Public Outreach Ideas
1) Women's Self Defense Class
The theatre will host a self-defense class that women can sign up to take alongside the women in the cast. The class will focus on creating a safe space for women to learn techniques to protect themselves from different forms of assault. The class will also educate women about assault statistics. For example, 80% of assaults against women are perpetrated by someone the victim knows.
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2) Clothing Drive for Battered Women's Shelter
The theatre will team up with a local battered women's shelter to host a clothing drive. The drive can accept any items of clothing, money, or other essentials for women who are starting a new life. The drive may also ask for items for children, as many women who escape domestic abuse have children with them.
Purchase this art print here!
3) Support for Planned Parenthood
The theatre will host an event that educates people about the services provided by Planned Parenthood and raises money for the organization. This event can also inform people about the different ways that they can support Planned Parenthood, and encourage people to sign up as volunteers. The main draw of this event will be encouraging women to submit their abortion stories to be read onstage. Women will also have the option to come onstage and share the story themselves. The sharing of abortion stories is a movement started by Planned Parenthood to help normalize abortion.
4) Teaming up with Local Feminist Organizations
The theatre will team up with local feminist organization to provide tabling and educational literature in the lobby for every show. For example, if this show were produced at Kansas State University, we could pair up with the Wildcats Against Sexual Violence and invite them to table in the lobby before each show and provide information about their organization and resources for survivors of sexual assualt.
5) Sharing Survivor Stories
Inspired by Smack That, a drama therapy program run by Rhiannon Faith, the theatre will invite women to share their survival stories in an intimate onstage setting. The audience for this event will be extremely limited with the goal of creating a safe space. Similar to Smack That, the stage will be set as if at a party, and more dramatic moments will be separated by games and dancing. Read more about the Smack That program here.
