February 2013 marked the 15th anniversary of V-Day, the global activist movement to end violence against women and girls. On February 18th and 19th, 2013, a V-Day benefit production of Eve Ensler’s award winning play The Vagina Monologues was directed by Andrea Bertola at HERE in New York City, where The Vagina Monologues was first produced in 1996. Continue reading The Vagina Monologues at HERE: 2013 Production Photos
The Vagina Monologues: Featured in the News!
Check out all of the press attention we are getting for our highly anticipated production of The Vagina Monologues, at HERE in New York City— where the show was first produced!
Publication: The Write Teacher(s)
Title: Movers & Shakers Q&A Series: Andrea Bertola
Description: I was recently interviewed by Megan Minutillo, founder of The Write Teacher(s), for their Movers & Shakers Q&A Series. We talked about directing, the arts, education and my involvement with The Vagina Monologues.
Link: http://www.thewriteteachers.com/movers-shakers-qa-series-andrea-bertola/
Publication: BroadwayWorld.com
Title: THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES V-Day Benefit Performance Set for HERE Arts Center, 2/18-19
Publication: The Spiral Theatre Studio
Title: Interview with Richarda Abrams
Description: Richarda Abrams, from the cast of The Vagina Monologues was interviewed by Spiral Theatre Studio.
Link: http://www.thespiraltheatrestudio.blogspot.com/2013/01/interview-with-richarda-abrams.html?m=1
Publication: Soho Journal
Title: THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES Directed by Andrea Bertola
Link: http://www.sohojournal.com/content/vagina-monologues-directed-andrea-bertola
Publication: First Online with Fran
Title: THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES 2013 at HERE
Link: http://firstonlinewithfran.com/2013/02/07/the-vagina-monologues-2013-at-here-arts-center/
More Information:
So far, our online fundraising campaign has raised $1,620.
We’re now 32% to our goal! Please support the cause. Every little bit helps!
2/7/13 Special Announcement: Extra tickets have just been released for The Vagina Monologues.
The show sold-out a month in advance, these extra tickets will go FAST.
The Write Teacher(s) Interview: Movers & Shakers Q&A Series
I was recently interviewed by Megan Minutillo, founder of The Write Teacher(s), for their Movers & Shakers Q&A Series. We talked about directing, the arts, education and my involvement with The Vagina Monologues. See below to check out the interview. Then head over to www.thewriteteachers.com to check out their work! Megan and her team are doing some pretty incredible stuff over at The Write Teacher(s). Their website states, “We believe that arts are essential. We believe in community. We believe in framing a conversation for all topics, and we do it through the lens of theatre, books, television, film, music, and of course, education. The world is changing, and we want to set the framework for the discussion.” Bravo, Megan!
Movers & Shakers Q&A Series: Andrea Bertola
Feb. 7, 2013 | By: Megan Minutillo
I’m happy to introduce you all to our next Mover & Shaker, Andrea Bertola. Andrea and I are working on an upcoming production of The Vagina Monologues at HERE together, and she is, without a doubt a Mover & Shaker. Her wit, her passion, her dedication to the arts for social change…well, it’s truly inspiring. I’m proud and honored to call her a friend and a colleague, and so very pleased that she was able to do this interview.
TWT: First things first, did you always want to be a director?
AB: Yes! Even when I was little, I was constantly creating theatrical “masterpieces” for my family. My little sister was my first leading lady, whether she liked it or not. All the world was my stage: the fireplace, the diving board, the garage, our swing set; every family gathering provided me with a doting audience. One time, I got in trouble for putting out a donation basket and asking for tips from my relatives! An early indication for things to come…ha.
TWT: You are currently directing an upcoming V-Day benefit production of Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues, which will be performed at the HERE Arts Center in New York City. What’s it like to be working at the space where this monumental show was first work shopped?
AB: It is truly mind-blowing. I’m ecstatic and honored. The Vagina Monologues is such an important piece—it beautifully merges art with activism, and with that comes great responsibility. While directing the show, I’ve been very conscious about paying tribute to the original women that were interviewed. I want to honor their lives, their stories, and this monumental work of art. I also aim to breathe new life into the play by making it fun and approachable for a new generation.
People are drawn to this piece for many different reasons: some are drawn to the play as a work of art; but many others use it as a way to process their emotions as they recover from violence or abuse. This show has the ability to change the way a community thinks and addresses issues of violence against women.
