If sex is power, and war is a power struggle, then it may not be
too farfetched to think that refusing to copulate might just be
powerful enough to stop a war.
Such was the hope of a group of Greek women in
Aristophanes’ comedic anti-war play “Lysistrata,”
who refused to have sex with their husbands until they agreed to
sign a peace treaty ending the Peloponnesian Wars.
And even though abstinence may not be the key to world peace,
today groups in 57 countries will unite in the name of peace with
hundreds of groups in all 50 U.S. states to perform readings of
“Lysistrata” as a protest against a United
States’ war with Iraq.
The Lysistrata Project was conceived in January by New York
actors Kathryn Blume and Sharron Bower who put up a Web site and
sent out e-mails to create a a “theatrical act of
dissent.” In only two months, the project has snowballed
““ 928 performances were scheduled as of Sunday, including a
reading at UCLA, and more are being added all the time.
The UCLA student group Theater Underground will be performing a
reading of the translation of this classic play by Drue Robinson
Hagan tonight in Rolfe 1200 at 8:30 p.m. While many groups all over
Los Angeles will be performing, the largest will be a group
performance involving over 21 individual theater companies, titled
“Lysistrata Project ““ L.A.,” at the Wilshire
Ebell Theatre at 6:30 p.m. Proceeds from both performances will
benefit various anti-war organizations.
For both productions, a need to show the world that not all
Americans are pro-war and indifferent was their motivation to get
involved.
“There’s a stigma about UCLA students especially,
that we’re really apathetic toward world issues,” said
Maryam Griffin, a second-year political science student and an
organizer for the event. “I wanted to stand up for those
people who do having feelings on this matter.”
According to Gleason Bauer, the executive producer of
“Lysistrata Project ““ L.A.,” these readings are
an important outlet of expression because they serve as an
alternative kind of activism, perfect for individuals who
don’t feel comfortable going to large-scale political rallies
or marches.
“There’s a thing that’s been going around for
a long time that we are extremely apathetic as Americans,
particularly the younger generation,” she said. “I
think that the reason the apathy is there is not because people
truly don’t care ““ it’s because they feel
powerless.”
While Theater Underground is taking a more modern perspective on
the ancient piece, “Lysistrata Project ““ LA”
chose to let each of its participating theater groups decide what
direction they wanted to take their segments.
Because the original text itself is outrageous and ridiculous,
both performances promise a laughter-filled evening despite the
serious anti-war, anti-violence message.
“The version we’re doing is very funny, so
it’s a great way to deflate the pro-war rhetoric that you
hear” said Chris Lee, a second-year history and psychology
student who plays several different roles in the piece.
Alyson Schuster, an undeclared first-year student, agreed with
Lee, adding that she found the play not only an excellent release
for all the anxiety that comes with an impending war, but also
simply a valuable forum for discussion.
“I am borderline on the war issue, and that’s one of
the reasons I got involved,” she said. “I wanted to be
able to talk to other people and debate because that’s also
part of the rehearsal process.”
“Lysistrata Project ““ L.A.” will also provide
25 different peace organizations with booths in the theater to
promote one-on-one discussion of the war. According to Tracy Hudak,
the artistic director of the project, the involvement of peace
organizations is vital because it helps bridge the gap between
having a desire to participate, but not being sure how, and
actually taking action.
“Everybody’s trying to rack their brains on how to
stop this “˜thing’ that seems inevitable,” she
said. “I think the more we do to come together in large
groups and support each other that regardless of what Bush actually
does, the momentum of bringing people together for positive action
will not be stopped.”
THEATER: Theater Underground reading tonight at 8:30 p.m., Rolfe
1200. Free admission, donations accepted. “Lysistrata Project
““ L.A.” at 6:30 p.m. the Wilshire Ebell Theatre. For
more information visit www.lysistrataproject.com.