Off-Broadway's 'PHOENIX RISING' Partners with THE HUNTING GROUND Producer

Living Lotus Project is proud to announce a new partnership with Executive Producer of the documentary, "The Hunting Ground," a film addressing campus sexual violence and Activist Co-Founder of Test400k.org, Julie Smolyansky, as they present the World Premiere of PHOENIX RISING: Girls and the Secrets We Keep. Written and directed by Laura Gosheff. PHOENIX RISING begins performances on June 24 and will open on June 28 through July 16 at Theatre Row's Lion Theatre (410 West 42nd Street).

Tickets are $35 and can be purchased by visiting Telecharge.com or by calling 212-239-6200. With this new partnership $5 from each sale will go to support Test400k's vital work.

Julie Smolyansky, CEO of Lifeway Foods, is the co-creator of Test400k.org, which seeks to find a solution to the backlog of 400,000 untested rape kits in the U.S. She is one of the Executive Producers on the documentary The Hunting Ground - which "Til It Happens to You" written by Diane Warren & Lady Gaga and performed by Gaga, was nominated for Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, and for Best Original Song at the 88th Academy Awards, along with numerous awards.

Test400k is dedicated to empowering healthy and safe communities by ending violence against women and children. Our mission is to promote the system's change and resources needed to eliminate the immediate backlog of 400,000 untested rape kits across our nation - and the risk of future backlogs -- in order to ensure justice for sexual assault victims and to facilitate the swift identification and removal of dangerous sexual predators from our communities.

"Sexual assault is an issue that needs to be talked about frequently in an effort to make change happen. That discussion needs to happen in every medium possible from music and online to film and theatre. I am proud and excited to be partnering with Living Lotus as they present this powerful play and offer communities a tool for conversation that brings about change." Julie Smolyansky

Based on true stories of sexual abuse and family violence, five high school girls traumatically thrust together, are forced to collectively overcome their fears to find their inner strength. Laura Gosheff's PHOENIX RISING is a visceral new play that uses movement and poetry to expose the turmoil of abuse of women, and the need to stand up and speak out. PHOENIX RISING explores the darker sides of love, sex, family and secrets. For more information, visit www.PhoenixRisingThePlay.org.

"Over the last eight years, I have spoken with hundreds of women who have endured emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. In an attempt to circumvent the cultural default of victim-blaming and victim-shaming, they keep their secrets and maintain their silence. I wrote PHOENIX RISING to give them voice. It is my highest hope that the humor and humanity of PHOENIX RISING will alter the way society sees and treats victims of gender violence; that it will catalyze discussion and motivate people to get involved in creating change through intervention and activism." Phoenix Rising, Writer/Director Laura Gosheff

"PHOENIX RISING: Girls and the Secrets We Keep perfectly crystalizes the subject of sexual assault." - New York State Senator, Brad Hoylman

"Phoenix Rising gives me faith that we do not have to be victims, but instead, we can speak our truth and work together to change our culture's mistreatment of women. To that end, we are proud to partner with Julie Smolyansky and Test400k.org. To help ensure that their work in bringing closure to so many women continues, we will donate $5 of every full price ticket purchased to Test400k.org." - Dr. Picara Vassallo, President, Living Lotus Project

Cast includes: Whitney Biancur (Regional: Macbeth), Rachel Haas (Harmony of Grey), Julia Peterson (Electra), Miranda Roldán (Happily Never After), Nichollette Shorts (Regional: Godspell) Kristen Vaughan (The Honeycomb Trilogy, Lickspittles. Creative Team: Sets: Sheryl Liu; Lights: Seth Reiser; Costumes: Angela Harner; Movement: Javier Baca; Score: Lena Gabrielle; Sound Design: Julian Evans; Production Director: Josh Sherer; Production Stage Manager: Derek Bado; Assistant Stage Manager: Chloe Kaye. PHOENIX RISING: Girls and the Secrets We Keep is presented by Living Lotus Project in association with The Telling Company.

PHOENIX RISING: Girls and the Secrets We Keep, written and directed by Laura Gosheff, begins performances on June 24 and opens June 28 for a run through July 16 at Theatre Row's Lion Theatre is located at 410 West 42nd Street. Press dates are: Saturday, June 25 at 8PM; Tuesday, June 28 at 7PM (opening night). Playing Schedule: Tuesday at 7PM, Wednesday-Saturday at 8PM; and Saturday at 2PM, Sunday at 3PM. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased by visiting Telecharge.com or by calling 212-239-6200. For more information, visit livinglotusproject.org.

LIVING LOTUS PROJECT (Producer) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization acting to prevent violence against girls and women by developing and producing comprehensive educational theater for high schools, colleges, and diverse New York area audiences. Living Lotus Project seeks to leverage performing arts education as a change agent to inspire awareness, empathy, and advocacy for girls and women suffering from every kind of violence. Phoenix Rising is the centerpiece of Living Lotus Project's new sexual violence prevention initiative, which includes an innovative playgoer's guide designed raise awareness.

THE TELLING COMPANY (TTC), a not-for-profit organization committed to artistically "telling" stories inspired by real-life experiences that illuminate personal challenges and galvanize social change.