All of the proceeds from these V-Day benefit productions of The Vagina Monologues will be given to local organizations that work to stop violence against women and children. We’ve already sold-out our show, and we have raised thousands of dollars for our beneficiary. The outpouring of community support and generosity is breathtaking.
Eve Ensler said it best when she was asked about the Vagina Monologues and the V-Day mission, “This may be one of the only times that a theater production has really been able to serve a social movement to this degree, particularly economically.”
TWT: What’s your favorite part of being a director?
AB: As a director, my mission is to examine challenging or controversial themes that speak to contemporary issues in our society. My favorite part about this is presenting these ideas in a way that creates a unique experience for the audience. I believe the energy and atmosphere of the world in the play should stimulate the audience’s senses from the moment they step foot into the theatre. The audience should be jostled (gently) and engaged by theatre, not patronized or preached to. By creating these highly interactive experiences they become a more captivated audience.
While directing provocative, innovative, and envelope-pushing productions, I aim to spark a healthy dialogue between cast, crew, audience, and critics. It’s one of the main reasons why I got my Masters degree in Educational Theatre. Theatre can be a catalyst for social change, and I want to do my part to make the world a better place.
TWT: What advice would you give to high school students who wanted to pursue a career in the entertainment industry?
AB: Get a dual major in marketing! I’m serious. Not because you’ll need a fallback career (you won’t IF you are passionate); but because you’ll need to know how to sell yourself. No matter what career you pursue in the entertainment industry, marketing is key. This industry is all about the packaging. You can be the most talented director in the world, but no one will see your work if you can’t write a compelling synopsis. Marketing will teach you how to make a website, how to engage an audience via social media, how to pitch a project and where to find investors. Believe me, you’ll need all of those tools to get ahead of your competition.
TWT: You’re a board member of the viBe Theater Experience. Can you explain to our readers more about the organization?
AB: viBe Theater Experience (viBe) produces original, free theater, music, and videos about real-life issues written and performed by teen girls. We provide a safe and creative space for underserved girls to express their voices, take on challenges and gain the self-confidence necessary to succeed personally, artistically and academically. viBe empowers girls through free programs, which engage and inspire them to write, create, publish, direct, and perform personal and truthful collaborative theater and music. Since 2002, over 60 viBe productions have brought free theater, live musical performances, music videos, and radio plays to thousands of diverse audience members, changing their perceptions about the kind of art that young women can create.
TWT: Just for fun, what movie could you watch over and over and over again?
AB: I would be totally lying if I didn’t say Father of the Bride. I know, I know. In my defense, Steve Martin and Martin Short together on-screen is nothing to scoff at! “True Romance” and “Gia” would be my second and third place favorites.
TWT: In today’s economy, arts programs in schools are being cut. What reasons would you give a politician for preserving the arts?
AB: The arts provide opportunities for self-expression; they expand our understandings; they give us the self-confidence we need to succeed personally, socially and artistically; they push us to think out-of-the-box and to view the world in new and unexpected ways. They bring magic to our world by filling it with beauty, color, music, and imagination.
TWT: Who is/was your greatest teacher?
AB: This is a tough one. I grew up with a boatload of learning disabilities (dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADD… to name a few) and school was always challenging for me. It’s hard enough to have confidence as a young kid, let alone a kid who is constantly being told they have a learning disability. Learning disabled? What a terrible phrase. It was heartbreaking. My greatest teachers were the ones who believed in me, saw past my struggles and appreciated my creativity. The ones that cheered me on and pushed me to reach for the stars: Mr. Grayson, Mrs. Karczewski, Caroline Worth, Maggie Lally, Joe Salvatore, Stephen DiMenna….and my parents.
More Information:
So far, our online fundraising campaign has raised $1,620.
We’re now 32% to our goal! Please support the cause. Every little bit helps!
2/7/13 Special Announcement: Extra tickets have just been released for The Vagina Monologues.
The show sold-out a month in advance, these extra tickets will go FAST.
Why should you support viBe?
Why should you support viBe?
Our V-Day production of the Vagina Monologues at HERE will benefit viBe Theater Experience, a non-profit performing arts/ education organization that produces original, free theater, music and videos about real-life issues written and performed by under-served teen girls.
