4thU Artivists, a NYC-based creative community, announces their Spring 2018 benefit production, #USTOO: SHATTERING THE SILENCE, opening on International Women’s Day: March 8, 2018. The production will raise funding and awareness for organizations advocating for women. To date, they have raised over $113,000 for numerous organizations of this kind. This year, 4thU Artivists is joining the #MeToo movement in working to end harassment and violence against women and girls. Proceeds from the spring production will benefit Womankind, Day One, and One Billion Rising.
Founded in 2007 by Tarana Burke, the #MeToo movement exploded in 2017, bringing to light the ongoing issue of harassment and violence many women face in the workplace and beyond. #UsToo, an evening of theater and dance, presents the theme of women’s rights as a unified, global event. The production consists of two short plays: “Take A Look At That Girl” by Marsha Sheiness and conceived by Donna Trinkoff, which details true stories of gender-based oppression from around the world and “You Know As I Know” by Deborah Karpel, detailing the experience of a survivor of sexual violence; woven together with several powerful dance pieces, and capped off by “Over It Redux” by Eve Ensler, creator of “The Vagina Monologues” and the VDay global movement.
“This powerful performance of many voices and bodies speaks to the incredible resilience of women around the world who have more #MeToo stories than they can count. The complicated feelings; healing of wounds of the body, mind and heart; standing up at a critical time in our ‘herstory’, this show says it all and will leave you feeling empowered to end the cycle of shame and violence against women!” -Erin Bigelow, Creative Director, 4thU Artivists
