My Name Is Rachel Corrie

My Name is Rachel Corrie
Place premiered London, England
Original language English
Genre Political
My Name Is Rachel Corrie at Playhouse Theatre, London, 2006.

My Name is Rachel Corrie is a play based on the diaries and emails of Rachel Corrie, edited by Alan Rickman, who directed it, and journalist Katharine Viner. Rachel Aliene Corrie (April 10, 1979 – March 16, 2003) was an American Evergreen State College student and member of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) who traveled to the Gaza Strip during the Second Intifada. She was killed by a Caterpillar D9R armored bulldozer operated by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) while protesting against the destruction of a house by the IDF in the Gaza Strip, apparently acting as a human shield.[1][2][3][4] The details of the events surrounding Corrie's death, as she stood between an Israeli bulldozer and a Palestinian home, which allegedly contained a tunnel used for smuggling weapons from Egypt,[5] are disputed. While an Israeli military investigation ruled the death to be an accident, the ISM maintains that Corrie was run over deliberately. In 2012 The Haifa District Court ruled in a lawsuit filed by Corrie's parents that her death was an accident, and rejected the claim that Israel was at fault over the death.[6]

Initial stagings and response

Alan Rickman first staged My Name is Rachel Corrie in April 2005 at the Royal Court Theatre, London, and the play went on to win the Theatregoers' Choice Awards for Best Director and Best New Play, as well as Best Solo Performance for actress Megan Dodds.[7] The play was scheduled to be transferred to the New York Theatre Workshop in March 2006. However, the New York theatre decided that, because of its political content, the play was to be "postponed indefinitely", after the artistic director polled numerous Jewish groups to get their reaction to the play.[8] Rickman and Viner denounced the decision and withdrew the show.[9][10] The play ran as a commercial production at the Minetta Lane Theatre in Greenwich Village in the fall of 2006.[11]

Reviews

Cover of book version of play.

The play received the following review from Michael Billington in April 2005:

...Theatre has no obligation to give a complete picture. Its only duty is to be honest. And what you get here is a stunning account of one woman's passionate response to a particular situation.

And the passion comes blazing through in Corrie's eloquent reaction to her father's inquiry about Palestinian violence. As she says, if we lived where tanks and soldiers and bulldozers could destroy our homes at any moment and where our lives were completely strangled, wouldn't we defend ourselves as best we could?...[12]

The American record-music producer Clive Davis gave a short assessment of the play for The Times in April 2005:

As for the scenes set in Israel — brilliantly evoked by Hildegard Bechtler’s bullet-pocked concrete set — an element of unvarnished propaganda comes to the fore. With no attempt made to set the violence in context, we are left with the impression of unarmed civilians being crushed by faceless militarists. Early on, Corrie makes a point of informing us that more Israelis have been killed in road accidents than in all the country’s wars put together. As she jots down thoughts in her notebook and fires off e-mails to her parents, she declares that “the vast majority of Palestinians right now, as far as I can tell, are engaging in Gandhian non-violent resistance”. Even the late Yassir Arafat might have blushed at that one.[13]

Other stagings

My Name is Rachel Corrie played at the West End's Playhouse Theatre in London from March through May 2006. In July 2006 Josephine Taylor took over the role and the show played the Galway Arts Festival, before moving to the Edinburgh Fringe in August. It opened at the Minetta Lane Theatre in New York in October 2006, with Megan Dodds returning as Corrie, and closed on December 17, 2006.[14]

The recent production was reviewed by Peter Birnie of the Vancouver Sun January 29, 2008:

An excellent piece of polemic, My Name is Rachel Corrie is a powerful slap at the state of Israel. Weighing the show simply on its merits as left-wing agitprop, this is a compelling production. The play asks us to condemn Israel's heavy-handed treatment of Palestinians, and does so with compelling intelligence. It closes with a particularly powerful piece of video, showing an adolescent Rachel Corrie speaking with youthful enthusiasm about helping shape a better world.