So far, our online fundraising campaign has raised $1,195.
We’re now 24% to our goal!
Why should you support viBe?
Toya Lillard, Executive Director for viBe Theater Experience, shared these statistics with me….
90% of viBe participants are girls of color from under-resourced communities with poorly performing public schools. 70% live in single-parent households. Many lack the resources to pay for tutoring and arts programs that can inform their studies and bolster their self-esteem. A 2012 NEA study on arts engagement found that more than half the students from low income families with exposure to the arts went on to pursue careers in law, public service, and education. viBe engages girls through theater and activism, where they find the freedom to explore and address the issues most important to them, and are provided the platform to share their ideas, experiences and solutions.They come to our organization from over 20 public high schools and countless social service organizations throughout New York City, hungry for opportunities to create and perform their own work. Girls attend our tryouts (held multiple times in Fall, Winter and Summer), seeking to find their passion through work in the arts. At our fall 2012 tryouts, we asked two girls why they wanted to be a part of viBe; returning girl Shervon said, “I found out acting is my passion,” and new viBe girl Kenisha said, “I thought it would be good and helpful for me…I want to create my own shows.” Each viBe program provides girls with the support they need to talk about the issues they face daily in their homes, their schools and their communities.
Gaining these fundamental emotional and academic skills leads to quantifiable outcomes. In 2012 NYC public schools had a 65.5% graduation rate, yet viBe participants have consistently maintained a 100% high school graduate rate. viBe participants also enjoy a college enrollment rate of over 90%. Over 90% of viBe girls enroll in college, attending such universities as: St. John’s, NYU, Syracuse, Temple, Hunter, Simmons and more. In the future, we aim to inspire 100% of them to enroll in college through the mentorship we provide them during and after our programs. More than half of our alumnae over 10 years remain in touch with us, and attend performances and alumnae events. They also volunteer, intern and lecture for current viBe girls. Success is demonstrated by outcomes: the stories, reactions and accomplishments our girls achieve as a result of participating in our programs and the impact they have on their communities. Sustaining the work of a small theater company dedicated to amplifying the voices of underserved girls in New York City is no easy task. In these especially challenging economic times, providing our girls with a safe, creative environment, and the support that they need to “speak truth to power” in their stories requires the support of our entire community. This is why we ask you to considera gift to viBe Theater Experience. A gift of any amount will help us to sustain our programs in 2013, and move closer to our goal of serving more girls.
Ready to make a donation?
Even $10 will help!
(It’s quick and easy)
Support The Vagina Monologues
“The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do.”
-Sarah Ban Breathnach
This February marks the 15th anniversary of V-Day, the global activist movement to end violence against women and girls. On February 18th and 19th, 2013, at 7pm, a V-Day benefit production of Eve Ensler’s award winning play The Vagina Monologues will be directed by Andrea Bertola at the HERE Arts Center in New York City, where The Vagina Monologues was first produced in 1996. Proceeds from this production will benefit viBe Theater Experience an organization that produces original, free theater, music and videos about real-life issues written and performed by teen girls.
Here are 7 reasons why you should consider donating to the cause…
1) To stop violence against women: According to the United Nations, ONE out of every THREE women on the planet will be physically or sexually abused in her lifetime. Our show works to raise money and awareness to stop violence against women.
2) Because it works: In 2012, more than 5800 V-Day benefit events took place produced by volunteer activists around the world. To date, the V-Day movement has raised over $90 million and reached over 300 million people and educated millions about the issue of violence against women and the efforts to end it. V-Day was named one of Worth Magazine’s “100 Best Charities”, in 2006 one of Marie Claire Magazine’s Top Ten Charities and in 2010 was named as one of the Top-Rated organizations on Philanthropedia/Guidestar and GreatNonprofits.
3) For NYC teen girls: This production will benefit “viBe Theater Experience”. viBe Theater Experience (viBe) produces original, free theater, music and videos about real-life issues written and performed by teen girls. We provide a safe, creative space for under-served girls to express their voices, take on challenges and gain the self-confidence necessary to succeed personally, artistically and academically. viBe empowers girls through free programs, which engage and inspire them to write, create, publish, direct and perform personal and truthful collaborative theater and music.
5) For Theater: The Vagina Monologues is a catalyst that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money and revitalize the spirit of existing anti‐violence organizations. Raw, wild, thought-provoking art that makes a difference.
