PETER ALZADO

Corrie play sparks debate

By Polina Olsen

Debate over an Ashland theater company’s proposed staging of “My Name is Rachel Corrie,” has prompted Oregon Stage Works to put the production on hold while Peter Alzado, the theater’s artistic director, gets input from the community.

Rachel Corrie was the 23-year-old woman killed by an Israeli Defense Force bulldozer in March 2003. An Evergreen State College student and member of the International Solidarity Movement, some say Corrie died defending innocent Palestinian homes. Others say Corrie unknowingly stood in front of concealed tunnels used for smuggling explosives. All say her death was a tragedy.

A play based on Corrie’s email and diary from Gaza was produced by Britain’s Royal Court Theater and ended its London run in April 2005. Productions in New York and Florida were canceled or postponed. During Seattle’s staging, opposing views were presented in the playbill and in leaflets outside the theater.

An Issue Develops

According to Stan Shulster, a member of Ashland’s Advocates for Israel, the OSW’s concern started when he met the artistic director. When told about the production, Shulster said his face went white.

“I said, ‘Peter, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were picketers,’ and offered background information,” said Shulster. “That’s as far as it went.”

Both Shulster and fellow Advocates for Israel member Gary Acheatel, provided Alzado with play reviews and information.

“We acted as individuals,” Acheatel says, “and never represented an organization.”

The play’s director, Geoffrey Blaisdell, planned to start production this month but said that Alzado changed his mind.

“He had been threatened that Rachel Corrie and [all concurrently running] shows would be picketed in an attempt to shut down his theater,” Blaisdell said.

In order to publicize the situation, “We (Blaisdell and I) went to the paper,” said Nell Gesslinger, the 23-year-old actress cast as Corrie.

On Aug. 4, an article about the controversy made front-page news in Ashland’s Daily Tidings.

A few days after the article, letters to the editor came in.

Many considered free speech at issue; others saw something more.

“I am disturbed to no end that the agenda of a small troublesome radical right-wing theocracy can censor knowledge of the plight of an American citizen from fellow American citizens,” one angry reader wrote.

Eugene Robbins, Corrie’s uncle, is Jewish and lives in Ashland. He has seen controversy around the play before.

“A small group of ideological opponents shouldn’t decide what the community sees,” he said. “From what I heard, Advocates for Israel approached the artistic director and recited the usual litany of distortions and lies.”

Blaisdell concurs: “A fringe small group, the Advocates for Israel, picketed when the Rachel Corrie’s family spoke here last year. They’re outspoken about any issue that seems to criticize Israel. I’m not accusing them of threatening Peter because I don’t know that, but [I’m sorry that] a small group can project that much power—can actually have theater cancelled.”

Alzado, the artistic director, categorically denies coercion: “At no time did any group or individual threaten to picket all the plays at OSW or to shut down the theater,” he said. “At first I did not want to do the play because there were people who say they’d picket (this play) and it’s a new theater and I didn’t want to create a stir. That was my first reaction.

“Over time, I thought there was the possibility of doing the play and presenting it in a way that might create a forum for looking at what’s happening in the Middle East. So, I was back and forth trying to set up an appointment with Rabbi Marc Sirinsky (of Ashland’s Temple Emek Shalom). We’re both busy and the meeting was set up for Aug. 14. If the meeting had happened prior to the newspaper article, there probably wouldn’t have been a newspaper article.

“So there it is. I spoke with Rachel Corrie’s aunt and uncle and I’m waiting to speak with the rabbi. I’ll hold off making up my mind until I do.

“The heart of the matter is there are two stories,” said Alzado, referring to Israeli versus Palestinian viewpoints. “Both have been represented to me as the true story. Would the presentation of one story without the particulars of the other offer any insight into the situation in Gaza or the tragedy of Rachel Corrie?”

Talk Radio

On Aug. 8, public radio’s local talk show, “The Jefferson Exchange,” picked up the issue.

“We’re talking about the play that Oregon Stage Works seems to have abandoned after protests by the Rogue Valley version of the Israeli lobby,” reported guest host James Adams.

Questioning the importance of accuracy of facts in artistic productions he added, “In Britain, IRA documentaries came in from the left and right, and it was all healthy debate.”

“Facts should be accurate,” said one caller, “or a revision of history will find its way into our theaters. What if Mengele were portrayed as a caring physician?”

“The Israeli lobby, which has many right-wing people, has a strong effective campaign to shut down dialogue,” said another caller.

“The play has reason to go on, but there should be proper context,” suggested a caller familiar with the issue.

In response, Adams asked, “Should any play that deals with public issues include context or just this one?”

Out of Proportion

Rabbi David Zaslow from Ashland’s Havurah Shir Hadash congregation thinks harsh language has blown the situation out of proportion.

“This has some buzz with 30 people—it’s not a big issue,” he says. “It may be indicative of a future tempest in terms of rising anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism. It’s indicative of the kind of rhetorical scapegoating that we’ve seen in our history and we have to really be on guard.

“[Alzado] made a business or artistic decision—there has been no censorship,” Zaslow added. “There’s a huge difference between trying to influence and trying to censor.

“Giving an opinion isn’t censorship. I can say we’re going to picket or hand out fliers and that isn’t censorship either. Censorship is saying we’ll do anything we can as an organized community to make sure you can’t put [the play] on. Censorship is anathema to anyone in our community,” he said.