Fine. Okay. But can we please see a companion piece of theatre about a certain desert-kingdom royal family and its deep complicity in fomenting terrorism against, among many others, Israel and the world's Jewish communities? Let's call it My Name is Osama bin Laden.[15]

Variety reports:

Jack Rose, from the CanStage board while admitting he has neither read nor seen the script said that "my view was it would provoke a negative reaction in the Jewish community." And philanthropist Bluma Appel, after whom CanStage's flagship theater is named, concurred. "I told them I would react very badly to a play that was offensive to Jews."[16]

The Seattle Repertory Theatre ran My Name is Rachel Corrie from March 15 to May 6, 2007, directed by Braden Abraham, featuring Marya Sea Kaminski as Corrie. This showing drew publicity and spawned the creation of a website, Rachel Corrie Facts, intended to provide information and context to balance to what many perceive as a "one-sided, anti-Israel diatribe."[17]

The Australian premiere of My Name is Rachel Corrie opened on May 14, 2008 at Downstairs Belvoir St Theatre. It had an extended season and was nominated for Best Performer (Belinda Bromilow), Best Direction (Shannon Murphy) and Best Independent Production (Bareboards Production) at the Sydney Theatre Critics Awards for 2008, winning the latter. The production was also featured on the SBS television program Dateline.

The Kitchen & Roundhouse Theatre in Silver Spring, Maryland, staged a one-time performance on July 21, 2007. It was directed by Lise Bruneau and featured Mindy Woodhead as Rachel.[18]

My Name Is Rachel Corrie was one of the featured plays of the Contemporary American Theater Festival in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, shown from July 6–29, 2007. Ed Herendeen was the director, and Anne Marie Nest played Corrie.

Purple Bench Productions produced the play in Chicago September 12 - October 5, 2008. Jessie Fisher portrayed Corrie and it was directed by Emmy Kreilkamp.[19]

Some performances have featured post-show discussions.[20]

The New Repertory Theatre[21] in Watertown, Massachusetts staged My Name is Rachel Corrie on March 8 April 5, 2008. Directed by David R. Gammons, featuring Stacy Fischer as Rachel Corrie. The production was played in rep with Pieces by Israeli-American Zohar Tirosh as part of a larger project entitled Their Voices Will Be Heard: Artists Respond to the Israeli/Palestinian Situation, which also included readings of plays by Nitzan Halperin, Meron Langsner (who at the time was New Rep's NNPN playwright in residence), and Larry Loebell, as well as film screenings and academic panels. New Rep published a pamphlet of critical responses entitled Supporting Voices/Dissenting Voices which was co-edited by Meron Langsner and M. Bevin O'Garra to accompany the theatrical events.

A reading of the play took place in Dublin, Ireland, on March 15, 2008, at the Project Arts Centre. The reading was presented by Amnesty International Irish Section and Fishamble theatre company. Actress Megan Riordan performed the reading.

In 2007, the play was staged in Lima, Peru, at La Plaza ISIL theater under the direction of Nishme Sumar and featuring Gisela Ponce De Leon as Corrie. This was the first performance of the play in a Spanish-speaking country.[22]

Theatre Yes[23] in Edmonton, Alberta staged My Name is Rachel Corrie March 28 - April 12, 2008.

Theatre PANIK[24] staged the play at Tarragon Theatre in Toronto, opening May 29, 2008 with Bethany Jillard performing the role. All four local daily papers gave the play and the actress enthusiastic reviews, but the theatre critic Lynn Slotkin in CBC Toronto radio show Here and Now[25] was highly critical of every aspect of the play.

