RACHEL CORRIE

Disputed play appears at other Ashland theater

By Polina Olsen

Despite controversy surrounding Ashland’s production of “My Name is Rachel Corrie,” two sold-out performances Aug. 30 and 31 raised $1,400 for the foundation in her name.

The Nuwandart Gallery picked up the play when Oregon Stage Works put their performance on hold. Meanwhile, Peter Alzado, OSW’s producing artistic director, gathered input from the community and now plans to open his 2008/2009 season with a collection of works including Rachel Corrie. He hopes showing all sides of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict will produce “a model for presenting highly charged material.”

Rachel Corrie, a 23-year-old American activist, was crushed to death by an Israeli Army bulldozer in March 2003. Some say Corrie died trying to prevent the demolition of innocent Palestinian homes. Others say she unknowingly stood in front of concealed tunnels used for smuggling explosives. Israel calls Corrie’s death a tragic accident and insists the bulldozer driver did not see her; some believe her death was deliberate.

A play based on Corrie’s email and diary from Gaza has sparked controversy across the United States. The issue came to Ashland when Advocates for Israel members Stan Shulster and Gary Acheatel heard about the proposed staging and provided background information about the play to Alzado.

Accusations of censorship followed despite the producing artistic director’s denial.

“At no time did any group or individual threaten to picket all the plays at OSW or to shut down the theater,” he said. “I figured, maybe it was not the time to do a piece that could create problems.”

Although Alzado often has produced controversial material, he found this situation more complex.

A series of local newspaper articles and radio shows brought the situation to the community’s attention. One
Daily Tiding’s editorial of Aug. 25 defended Alzado as  “under siege over his decision to first produce the play … and then reverse course and cancel it.”

“Some may belittle his [Alzado’s] sincere concern over an economic boycott from people offended by Corrie, but this type of threat can not be underestimated,” the article went on to say. It credited Alzado for his “determined approach to finding a middle ground.”

“The reaction of the Jewish community is similar to the reaction of the entire community,” said Acheatel. “They bought the false accusation that there was coercion.”

“I’m not sure the rhetoric serves anyone well,” said Rabbi Marc Sirinsky of Temple Emek Shalom whom Alzado consulted. “It creates sparks, and sparks create dangerous conditions for fires. If a few comments made by people in the community about the play had not been made, the play would have run its course and it would not have been controversial. Sometimes things are stirred up and they create their own dust,” he said.

“The play itself is controversial, which isn’t the problem,” said Acheatel who attended the Aug. 30 performance. “It was a political demonstration with fund-raising, flyers and pamphlets supporting pro-Palestinian and terrorist organizations. Photographs on the walls were all maimed Arab people —never Israelis. If there had been an opportunity to put [pro-Israeli] flyers on the table and have discussion afterwards, there would have been value,” he said.

“Profits from the Nuwandart Gallery production went to the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice,” said Geoffrey Blaisdell, the play’s director. “Rachel’s aunt and uncle lent us photos of Rafah and of the family whose house Rachel was defending. We had information about the Israeli Defense Force weapons [Apache helicopters, CAT D-9 bulldozers, etc.] that Rachel mentions in the play, literature from the Rachel Corrie Foundation, and a donation box for anyone inclined to give more to the foundation than just the price of a ticket.”

“I was asked by a couple of people (not all from the Jewish community) if they could piggyback onto the event with material,” recalls Blaisdell. “I declined, stating that I wanted the focus of this reading squarely on Rachel and the play.”

Rob Pendell, a Nuwandart Gallery co-owner welcomed protests. 

“I would love to see it happen,” he said in an Aug. 25 Daily Tidings interview.

“Controversy is a catalyst for communication. If we can bring different viewpoints together and get people talking … they will start to understand the other side’s point of view.”

“Interestingly enough, the gallery was presenting an anti-war show [at the time Rachel Corrie played], and collages covered the walls with images of the conflict in Iraq,” Pendell said. He found the play one-sided—“she obviously never lived with an Israeli family”—but useful. “A number of people hung out after the show and had an impromptu discussion.”

Alzado looks forward to OSW’s production of Rachel Corrie next year but sees much work ahead.

“We need the right material,” he said. “We won’t involve ourselves in the politics but rather the human element, the human cost—the thing we all feel that creates a sense of fear or desire to fight.”

Acheatel believes a balanced event is an excellent idea that will allow dialogue to take place. Sirinsky agrees: “Peter’s [Alzado] approach is a good way. It’s not helpful to create an atmosphere where plays are dangerous. What’s dangerous is war, terrorism and creating conditions where people are hungry,” he said.