6) For creativity: We believe women should spend their lives creating and thriving rather than surviving or recovering from terrible atrocities. We’re taking the show out of context, flipping it on it’s head…and making a wild ride. The show is outrageous, sexy, raw and empowering. Not for the faint of heart.
7) For the women in your life: your mother, sister, girlfriend, friend and daughter.
DONATE HERE
Donating through this website is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to support my fundraising efforts.
Many thanks for your support — and don’t forget to buy tickets (Link will be posted soon)!
UNTIL THE VIOLENCE STOPS.
Audition for The Vagina Monologues
This February marks the 15th anniversary of V-Day, the global activist movement to end violence against women and girls. On February 18th and 19th, 2013, at 7pm, a V-Day benefit production of Eve Ensler’s award winning play The Vagina Monologues will be directed by Andrea Bertola at the HERE Arts Center in New York City, where The Vagina Monologues was first produced in 1996. Proceeds from this production will benefit viBe Theater Experience an organization that produces original, free theater, music and videos about real-life issues written and performed by teen girls.
Mark Your Calendars!
Auditions will take place on Sunday, Jan. 6th, 2013
5pm – 10pm at HERE Arts Center (Dorothy B. Williams Theatre is downstairs)
145 Avenue of the Americas (6th Ave) – Manhattan
(enter on Dominick Street one block south of Spring)
ABOUT THE AUDITION:
Auditions will take place on Sunday, Jan. 6th, 2013 from 5pm – 10pm at HERE Arts Center: 145 Avenue of the Americas – Manhattan. (Enter on Dominik Street. The Dorothy B. Williams Theatre is downstairs). Please plan to stay for the entire duration of the audition. Have fun, explore the script, be empowered and meet cool women willing to take a risk! Looking for a diverse group of women. (All ages, ethnicities, and types are requested).
TIME COMMITMENT:
Rehearsals will begin in early January and the performances will be on February 18th and 19th, 2013, at 7pm. Note: February 18th is President’s Day. Final dress rehearsals will take place during President’s Day weekend. When you register to audition you’ll have the option to select one of two TimeGroups, each with a different amount of rehearsal time availability. All cast members will be expected to attend all evening dress/tech rehearsals during the week of Feb 11- Feb 17th as well as a final dress rehearsal from 10am – 5pm on President’s Day (Monday Feb 18th). If your time limitations don’t match our needs, we will find an alternative way for you to be involved in the production.
TimeGroup 1: The Tribe/Ensemble. The ensemble rehearses as a group on Sundays for approximately 6 hours at a time. (As well as all dress rehearsals, as stated above). Note: These performers will be on stage the entire time. They will be in 4 to 5 group scenes such as the opening, closing “My Angry Vagina”, “A Six-Year-Old Girl was Asked” and “The Wear and Say List”. These performers will also be assigned small solo pieces: introductions for the monologues. The tribe brings life and color to the show, they are fun numbers and a great way to bond with other women. This is a good choice if you are looking for an experience sharing the stage while working closely with a small group of women.
TimeGroup 2: The Monologues. These actors rehearse one-on-one with the director once a week for approx. 1.5 hours at a time. (As well as all dress rehearsals, as stated above). These performers will be assigned one monologue piece. The monologues are the heart and soul of the show. You will be challenged to test your limits in evoking truthful emotions for a dynamic performance. This is a good choice if you are looking to perform a solo piece and/or have limited availability for large group rehearsals. Some monologue performers will be allowed to read from note cards. Click here to read a breakdown of the monologues
More Information
Andrea Bertola directed a sold-out production of The Vagina Monologues in 2011. Learn more, read cast testimonials or view pictures. To learn more about V-Day and its campaigns visit http://www.vday.org
If you wish to audition, you must fill out the following form. If you have additional questions, contact AndreaBertola@gmail.com
"My Vagina Was My Village"
V-Day New York City, Triad Theatre, 2011. Eve Ensler’s
“The Vagina Monologues”
Actress: Justine Beirne
Directed by: Andrea Bertola
Cinematography: Russ Geltman
Directed by: Andrea Bertola
Cinematography: Russ Geltman
About the monologue:
Bosnian women refugees were interviewed during the war in Yugoslavia, in refugee camps and centers. Twenty to seventy-thousand women were raped in the middle of Europe as a systematic tactic of war. This monologue is based on one woman’s story.