The Kraine Theater in Manhattan staged the show under the direction of Ashley Marinaccio and Robert Gonyo of Co-Op Theatre East . The show was unique in that there were two actors portraying Rachel Corrie — Theresa Christine and Stephanie Shafir as the young Rachel Corrie.[26]

In October, 2015 the play was staged at the Corpus Playroom, Cambridge, UK. Rachel Corrie was portrayed by Ella Duffy, the daughter of Carol Ann Duffy. The show received critical acclaim, described as "a brilliant, barnstorming performance".[27][28]

Confirmed performances

Stanford University Department of Drama and Stanford Theatre Activist Mobilization Project (STAMP), Stanford, California, November 19, 20, 21, 2009

Canada

International

References

  1. The Death of Rachel Corrie Joshua Hammer Mother Jones
  2. "American peace activist killed by army bulldozer in Rafah" Haaretz March 18, 2003
  3. Gaza's tunnel economy stumbles
  4. Israeli Army Bulldozer Kills American Protesting in Gaza New York Times, March 17, 2003
  5. Wenig, Gaby. Human Rights Activists or Aids to Terrorists?, The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles 2003-09-12
  6. Pleitgen, Frederik. Israeli court: American protester Rachel Corrie's death an accident, CNN, 2012-09-05
  7. Viner, Katherine (8 April 2005). "Let me fight my monsters'". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 19 February 2009.
  8. McKinley, Jesse (28 February 2006). "Play About Demonstrator's Death is Delayed". New York Times. Retrieved 19 February 2009.
  9. thenation.com
  10. counterpunch.org
  11. Healy, Patrick (18 February 2009). "Workshop May Present Play Critical Of Israel". New York Times. Retrieved 19 February 2009. The London producers called the workshop's move censorship
  12. arts.guardian.co.uk
  13. Clive Davis "My Name is Rachel Corrie", The Times, 18 April 2005
  14. Robertson, Campbell (6 December 2006). "Rachel Corrie' to close". New York Times. Retrieved 19 February 2009.
  15. Sun Review
  16. 'Corrie' canceled in Canada December 22, 2006
  17. Should anti-Israel play be staged? Jewish Theatre 2005
  18. Woodhead, Mindy (July 6, 2007). "Secret Show". Retrieved 2007-07-23.
  19. http://www.theatreinchicago.com/review.php?playID=2725
  20. "MY NAME IS RACHEL CORRIE". Contemporary American Theater Festival. July 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-07-04. Retrieved 2007-07-23.
  21. http://www.newrep.org
  22. PUCP | Portal de Noticias
  23. http://www.theatre-yes.ca
  24. http://www.theatrepanik.ca
  25. https://web.archive.org/20090131071211/http://www.cbc.ca:80/radioshows/HERE_AND_NOW/20080605.shtml. Archived from the original on January 31, 2009. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  26. Shahadi, Joseph (6 April 2009). "Artist Interview: Co-Op Theatre East". Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  27. http://www.varsity.co.uk/theatre/9123
  28. http://www.camdram.net/shows/2015-my-name-is-rachel-corrie
  29. Theater Addresses Tension Over Play by Jesse McKinley at The New York Times March 16, 2006
  30. Bulldozed by Naiveté critical of the play by Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal Saturday, October 21, 2006
  31. artsjournal.com
  32. Notes From a Young Idealist in a World Gone Awry by Ben Brantley NY Times
  33. 'Rachel Corrie' in London: Requiem for an Idealist by Matt Wolf NY Times
  34. Rachel Corrie is not done talking Performance’s director Alan Rickman: "Censorship born out of fear.”
  35. My Name is Rachel Corrie (Off-Broadway) by Broadway.com
  36. Katharine Viner: Channeling Rachel Corrie - Broadway Tickets by Broadway.com 10.17.2006
  37. Headlines: My Name Is Rachel Corrie Announces 12/17 Closing Date by Broadway.com
  38. Fresh Face:Megan Dodds
  39. Headlines: London Headliner Megan Dodds to Reprise Role in Off-B'way Rachel Corrie by Broadway.com
