WHAT'S ON

In 2010, Women Of Antigua (WOA) reached audiences on a personal level by producing a local compilation of monologues based on the lives lived and lost by women in Antigua and Barbuda entitled When A Woman Moans. In 2011, the organisation continues to add their voice to the campaign to end violence through the 2011 edition of When a Woman Moans, which will include new material.

While the 2010 premiere of When A Woman Moans took audiences on an emotional ride of the struggles women incur, particularly through violence and sexual crimes, the 2011 production celebrates the many facets of women, and the men who support and encourage them. WOA believes it is of the utmost importance that men realise the undeniable and important role they play in society as husbands, partners, fathers or mentors, and as such has created the theme: “Make a Difference.”

Writers of this year’s production include Melissa Elliott, Joanne C Hillhouse, Elaine Spires, Brenda Lee Browne, Marcella Andre, Floree Williams, Salma Crump, Tameka Jarvis-George, Linisa George and Zahra I Airall.

Over the last three years, in an effort to raise more awareness to stop violence against women and children, WOA has been responsible for two consecutive successful productions of Eve Ensler’s award winning The Vagina Monologues. Through the poster campaigns and the productions over the last three years, Women Of Antigua has been able to raise just over EC$30,000, which has been donated to organisations such as the Good Shepherd Home for Girls, the Sankofa Life Purpose Centre, the Sunshine Home for Girls, the Amazing Grace Foundation and Cottage of Hope. From this year’s production, donations will be made to Cottage of Hope, a new foundation dedicated to at risk girls in the country and the Amazing Grace Foundation.

This year’s production of When A Woman Moans will take place on Saturday, 28th May, 2011 at the Multipurpose Cultural and Exhibition Centre at 8pm. As with previous years, doors will be open from 6:30 pm to facilitate a mini art exhibition which will include work by cast members Heather Doram, Marcella Andre and Zahra Airall, along with supporting men Mark Browne, Emile Hill, Shawn O’Garro and Sokoto George.

This year, When A Woman Moans is partly sponsored by UNWomen through the Directorate of Gender Affairs.

Women Of Antigua is a non-profit organisation which incorporates the performing arts into their messages of awareness for violence against women and children and other worthy causes. The executive members are Zahra Airall, Greschen Edwards, Thomasine Greenaway-Whyte and Linisa George. Although the annual production has been the main activity for the organization, there will be upcoming activities, such as the poster campaign, throughout the year to raise more awareness for this and other causes, such as HIV awareness.

For further information or to get involved you can visit the Facebook page “When A Woman Moans 2011”; email woa_vday@gmail.com or call 779-6634, 723-6934, 772-7913 or 780-7754. Tickets are $40 and will be available from Saturday, 14th May, 2011 at Flo’s Perfumery, the Pink Mongoose and both branches of the Best of Books. 

Your attendance at this year’s production will “make a difference”.