A letter from our beneficiary!
“viBe has taught me to take all my negative experiences and turn them into positive artistic pieces. viBe is a place where I can grow. viBe is my escape, a fantasy island, where everyone has a chance to show who they truly are. I don’t know where I would be or what I’d be if viBe hadn’t showed me the way.” –Elba 17
June 11, 2011
Dear Andrea and everyone involved with V-Day NYC Triad Theatre,
On behalf of viBe Theater Experience, I need and want to express the most massive and exuberant THANK YOU to your amazing, inspiring and absolutely successful fundraising efforts with your glorious production of The Vagina Monologues! As a small, struggling nonprofit organization, it is always challenging for us to raise the money to support our work running free afterschool arts programs with underserved teenage girls in New York City. We celebrate our 9th birthday this summer and for the past few years have been aggressively searching for a home/office. We have produced more than 55 different performance-based projects and productions since 2002 and have always relied on donated or subsidized rehearsal spaces, even at times rehearsing in my own apartment or in city parks when we lacked the resources to pay for space.
This past winter, we found our dreamhouse! The Brooklyn YWCA had recently completed an extraordinary renovation and has rented several rooms in their building to organizations with a girls-based, social justice mission. They accepted viBe and we were nervous about how we could afford to pay the rent. We knew being in a building with fierce, feminist neighbors such as Girls for Gender Equity, Planned Parenthood’s Teen Advocates program, Center for Nonviolence Education and Dwa Famn (among others) and also home to the Brooklyn Girls Coalition, a group of more than 20 organizations that serve girls in Brooklyn was just too amazing to pass up.
But we were worried. We knew we had raise at least $5000 to make the move happen and so many of our foundation partners don’t want to pay for “rent” or “overhead,” they only want to fund our direct program expenses. But we knew that this move would transform viBe and make it possible for us to offer so many different programs for girls. Then Andrea came along and offered to produce the Vagina Monologues. We immediately said yes, and hoped that maybe they would raise $3000 for viBe. But… Wow!
They absolutely exceeded our expectations and the funds they raised have made it possible for viBe to move into this gorgeous new home! Also, just as important as the money, Andrea and her team have built an amazing network of viBe volunteers and supporters who we will work with for many more years and will continue to support our efforts to provide spaces for girls to express themselves through the performing arts. In fact, we are so impressed with Andrea’s work that we invited her to be a member of viBe’s board of directors.
None of this would have been possible without VDAY. Thank you most viBrantly!
Dana Edell, PhD
Executive Director
dana@viBeTheater.org
PO BOX 1478 • NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10027 • (917) 647 0326 • http://www.vibetheater.org
___________________________________
From Cindy…
As part of the follow-up report for the V-Day campaign, I asked the cast to detail how the project impacted their lives (if they wished to contribute). Once again, these women blew me away. Their testimonials were so heartfelt and beautiful, I asked if I could share them. It’s easy to understand the positive impact that our fundraising had on our beneficiary organization, but it’s hard to grasp how the making of the actual production greatly influenced the lives of those involved.Over the next few days I’ll be posting some of the cast testimonials, I encourage you to leave a comment. We’d love to hear your feedback! -Andrea
Cindy’s Testimonial:
This project has been a beautiful treasure in my life. Graduating from an all-women hight school and being a woman’s studies minor in college, I have never under-estimated the power of ‘women in groups.’ Yet, as an adult I have made less opportunities to – see such a thing in action!! Our cast was simply – love. As a whole, we were an open book within our group and onward. We shared stories of hardship and of happiness- we truly became a UNIT. And our respect for each other made everything that we did on stage all that more poignant.
The Monologues themselves were also life-changing– I felt as though we really got to know them women who owned those memories. And our audience got to know those women too… hopefully, shedding permanent light on issues they would have felt distant from otherwise. Through the Vagina Monologues- I came to love my vagina! I never had a problem with her… but now, gosh- she’s got much more personality!!