  40. Headlines: Controversial Play Rachel Corrie to Land at the Minetta Lane in October by Broadway.com
  41. Photographs of the Play by Broadway.com
  42. The Second Life of Rachel Corrie by Jason Fitzgerald
  43. Theater Review: The Controversial My Name is Rachel Corrie Finally Opens in New York
  44. My Name is Rachel Corrie, Madison, WI The Daily Page The Guide by Isthmus (newspaper)
  45. My Name is Rachel Corrie Production History Leo K. Theatre Seattle Repertory Theatre Official Site
  46. 'Rachel Corrie' Extends at New Rep by Broadwayworld.com March 17, 2008
  47. New Rep to Present My Name Is Rachel Corrie and Pieces by Dan Bacalzo Boston Metro theatermania.com January 31, 2008
  48. Rachel Corrie Sparks Controversy by Sarah Wyatt
  49. CATF: ThinkTheater Contemporary American Theatre Festival Official Page
  50. Play Photographs CATF
  51. Musings on the Middle East 'My Name Is Rachel Corrie' Headlines W.Va. Theater Festival by Jane Horwitz at The Washington Post Page C05 Wednesday, June 27, 2007
  52. Contemporary American Theater Festival Launches its 17th Season of New American Plays at Shepherd University in Sherpherdstown, West Virginia by Grace Cavalieri at Montserrat Review
  53. Contemporary American Theater Festival Archive July 6 - 29, 2007 Festival Reviewed by Brad Hathaway at potomacstages.com
  54. Review of "My Name is Rachel Corrie" by Mary Ann Fay associate professor of Middle East history at Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD at History News Network
  55. Personal Blog of The Actress Mindy Woodhead
  56. Disputed play appears at other Ashland theater by Polina Olsen at Jewish Review (Oregon & Southwest Washington)
  57. Art and Politics: Psychoanalyisis, Ideology, Theatre Book by Walter A. Davis, Professor Emeritus, Ohio State University Published by Pluto Press Distributed in the United States by the University of Michigan Press
  58. Nuwandart picks up 'My Name Is Rachel Corrie' by Robert Plain at Ashland Daily Tidings August 25, 2007
  59. Anatomy of a play postponed by Chris Honoré, Tidings correspondent, at Ashland Daily Tidings August 25, 2007
  60. His name is Peter Alzado Opinion/Editorial at Ashland Daily Tidings August 25, 2007
  61. Mosaic's creator started with a dream by Christine Dolen at The Miami Herald daily newspaper Fri, November 21, 2008
  62. Actress Suehyla El-Attar's website August 22, 2007
  63. 'Let me fight my monsters' by Katherine Viner published at The Guardian daily newspaper Friday 8 April 2005
  64. My Name Is Rachel Corrie: In her own words Courtney Patterson portrays American activist by Curt Holman Published 09.12.07
  65. Bold Voices: My Name is Rachel Corrie Synchronicity Performance Group Official Site
  66. My Name is Rachel Corrie Countdown Theatre Official Blog
  67. My Name is Rachel Corrie 2008 Tours Countdown Theatre Official Blog
  68. Conversation starter 'Rachel Corrie' play-discussion opens political series by Lisa Bornstein, Published in Rocky Mountain News daily newspaper September 24, 2007
  69. My Name Is Rachel Corrie A dead reckoning in Gaza A Review by Juliet Wittman published in The Denver Westworld Magazine on October 02, 2007
  70. Brian Freeland of Countdown To Zero by Tasha King decider.com June 5, 2008
  71. Touring play ‘My Name is Rachel Corrie’ brings story of young activist in Israel/Palestine to Goshen Goshen College
  72. `My Name Is Rachel Corrie' Plays In Denver Colorado Progressive Jewish News
  73. Review: "My Name is Rachel Corrie" critic of the play by Bob Bows in The Denver Post daily newspaper 10.04.2007
  74. Actress embraces soul of the controversial Rachel Corrie by Ollie Reed Jr. in Alberque Tribune Friday, February 15, 2008
  75. “My Name is Rachel Corrie” Staged In Des Moines, Iowa by Michael Gillespie published in Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, April 2008, page 58
