The Lysistrata Project
Created | Updated Feb 14, 2003
A collaborative project created by a group of theatre professionals in NYC, The Lysistrata Project is perhaps the world's first international art project serving as an anti-war protest. On March 3, 2003, 210 groups of artists in 23 countries to date will protest the potential war on Iraq by staging productions or readings of the Greek comedy Lysistrata written by Aristophanes in 412 B.C. The object of this action is to raise awareness of opposition to the war-but to do it in a pacifist manner that will encourage healthy public dialogue. The play's plot centers on a sexual strike called by the women of ancient Greece in an attempt to end a civil war. The artists taking part in the simultaneous productions are reading from many different scripts and adaptations of the play, from monologues to musicals to the traditional Greek structure. The performances themselves will range from bare-bones readings to fully-realised productions. Further information about the project, including locations of readings, can be found at the group's website www.lysistrataproject.com
