_gaia, a Hoboken-based collective of women’s artists that works to actively supportand promote the creativity of local women, has joined the V-Day Worldwide Campaign to raise money and awareness to stop violence against womenand girls through a benefit performance of Eve Ensler’s Obie Award winning play, The Vagina Monologues at Maxwell’s, in Hoboken, on March 21st.  Following the performance Ruth Gerson, singer and songwriter from New York, will make a special appearance and do a one hour set.

While the V-Day Campaign is a worldwide movement aimed at stopping violence against women,it benefits anti-violence groups within local communities.  _gaia’s V-Day Hoboken 2004 benefit production, featuring a diverse group of womenfrom the regional area and directed by Yesenia Beutel and Lillian Ribeiro, will predominantly benefit WomenRising of Hudson County. Governed and managed by women, Women Rising assists women and their families to achieve self sufficiency and live safe, fulfilling and productive lives, through social services, economic development and advocacy services.
 
 

In addition to Women Rising, ten percent of ticket proceeds will go to “Women in Juarez,” a specific focus of this year’s V-Day Campaign.  The goal is to stop the ongoing disappearance of women and girls in Juarez, Mexico, immediately across the border from El Paso, Texas.  Despite over 300 of these tragic crimes against women over the last decade, little has yet been done to protect the women of Juarez or to bring the perpetrators to justice. 

Tickets for the 7:00 pm, March 21st performance at Maxwell’s(1039 Washington St.,  Hoboken, NJ) are $25 and may be reserved by contacting 212-841-0850 or sending email to tickets@gaiastudio.org.

While the V-Day Campaign cause is serious, the performance is also celebratory, entertaining and educational. 

The ‘V’ in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina.
 

_gaia is thankful for the support of the following incredible sponsors, without whom this benefit performance would not be possible: 426 Design Group, AB Tees Printing, Design Factory, Eve’s Garden, Cuchipinoy, Nightmeizer,Maxwell’sand Ruth Gerson.

Special thanks to Rutgers-Newark and NJIT theatre Department.

2004 Corporate Sponsors:  Barneys New York, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Eileen  Fisher, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Hearst Publications, Lifetime Television, Luna Bar, Peacekeeper, Marie Claire Magazine, Tampax, Time Inc., Vosges Haut Chocola.

promotional artwork by Ana Rodriques of 426 Design Group