  76. 'My Name is Rachel Corrie' by Susan Stein at The Arcata Eye Newspaper October 16, 2007
  77. My Name is Rachel Corrie Organic Theater Company Official Site
  78. A stage production by the Organic Underground Collective Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East Press Release
  79. Vıterbo Theatre Department To Present My Name Is Rachel Corrıe January 31–February 2 at Viterbo University News Releases
  80. On The Boards by ArtVoice Theatre Magazine
  81. Artie 2008 Awards by ArtVoice Magazine
  82. My Name is Rachel Corrie Subversive Theatre Collective Official Page
  83. Controversial Rachel Corrie, Comes to Main Street Cabaret by Colin Dabkowski News Arts Writer at The Buffalo News(primary newspaper of the Buffalo, New York) Preview In Gusto Magazine 3.7.2008
  84. "Corrie's Life Follows Script at United Artists" Three-and-a-Half Stars by Ted Hadley The Buffalo News(primary newspaper of the Buffalo, New York) Contributing Reviewer
  85. Subversive Theatre gets a place it can call its own by Colin Dabkowski News Arts Writer at The Buffalo News(primary newspaper of the Buffalo, New York) 09.05.2008
  86. Theır Voıces Wıll Be Heard: My Name Is Rachel Corrıe And Pıeces New Repertory Theatre Official Page
  87. New Rep Theatre to Present 'Lieutenant of Inishmore' Starting 10/29 by broadwayworld.com
  88. My Name is Rachel Corrie has something to say, and says it well by David Berry at Vue Weekly Magazine Issue 650, April 3, 2008
  89. Giving voice and action to values My Name Is Rachel Corrie Theatre Yes by Liz Nicholls for The Edmonton Journal daily newspaper on March 25, 2008, republished at Canada.com of Canwest News Service
  90. Theatre Yes presents My Name is Rachel Corrie press release by Theatre Yes and Edmonton Small Press Association
  91. Inglis and Brovold wonder how much we can expect from ourselves by David Berry at Vue Weekly Magazine Issue 649 March 27, 2008
  92. actress Lora Brovold's photographs
  93. 2007-2008 Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards
  94. Charlottesville Debut of “My Name is Rachel Corrie” May 7, 8 and 9 2009 Press Release Ix Project Theatre Official Site
  95. flyer
  96. 'Rachel Corrie' plays to conflicted emotions by Marcus Crowder at The Sacramento Bee daily newspaper Published Page 1D, Tuesday, May. 19, 2009
  97. Acclaimed controversial play opens for first time in California community theater, says theater company by Jenn Walker, published on SacramentoPress.com May 17, 2009
  98. Beyond the Proscenium Productions (BPP) theatre's official site
  99. 15th.html My Name is Rachel Corrie opens May 15th by Beyond the Proscenium (BPP) Sacramento Theatre Company Theatre News Blog
  100. dramatists.com
  101. seeaplay.com
  102. Review: Theatre13's 'My Name is Rachel Corrie' by Mark Collins (Contact) Daily Camera newspaper Thursday, September 18, 2008
  103. Firehouse Theatre
  104. http://www.nwctc.org
  105. http://siouxcityjournal.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/one-woman-show-illustrates-life-of-peace-activist/article_4c8fad85-4ae8-5c17-943e-0a491710b518.html
  106. Letter on cancellation of “My Name is Rachel Corrie” in Toronto Published by the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) 4 January 2007
  107. Becoming Rachel Ottawa XPress Music Magazine
  108. Double-digit dramatists Sage celebrates 10 years of independent theatre by Jeff Kubik Published in Fast Forward Weekly(FFWD) Newspaper August 30, 2007, Calgary
  109. Plagues, Pearls and pedophiles Sage Theatre gears up for another powerful season by Kathleen Renne Published in Fast Forward Weekly(FFWD) Newspaper September 4, 2008
  110. Hot-button dramaSmall theatres bring controversial Rachel Corrie play to Canada by Martin Morrow, CBCnews.ca by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation November 14, 2007