I believe much of this production’s success can be attributed to our director, Andrea Bertola.. From the 1st minute, she fostered an environment of love, safety, support and even-affection. Our director, Andrea Bertola, walked us through activities at the top of every rehearsal- which reminded us why we were there- who we were there for- what we were hoping to accomplish…both for ourselves and for women across the globe. Andrea Bertola’s vision for this show excited us!! She made us feel alive and important- she taught us to believe in our RALLY and that if our words could affect one audience member, we were accomplished. I think Andrea Bertola’s approachable, current vision for the show- screams how talented she is as a director, a creative visionary, and a medium between experience and art. I am so proud to have worked with this director- she, and her vagina, are very special!
-Cindy Keenan
___________
From Frances…
As part of the follow-up report for the V-Day campaign, I asked the cast to detail how the project impacted their lives (if they wished to contribute). Once again, these women blew me away. Their testimonials were so heartfelt and beautiful, I asked if I could share them. It’s easy to understand the positive impact that our fundraising had on our beneficiary organization, but it’s hard to grasp how the making of the actual production greatly influenced the lives of those involved.
Over the next few days I’ll be posting some of the cast testimonials, I encourage you to leave a comment. We’d love to hear your feedback! -Andrea
Frances’ Testimonial:
This project has impacted my life in so many ways. First, as a woman approaching her 60’s it’s a tremendous validation that aging is what you make of it. We all have choices, and no matter what stage of your life you’re approaching, we all have the ability, the capability to contribute to our society. This project has inspired me to continue to raise awareness of violence against women; despite the reproachful remarks I received from family members for participating in this show, they were moved by its message when they attended the performance.
Another impact this project has had on my life is that I now have a group of women whose passion, promise, and pride have instilled in me a renewed sense of purpose and drive. All doubts about my ability to perform (as an actor) have faded away and I am willing and able to get out and DO IT!
Perhaps the biggest impact this project has had on my life is to once again, realize the beauty and joy theater brings to our world. How the arts are such a viable part of the human existence. How we can transform a person’s existence with a blink of an eye, a flicker of hope, a message of love. It truly can change the world. After Saturday’s encore performance, a 76-year-old woman approached me with her walker. Anne Cunningham told me how The Flood was a telling reflection of how older women perceive their sexuality; in fact, she commented how the entire production provided an overview of Women, Womyn, Woman. She said that she started the first women’s rescue center in Staten Island in 1973 which remains opened to this day. As past a NOW president, she said, “We need to do MORE of this.”
In the same week we performed our show, a Bosnian soldier who ordered the rape and murder of Muslim men, boys, and women was captured and brought to justice at the Hague. A woman was raped by two NYC police officers. They were acquitted; however, they were fired by the force with no pension. The woman spoke out and encouraged other victims to step forward because she felt that the love and support she received from people, strangers who sent her messages of love served as her justice. We must remain alert and aware that the human condition is what we make of it and that we must be steadfast in our mission to end the violence.
The entire performance process was carefully planned and organized. Communication was candid, clear, and concise. The entire staff, but particularly, its director was organized; it was her artistic vision that brought us to a satisfying- beyond- one’s- imagination completion.
Technical tools such as her website, calendar, and emails allowed communication to be swift and direct. Rehearsals were planned out ahead of time; objectives were clearly stated; time allotment was structured to allow feedback, questions, and concerns from all cast members. Those who might have felt embarrassed to speak in front of the group for whatever reason were encouraged to speak to the director privately.
Rehearsals included viable preparations that not only allowed experimental exploration, but also a clear sense of purpose to each exercise. Time was never wasted, but there was always a feeling that we could connect at any given moment to a cathartic aha! Clearly, the director pored over the script and knew exactly what she wanted; yet, she was always sensitive to each member’s need and had the know-how and empathy to move each and every one of us to be our best.
Perhaps the most useful time was spent with the director in her apartment rehearsing the monologues in one-on-one sessions. This allowed for individual undivided attention as well as a shared opportunity to tap into each and every playwriting insight. This was when I realized the full potential of not only my abilities as an actor, but also the depth of my character’s voice, her need to tell, and the urgency with which she needed to speak her message for that day, in that time, for that moment.
There is so much more I can say about Andrea Bertola as the director and organizer of this project, but perhaps the most important quality is her clear sense of purpose. Her passion and commitment and belief in the goodness of the world and in each and every human being was palpable and served as its beacon for the cast, its audience, and for those victims whose voices cannot be heard.
Respectfully submitted,
Frances L. McGarry, Ph.D.
Theater Education Consultant
June 6, 2011
_____
Andrea Bertola Shaw 