Events—Lysistrata Project

Lysistrata                                                                                       Presented March 3, 2003

Coordinator: Anita Bell

On Monday, 03/03/03, Fifty-nine countries hosted 1,029 readings of Lysistrata, Aristophanes' anti-war comedy, to protest the Bush Administration's unilateral war on Iraq.

 

Readings were held in theatres large and small, schools, churches, libraries, in music halls, homes, cafes, community centers, clubs, subway cars, parks, and on street corners. More than 300,000 people attended readings organized by our 1,029 Lysistrata Project "spearheads." Readings raised an estimated $125,000 for non-profit organizations working for peace and humanitarian aid.

 

The Project was featured on multiple CNN news programs, PBS' Lehrer News Hour, and many network and local news programs. Dozens of radio programs featured stories about the project, including NPR’s All Things Considered and Dutch, French, German, Canadian, Japanese and Greek stations. Features appeared in The New York Times, Newsweek, The Chicago Tribune, L.A. Weekly, The Village Voice, Ms. Magazine, American Theater, El Mundo, and thousands of other publications across the globe.

 

Locally, the Project was the brainchild of Anita Bell, who coordinated efforts with the Augusta State University Women’s Studies program. The Augusta Chronicle carried a small blurb in their News You Can Use section on February 25, 2003.