BOLDFernie announces a benefit performance of

Birth

A play by Karen Brody

A powerful play revealing the “naked truth about childbirth”

WHEN:                                 October 22nd & 23^rd  7 PM Doors open at 6 PM

WHERE:                              The Arts Station

ADVANCE TICKETS:           $25.00    (available @ The Arts Station & Womb To Grow Boutique &      

                       Support Centre or online:

http://wombtogrowinfernie.com/PurchaseTickets.aspx

AT THE DOOR:                      $30.00

Information:     Tanya Malcolm  ▪  BOLDFernie@wombtogrowinfernie.com  ▪  250.278.0667

Birth, a play by writer and childbirth advocate Karen Brody, captures the truth about our childbirth crisis today: that it is failing most low-risk pregnant women. The play, performed as part of a global activist theatre movement known as BOLD, uncovers the secret lives of low-risk women in labor as they confront coercion in hospitals and uncover “my body rocks” strategies for obtaining a powerful birth experience. Through the stories of eight women the audience begins to understand the truth behind how low-risk women are giving birth today.

Obstetrician-gynecologist and best-selling author Christiane Northrup, MD, a BOLD supporter, says, “Now it’s time to free birth canals – and pregnant women everywhere. And that is the power and glory contained in this magnificent, funny and wonderfully wise play. And also for BOLD, the organization that is getting the word out about the joys of normal birth.”

In the play you meet women like Sandy, a mother who thinks birth is “just one day” but is forced to confront an awakening to this notion; Amanda, who roars “my body rocks!” throughout her birth; Vanessa and Janet, both drawn to an epidural; Natalie, who wants one type of birth but gets the complete opposite; Beth, who loves her C-section; Lisa, who says her C-section felt like “the death of me and my baby”; and Jillian, whose journey through four different births shows women how to get an orgasmic birth.

“Childbirth today is a human rights issue for low-risk pregnant mothers,” states Brody, who spent a year interviewing over 100 low risk women before writing her play. “Choices in childbirth have been severely restricted for this large population of pregnant women despite strong evidence-based research supporting a wide variety of birth choices.”

Brody founded BOLD in 2006 with the intention to use her play to raise awareness and money that promotes childbirth choices that work for mothers. As Brody explains, “Pregnancy today is typically viewed as an illness and emergency. BOLD uses theatre to raise people’s consciousness that childbirth is normal. Once this is recognized people will start demanding a childbirth model of care that is compassionate, evidence-based and puts the mother at the center of her birth experience.”

Since 2006 nearly 100 BOLD locations have raised over $130,000 for childbirth organizations. BOLD programs also include the BOLD Red Tent, local gatherings of women around the world who tell their birth stories.

The BOLD performance in Fernie, BC will benefit two organizations.  Fernie’s Womb To Grow Boutique & Support Centre whose mission is to provide Mother Baby Friendly support & education and products that support natural pregnancy, childbirth and attachment parenting.  My deepest wish is for the women of Fernie to have respected and empowering birth experiences that will strengthen their journey to motherhood.  Womb To Grow plans to host a natural childbirth and attachment parenting conference in Fernie in 2011.

Also, Bali’s Bumi Sehat Foundation International whose mission is to reduce maternal and child morbidity and mortality and to support the health and wise development of communities. Toward this goal, we provide general health services, emergency care, prenatal, postpartum, birth services and breastfeeding support, in addition to education and environmental programs.  Yayasan Bumi Sehat is devoted to working in partnership with people to improve quality of life and to improve peace.

A book of the play, including stories from the BOLD movement, is available for purchase at the event.

For more about the play and the BOLD movement please visit www.BOLDaction.org.