New 1 in 3 Campaign Play Uses Personal Stories to End Stigma and Shame Surrounding Abortion As Supreme Court Weighs Restrictive Texas Law; Play Builds on Momentum of 1 in 3’s First-of-its-Kind Abortion Play to Bring New Stories of Recipients and Providers of Abortion Care to Audiences Across Country

Washington, DC—The 1 in 3 Campaign announced today the national tour of a groundbreaking new documentary play on abortion in the face of political attacks on access to safe, affordable abortion care. The play moves past the noise of the current political climate and features first-hand accounts from the people who receive and provide abortion care, even as access to abortion care comes under increasing threat. 

The tour of “Remarkably Normal by Jessi Blue Gormezano, Abortion Stories from the 1 in 3 Campaign” directed by Marie Byrd Sproul includes performances in eight cities, including some of the states with the most restrictive laws or active fights to place greater restrictions on access to abortion care, including Texas, where a law that’s forced many of the clinics to close is under consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court. The play is a clever, thoughtful and creative way to bring the reality of people’s abortion experiences into the heightened and tense conversation around abortion.  

“We all know someone who has had an abortion yet for too long the rhetoric of abortion opponents has created a dense atmosphere of stigma and shame that has silenced our stories,” said Deb Hauser, president of Advocates for Youth, the organization that runs the 1 in 3 Campaign. “Abortion care is remarkably normal despite what you might hear from the toxic political debate; it has been and always will be a part of people’s lives. We shatter the silence around abortion every time we speak our stories, and now hopefully every time we share this play.”

The 1 in 3 Campaign’s previous play “Out of Silence” (directed by Marie Byrd Sproul) debuted in New York and Washington D.C. in 2015 to rave reviews and continues to be performed on college campuses around the country. The new play is soulful, funny, at times challenging and geared to cause even more ripples in the conversation around abortion access. 

“Remarkably Normal by Jessi Blue Gormezano, Abortion Stories from the 1 in 3 Campaign” is based on real interviews and stories submitted to the 1 in 3 Campaign. By using first-person intimate accounts, the complex issues around abortion are brought to life by the nuanced narratives of a long-time abortion care provider, a young anti-abortion protestor who finds herself with an unintended pregnancy,  a compassionate member of the clergy, a mother of  four children, a victim of sexual assault, and many others. 

“Remarkably Normal by Jessi Blue Gormezano, Abortion Stories from the 1 in 3 Campaign” is directed by Marie Byrd Sproul and will begin touring on May 12 traveling to the following major U.S. cities: 

• Atlanta, GA: May 12-13 – 7 Stages Theater
• Miami, FL: May 19 – Koubek Center at Miami Dade College
• Austin, TX: May 26 – Stateside Theatre at The Paramount
• Denver, CO: June 2-3 – Su Teatro
• Los Angeles, CA: June 8 – Barnsdall Theater
• Oakland, CA: June 16-17 – The Flight Deck
• Chicago, IL: June 22-23 – Theater Wit
• Cleveland, OH: June 30-July 1 – Dobama Theatre

Tickets go on sale April 12. If you are interested in attending, you can get tickets online at http://www.1in3campaign.org/remarkablynormal. Comped tickets are available for members of the press. Please RSVP to Margy Levinson at margy.levinson@berlinrosen.com for more information. 

 

The 1 in 3 Campaign is proud to work with the following partnering organizations for the national tour: SisterSong; Planned Parenthood of South, East, and North Florida; Texas Freedom Network; Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR); Planned Parenthood Los Angeles; The Sea Change Program; The Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health (ICAH); and NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio.

 

The Cast:

Gisela Chípe (Anne/Patricia) – has been seen Off-Broadway at the Classical Theatre of Harlem, PS122 in New York and Actors Theatre of Louisville. Her film and television credits include Diving Normal, Paper Cut, Dog Days, Black?, Monogamish and CBS’s The Good Wife.

Joshua E. Johnson (Eli/Dr. Rimes/Ryan) – has been seen Off Broadway at The Pearl Theatre and The Attic Theatre in New York. He has received theater awards from San Diego Critic’s Circle Awards. His film work includes Sobrevivo and HBO’s The Knick.

Tracey Conyer Lee (Reverend/Loren) – has been seen in the NY International Fringe Festival and regionally at the Yale Repertory Theatre, Denver Center and Westport Playhouse. Her film and television roles include SMASH, Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Sophisticated Romance.

Shanta Parasuraman (Tina/Nadine) – has been seen on the national tour of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, Yentl and Not Enuf Lifetimes.

Evelyn Sphar (Kendra/Lucy) – has been seen in the Yale Repertory Theatre, NY Shakespeare Exchange and the Stella Adler Studio. Her television work includes HBO’s Vinyl.

 

The Creative and Production Team includes Choreographer Catherine Miller, Set Designer Paige Hathaway, Costume Designer Kelsey Hunt, Sound Design and Original Music by Palmer Heffren, Light Design and Technical Director Stefan Johnson, Assistant Director Taylor Reynolds, and Tour/Company Manager Ty Hallmark.

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About the 1 in 3 Campaign: 

The 1 in 3 Campaign, a project of Advocates for Youth, is a grassroots movement designed to ignite a new conversation about abortion, through storytelling, to end the stigma around abortion care in America. Its mission: to ensure that abortion remains safe, legal, and affordable. For more information, please visit: www.1in3campaign.org

 

For Immediate Release	April 8, 2016
Contact	Margy Levinson 646.335.0441 margy.levinson@berlinrosen.com