  111. My Name is Rachel Corrie bestows honour upon her memory Saturday, November 17, 2007
  112. Controversial play to hit small theatres across Canada
  113. 1 2 3 4 Vancouver theatre to stage controversial play
  114. Rachel’s story Off-stage drama throws play into the international spotlight by Candice Vallantin Published in Fast Forward Weekly(FFWD) Newspaper November 15, 2007
  115. Hero or fool? Adrienne Smook delivers powerful performance in Sage’s My Name is Rachel Corrie by Melanie Little Published in Fast Forward Weekly(FFWD) Newspaper November 22, 2007
  116. Little tricks pay off Shining a light on Betty nominees Ian Martens and Cimmeron Meyer by Kathleen Renne Published in Fast Forward Weekly(FFWD) Newspaper August 14, 2008
  117. Betty Mitchell Awards 2008 nominees
  118. 2008 BETTY MITCHELL AWARD NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED
  119. The Wars, Edwin Drood earn 8 Betty theatre nominations CBCnews.ca by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Wednesday, July 23, 2008
  120. 1 2 Rachel Corrie's parents say play 'humanizes' activist daughter CBCnews.ca by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Monday, December 10, 2007
  121. Teesri Duniya Theatre Productions teesriduniyatheatre.com
  122. 1 2 3 Martin Bragg to leave top post at Canadian Stage Company CBCnews.ca by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Wednesday, June 18, 2008
  123. Talking with Rachel Corrie's Mom and Dad by Marcus Youssef The Tyee independent daily online magazine Published February 11, 2008
  124. Controversy in Canadian Theatre. No, Seriously The Next Stage Magazine About Independent New Theatre January 24, 2008
  125. About Play Royal Court Theatre
  126. About Play Uppdated Royal Court Theatre
  127. My Name Is Rachel Corrie (Royal Court Theatre Upstairs) The British Theatre Guide Review by Philip Fisher 2005
  128. My Name is Rachel Corrie Review by thisistheatre.com
  129. My Name is Rachel Corrie (review) by George Contini at Project MUSE, Theatre Journal Volume 59, Number 1, March 2007, pp. 116-117 published by The Johns Hopkins University Press
  130. My Name Is Rachel Corrie @ Playhouse Theatre, London theatre reviews by musicOMH Music Magazine
  131. My Name Is Rachel Corrie (Playhouse) The British Theatre Guide Review by Louise Hill 2006
  132. My Name is Rachel Corrie Irish Premiere by Galway Arts Festival official site
  133. 2006 Edinburgh Fringe Opens This Weekend, 6 Aug by Terri Paddock at Whatsonstage.com 4 August 2006
  134. My Name is Rachel Corrie Stage guardian.co.uk Lyn Gardner The Guardian 22 August 2006
  135. The Edinburgh Fringe 2006 Review by The British Theatre Guide
  136. My Name is Rachel Corrie Royal Court Theatre by On Stage Scotland, independent arts review site
  137. pucp.edu.pe
  138. livinginperu.com
  139. MIJN NAAM IS RACHEL CORRIE Noord Nederlands Toneel Theatre
  140. Fournos Theatre
  141. Mitt namn är Rachel Corrie - Göteborgs Stadsteater City of Göteborg Official Website
  142. Staging Photographs City of Göteborg Official Website
  143. Interview with Actress by STIM - the Swedish Performing Rights Society
  144. Production Detail - B Sharp: My Name is Rachel Corrie Belvoir St Theatre
  145. 8 April 2008 Programme Deutschlandfunk of Deutschlandradio
  146. Rachel Corrie play debuts in Israel· Work based on writings of US activist killed in Gaza Mixed audiences to see Palestinian interpretation by Rory McCarthy in Jerusalem The Guardian, Saturday 15 March 2008
  147. Opposing sides of the Middle East conflict by Debra Cash jewish-theatre.com
  148. Rachel Corrie play opens in Haifa by Rachel Shabi in Haifa Al Jazeera News
  149. Theatre of Neos Kosmos
  150. http://www.hannahnorris.com.au
  151. http://www.fortyfivedownstairs.com/events/my-name-is-rachel-corrie/

External links

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