them is a spark of hope and courage. Please let us continue to fan this spark. Donate today.