An Invitation to Protest the Legislature's Cuts for Funding of Planned Parenthood, September 13 & 14

Received directly from Bastion Carboni of the Poison Apple Initiative:

A PERFORMATIVE ACTION IN SOLIDARITY WITH PLANNED PARENTHOOD

September 13 rehearsal at Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Road (click for map)

September 14, 10 a.m. Protest Performances in the traditions of the "invisible" and "guerrilla" theatre movements

Press Release

In response to the state’s recent decision to cancel Title X funding for various women’s health clinics, Poison Apple Initiative is planning a demonstration that will process from Republic Square Park to the Capitol. The performative action, in the traditions set by the “invisible” and “guerrilla” theatre movements, will feature local actresses and other citizens concerned by the decisions recently made by our state’s government. We will process along Congress, performing a short piece three times and end at the Capitol for a visual representation of the numbers of women and men benefited by the work of Planned Parenthood, People’s Community Clinic, and El Buen Samaritano. The performance will be recorded and sent viral as both a rallying and warning cry for other communities. We are inspired by U.S. District Judge J. Thomas Martin’s recent decision to overturn Kansas’ denial of state funds to Planned Parenthood and we aspire to affect a similar change here. Where there is precedent, there is hope.

A Call for Participation (from the FaceBook event page)

So, here's the deal: in response to our state's decision to strip Planned Parenthood of government funds, we're planning a performative action in Downtown Austin on Wednesday, Sept. 14th at 10am. This is not so much a protest as a call for action; we as Texans have entered a new realm of social obligation. This amazing org and others like it (People's Community Clinic and El Buen Samaritano) have been hit hard. It's now it's our duty and right to keep it alive through our direct contributions and raising awareness that this is happening and has already spurred awful consequences.

SO: Details.

1. A REHEARSAL for the action will be held on TUESDAY, SEPT. 13TH AT 7PM AT THE DOUGHERTY ARTS CENTER. We'll take that time to choreograph simple actions in conjunction with the performance that'll be happening. The result will be visually striking and generally rad.

2. The action is scheduled for WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 14TH AT 10AM. We will be convening at REPUBLIC SQUARE (Guadalupe between 4th and 5th) (click for map) at 9.15AM and the procession will end at the Capitol. There will be fliers and arm bands handed out at that time. Please wear jeans and a mono-color shirt.

3. The action will be filmed and will go viral. We are contacting media outlets of all ilk and working on getting coverage of the event. If you know someone who might be interested in speaking with us or would like more info, please email poisonappleinitiative@gmail.com.

4. Tell your friends. Let's rip it up, kids.

Solidarity and respect,
PAI (Poison Apple Initiative)

About us: Poison Apple Initiative is a local theatre company specializing in sharp, dark comedy with a social consciousness. We’ve garnered a reputation for giving audiences “a razor-edged experience, one with a vibration and intensity that no video or cinema is going to provide” (Austinlivetheatre.com). Now in our fourth year, we’re taking to the streets.

LA Progressive on Campaign against City Theatre's Staging of Most Fabulous Story

Found on-line:

I Will Defend My Mother’s Purity!

by Carl Matthes posted on Wednesday, 19 May 2010
(Pholo: Michael Mahoney, Hat Head Studios)

The letter headlined “I Will Defend My Mother’s Purity!” in large, all-red caps arrived the day after Mother’s Day. Inside, was a fundraising letter from America Needs Fatima (ANF). Their appeal? Send some money to save the reputation of Mary, Mother of God, from a “terrible attack!” (For Catholics, Our Lady of Fatima is a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary.)

It turns out that the good folks at ANF have drawn battle lines around The City Theatre (TCT) in Austin, Texas (seating capacity 80). Why the battle? TCT is mounting a production of Paul Rudnick’s 1999 play “ The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told!,” a long-running Broadway hit. “Fabulous,” by openly gay playwright Rudnick, contains updated Biblical stories where “…instead of Adam and Eve, our lead characters are Adam and Steve, and Jane and Mabel, a lesbian couple with whom they decide to start civilization.” And, even more upsetting for Robert E. Reich, Executive Director of ANF, is Rudnick’s own description of his play, “I wanted the Garden of Eden in Central Park, and Mary as a lesbian mother, which would certainly help me comprehend immaculate conception.”

Mr. Reich’s appeal also discloses that the play shows Adam and Steve in “full frontal nudity!” (Perhaps Mr. Reich is unaware that some refer to Austin as being the San Francisco of Texas!)

Read more at the LA Progressive on-line. . . .

Arts Reporting: Protests at City Theatre's Upcoming Production of The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told

UPDATE from Andy Berkovsky, May 12: "The latest is we are now receiving hundreds of the form protest email sent as postcards - crazy to see those on our doorstep yesterday. Our research pointed us to a website called American Need Fatima where these seem to be coming from. Yesterday, we received a call from a gentleman - Carl - who works for a Los Angeles online magazine called LA Progressive - laprogressive.com. He is doing an article on how this organization requests donations for "protest" and then make tons of money off of it. He is reporting how they made over 7 million over the past few years. And this group is very vocal in there opinion of helping to shut down shows mentioning the play Corpus Christi recently reconsidered from opening at Tarleton State and others. Why are we singled out? Not sure. Possibly, because we are a mainstream theatre group catering to the entire community rather than a specific group of people. Again, this campaign is not coming locally, all of the emails and postcards are from out of state."

UPDATE: Lisa Schepps of KOOP-FM interviews Andy Berkovsky, Producing Artistic Director of the City Theatre, concerning the protest letters, in the opening section of "Off Stage and On The Air," May 3

From Fox 7:

Local Theatre Threatened Over Play

Tuesday, 20 Apr

• Kristin McCasland
  Web Producer

Austin, TX - An Austin theatre company says it's received numerous phone and e-mail threats over its upcoming production of The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, according to Austinonstage.com.

The show's artistic director, Andy Berkovsky, told the Website that the threats appear to be coming from a "religious source outside the Austin community." He also said the letters appear to be form emails with different names signed to each.

Austinonstage.com says one message claims that Catholics will oppose the show with "one of the largest and loudest peaceful and legal protest ever seen." Another said the play is abhorrent -- even though it's fiction.

The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told is a farce written by playwright Paul Rudnick. It's a retelling of the Bible with Adam and Steve, Jane and Mabel. The story starts at the beginning in the Garden of Eden and goes up to present day New York City.

Berkovsky issued a statement on behalf of the theatre:

The City Theatre Company respects the rights of individuals to voice dissent on any live theatre performance that we are producing. Whether that dissent is religious, social, or personal, we also value the right of any group in the arts community to express themselves freely, which allows us to produce works that we feel are appropriate for the theatre community. Good art sparks debate and The City Theatre will continue with the goal of quality presentations - entertaining, thought-provoking or otherwise. We urge everyone to see the play, any play. Then, after it is over, allow themselves the opportunity for opinion and discussion.

City Theatre Company will debut the show June 10.

Read more at AustinOnStage.com: Out of Town Protestors Make Threats Against Austin's City Theatre