To open CONVERSATIONS about CHOICE across the country, we've put 'WORDS
OF CHOICE' selections into a DVD!
Under the direction of filmmaker Linda Haskins, 'Words
of Choice' has created an unusual, unique and exciting DVD.
The
DVD includes performances, archival footage, and interviews with audience members.
"Honest, heartbreaking and witty ..."
"... (s)o powerful ..."
"Recommended!"
DVD accompanied by a discussion and education kit.
'Words
of Choice' DVD is a great resource for use by educators, clinics, congregations, counseling centers, faith-based
study groups, medical students, pro-choice activists, sororities and theater groups!
Each DVD comes with a Discussion and Program Guide! More Resources are in this Expanded Discussion Kit! And
"Facts Behind the Stories" (scroll down the page) gives special nuggets of information in an easy-to-digest format.
"FACT BEHIND THE STORIES" -- GIVES EASY-TO-DIGEST STATISTICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION
FOR EACH OF THE SELECTIONS ON THE DVD ... CLICK on the pdf DOWNLOAD BELOW. USE
THIS FOR DVD VIEWINGS! (Last updated October 2007.)
What People Are Saying About the Words
of Choice DVD:
Over
the years I have seen nearly every film and presentation about abortion in America. But Words
of Choice is unique. Cindy Cooper has transformed embattled discussions about choice into honest,
heartbreaking and witty insights on real women
and their lives. The experience is always profound and will leave you with renewed
hope and passion. Barbara Becker, Lecturer, Communications and Social Justice, Columbia University
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Absolutely marvelous! ...
wonderful pieces ... the actresses are terrific. Pat Kaufman,
Artist, Writer
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Now this is a great idea. A playwright and director joined
forces to create Words of Choice, a pro-choice theater organization that puts the words of pro-choice activists into dramatic
interpretation. They have a DVD out that is not only a great resource for organizations and theater
groups, but for activists who want to show others what choice means in a deeper and creative way.
NARAL PRO-CHOICE NEW YORK NEWSLETTER
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I just wanted to tell you how much I am impressed with your DVD ... they are so powerful,
the stories.
I
wish everyone in Congress would have to watch this. Lisa Link, Artist, Web Designer
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Let’s Hear It for Choice: A Review of the Film “Words of Choice”
Words of Choice doesn’t literally
grab viewers by the shoulders and shake them, but it comes close. Based on Cindy Cooper's long-running
play of the same name, the film demonstrates why women need access to abortion and other reproductive options. Its goal is
clearly agitational, urging us to step up pro-choice activism.
The beautifully acted production,
reminiscent of The Vagina Monologues, presents 14 fast- moving and well-written skits
that zoom in on a range of issues, from vicious attacks against reproductive health centers to a pregnant teenager’s
angst over putting her baby up for adoption.
Skillfully weaving in history, the film
opens with an excerpt from Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. It then flashes forward
to the contemporary anti-choice movement, zeroing in on the human impact of anti-abortion legislation.
One of the most affecting pieces is “A Father’s Story.”
In it, Thomasina Clarke portrays a low-income man whose teenaged daughter was raped following a Fourth of July celebration
at the Washington Monument....
But lest you think Words of Choice is unbearably heavy, rest assured
that it is not. “SCHIPS,” for one, makes fun of former Health and Human Services Secretary
Tommy Thompson and his consistent elevation of fetal life.
“Why does a fetus make a better patient than a pregnant woman?”
he asks. “Among other things, a fetus never asks if it can bring cameras, video recorders or partners into the delivery
room”....
Never glib or strident, the film
offers a cogent and unapologetic defense of reproductive freedom. While adults will be
both moved and angered by Words of Choice, its message will resonate
with high school and college students. A teaching guide accompanies the DVD, making it easy for those
who want to use it as an educational tool to do so.
Adapted from Cindy Cooper’s stage production of the same name,Words of Choice presents
a myriad of issues in the abortion debate from the perspective of pro-choice advocates. Three talented
actresses portray a wide variety of characters (both female and male) in pieces
ranging from funny to heartbreaking, featuring a woman born the same year as the landmark Roe v. Wade
decision; a father recounting the brutal rape of his daughter that resulted in pregnancy; and a pregnant teen facing the decision
of whether to keep, abort, or put her baby up for adoption. The strong messages here are often creatively
presented, such as when a rap trio (representing adoption agencies and right-to-life groups) tells an unwed
mother, “we’ll stand with you ‘til you’re born – after that you’re on your own.”
Advocates of reproductive freedom will find much here to fuel discussion ....Recommended.
C. Block, Video Librarian
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“Taco
Bell Launch,” is based on an article that originally ran in the Onion.It’s a hilarious monologue about the Morning After Burrito.Eaten within 36 hours of unprotected intercourse, the spoof presents a $1.99 treat that has consumers singing
its praises.
Words
of Choice also addresses anti-abortion violence (“To Hell and Back”), the meaning of Roe in
everyday life (“My Good Friend Roe”) and the feelings of sadness and guilt that some women experience after terminating
a pregnancy.(“Kathy/Parallel Lives”).It’s a potent mix.
Words of Choice should be mandatory viewing in colleges as it breaks open the abortion debate in a non-threatening way, often with humor and always with sensitivity. Enthusiastic portrayals by the three female actors playing all parts, adds emotional depth while promoting and encouraging dialogue amongst the audience.Karen Oughtred, Artistic Director
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More than 30 years after the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, American women still
struggle with rights to reproductive justice, privacy, and choice. This compilation of more
than a dozen short (both serious and lighthearted) theatrical performances dealing with reproductive freedom includes various
expressive pieces, ranging from poetry readings to songs, dramas, and speeches, staged on stark,
sparsely decorated sets. All draw attention to the painful experiences that denial of rights can bring, including
a father’s rage over events of his daughter’s rape, a reproductive nurse’s feelings about surviving a bomb
attack by antiabortionists, and a fast-food chain’s satirical announcement about a “morning after” contraceptive
meal sure to please those hungering for pregnancy solutions. Bonus features include additional performances,
interviews with writers, and a discussion guide. For larger collections."
-Carol Holzberg,
Booklist
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Really
good ... I’m glad this film is out and hopefully the young women who see
will understand why they have to fight. Bettye Lane, Photographer
