MAY 28, 2019, CINCINNATI – A team of local artist-activists, captained by director Lormarev Jones, will present a staged reading of Will Brumley’s THE CLINIC on Monday, June 10, as a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio and the Yellowhammer Fund of Alabama in light of the current restrictive abortion laws popping up around the nation. The reading’s cast features Lauren Carr, Jen Joplin, and Kelcey Broomfield in the principal roles.
THE CLINIC follows the victories and losses of the women who staff a reproductive health clinic in Kansas. Their personal joys and sorrows intertwine with the logistical challenges of running the clinic, as they are beset by violent protesters, terrorist threats, and draconian anti-choice legislation. At the center of the storm, Bree (Kelcey Broomfield), a young clinician, doggedly pursues her dreams of becoming an abortion provider, while her predecessor in the clinic, Lorrie (Lauren Carr), weighs her commitment to her calling against anonymous violent threats made against her family. As the conflict reaches a fevered pitch, the women of the clinic must decide if protecting their patients’ safety is worth giving up their own.
This reading is one of several taking place throughout the country. After THE CLINIC placed as a semi-finalist in the Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference, and following the recent anti-abortion bills in several states, playwright Will Brumley graciously offered the script to theatre groups across America as a fundraising initiative in support of abortion access and reproductive rights. As of this writing, other public performances were scheduled in Nashville, St. Louis, and Kansas City, with additional private readings scheduled.
Director Lormarev Jones said of the project, “It has been glorious to watch this project come together remarkably fast. This fantastic crew of women (and a couple of men) jumped on the opportunity to donate their time to this cause; that’s how important it is to this community. It’s of the utmost importance to me, personally. This play is about a community of health care providers who take their work and their mission very seriously, despite different perspectives on how to achieve that mission.”
The full cast also includes Tia Seay, Shelby Becker, Liz Carman, Brandon Burton, Elizabeth Chinn Molloy, Robyn Novak, Nicole Hershey, Alexx Rouse, Ariel Shaw, Carolyn Fast, Sara Mackie, Rae Buchanan, and Stephanie Radford.
Audiences can catch this one-night-only reading on Monday, June 10 at 7:30pm at the Lincoln Grant Auditorium (824 Greenup St) in Covington. This event is pay-what-you-can with a $10 suggested donation; the doors open at 7pm. A raffle and a bake sale will accompany the reading to raise additional funds, and wine will be available. All proceeds will be donated to Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio and the Yellowhammer Fund, which seeks to eliminate barriers to care for women seeking medical attention at any of Alabama’s three abortion clinics. Representatives from the League of Women Voters will also be on hand to register new voters throughout the event.
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