THE SOCIAL SCENE
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Celebrating the Arts, Culture and People
of Pasadena, San Marino, South Pasadena,
Altadena & La Cañada Flintridge
Filed Monday June13, 2005
City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Commissioner
Paula Holt, The Reverend Dr. George F. Regas,
Rector Emeritus of All Saints Church and founder of the Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace, and author Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey,
who wrote A Woman of Independent Means.
Actor Martin Sheen with event co-chair Kerry Kennedy, who is the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy and upon whose interviews of civil rights defenders the evening's performance was based, and co-chair actor Bradley Whitford, who resides in
San Marino. Mr. Whitford directed the evening's performance.
Cathy Keig with co-chair The Reverend Ed Bacon, who is Rector of All Saints Church, and Bob and Susan Long.
Blaire Baron, Tonita Fernandez, Lewis Braxton III, actress and local resident Jane Kaczmarek, and Raleigh Renick Young
Joyce Ride, who is an advocate for women in prison and the mother of astronaut Sally Ride and the Reverend Bear Ride, stands with The Reverend Susan Russell,
who is an Associate of All Saints Church and Director for Claiming the Blessing. Behind them is one of the powerful portraits by the late Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Eddie Adams of human rights defenders which are on display at All Saints Church through July
The Very Reverend Ernesto Medina, The Reverend Lee Anne Watkins, Mary Bruno, The Right Reverend J. Jon Bruno who is Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles,
Reverend Louis A. Chase, chair of ICUJP, and Susan Medina
Kerry Kennedy, Desperate Housewives actor (and local resident) Steven Culp and his wife Barbara, and Anne Peterson,
a Senior Associate at All Saints Church
All Saints Church in Pasadena was the venue for a powerful dramatic performance on June 11 th by well-known actors decrying human rights abuses around the world through the inspiring words of women and men who have resisted oppression at grave personal risk.
"Speak Truth to Power: Voices Beyond the Dark," received its West Coast premiere in the one-night performance staged before a capacity crowd in the darkened sanctuary after a pre-play reception in the church’s Sweetland Hall.
Television’s "The West Wing" star Bradley Whitford, himself a San Marinan, directed and performed in the Ariel Dorfman play along with Martin Sheen, Hector Elizondo, America Ferrera, Alfre Woodard, Rocky Carroll, Melissa Fitzgerald, "The West Wing" creator Aaron Sorkin, Janel Moloney, and Steven Culp. Mr. Culp, known for his rôle as Rex Van De Kamp on ABC’s hit drama series Desperate Housewives, is also a local resident.
The play is based upon the book by Kerry Kennedy, who is the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy. Her book presents inspiring interviews with dozens of human rights leaders from around the world, including Václav Havel of the Czech Republic and Baltasar Garzón of Spain, as well as Nobel Prize winners the Dalai Lama and Elie Wiesel.
Ms. Kennedy was in attendance at the play and addressed the audience before the performance. She was introduced by The Reverend Ed Bacon, who is Rector of All Saints Church.
Also in attendance were three of the actual subjects of the play: Marina Pisklakova, Russia’s leading women’s rights activist; Ka Hsaw Wa, who has worked for years in the jungles of Burma to defend against atrocities inflicted on the indigenous populations; and Van Jones, a Yale Law School graduate who founded the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights which guards civil rights and creates youth opportunities here in the United States. All three delivered moving impromptu remarks after the play.
"I think the point of this piece," Martin Sheen is quoted by Diane Haithman of the Los Angeles Times as saying, "is to raise your voice at injustice. It is incumbent on you. You only have one life — that’s all you get."
Proceeds benefited "Speak Truth to Power," a project of the RFK Memorial, and also Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace (ICUJP), a project of The Regas Institute. The Reverend Dr. George F. Regas is Rector Emeritus of All Saints Church and served as Rector there for 28 years.
For further information about either The Regas Institute or ICUJP, see www.icujp.org. For further information about All Saints Church, see www.allsaints-pas.org.
Kerry Kennedy speaks with Martin Sheen and
civil rights defenders Marina Pisklakova, Van Jones, and Ka Hsaw Wa.
