Theatre Project 'Voices of Africa' to Benefit African Girls' Education

New writing from Niger will be performed by actors in New York City to raise funds for girls' education in the West African country.  This unique collaboration, featuring stories, poems and songs written by young Nigerien women, will be held at Manhattan Theatre Source (177 MacDougal Street) on Saturday, November 1, 2008.

Voices of Africa is being produced as part of the ninth annual Estrogenius Festival and was born out of a desire to help Nigerien girls attend school. Ginger O'Neill, a former Estrogenius Festival volunteer, created the Pangea Festival in Niger while serving a two-year Peace Corps appointment in the country. Pangea brings together people from diverse villages and features events for girls and teens that help them to express their voices through music, poetry, prose, yoga, dance and other creative disciplines. During the Pangea festival, young Nigerien women wrote poems, stories and songs that were translated into English and sent to New York City to be performed as part of Voices of Africa.

Performances of Voices of Africa, directed by Annie G. Levy, will be held Saturday, November 1, 2008 at 3:00 pm, 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm at Manhattan Theatre Source (177 MacDougal Street, between West 8th St. & Waverly Pl.; Subway A/C/E or B/D/F/V to W 4th). Tickets are $15 and available at www.theatresource.org or (212) 352-3101.

The Republic of Niger, a landlocked country in Western Africa, is one of the poorest countries in the world, and is currently ranked fourth lowest in the 2007/08 United Nations Development Programme's Human Development Index.  According to UNICEF, only six percent of females attend secondary school.

All proceeds from these performances will be donated to the Young Girls Scholarship Program, which benefits girls living throughout Niger, many of whom reside in the bush without electricity and running water, and to support the Pangea Festival.  Tax-deductible donations may also be made at www.theatresource.org.

ABOUT THE ESTROGENIUS FESTIVAL
The Estrogenius Festival is one of New York City's largest women's arts festivals, presenting more than 35 events over 24 nights.  The festival features a diverse schedule of short plays, dance, solo shows, visual art, panel discussions and performances by teens.  Now, in its ninth season, the festival has afforded more than 1,600 artists the chance to shine.  The 2008 festival runs October 1 through November 1 at Manhattan Theatre Source.  For a full schedule of events, visit www.theatresource.org.  For more information, call (212) 260-4698

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