Dave Pullmer / The McGill DailyAmerican college student Rachel Corrie was 23 when she was killed by an Israeli bulldozer in the Gaza Strip, March 16, 2003. Some of her emails home, released by Corrie’s parents after her death and serialized in The Guardian newspaper, caught the attention of British actor Alan Rickman. After receiving a large package of previously unreleased journals, emails, and to-do lists from Corrie’s parents, Rickman and journalist Katharine Vinerthey edited them into a play. It opened to sold out houses in London before making the trip to New York.
In March 2006, The New York Theatre Workshop announced it was “postponing indefinitely” its imminent production of My Name Is Rachel Corrie. Artistic director James Nicola admitted he decided to postpone “after polling local Jewish religious and community leaders as to their feeling about the work.” Later, he said that Ariel Sharon’s illness and the Hamas election had created an inappropriate political climate for the play. After a public outcry against censorship, joined by Harold Pinter, Tony Kushner, and Vanessa Redgrave, the play was eventually put on by another company, and was received with little controversy.
In March 2006, The New York Theatre Workshop announced it was “postponing indefinitely” its imminent production of My Name Is Rachel Corrie. Artistic director James Nicola admitted he decided to postpone “after polling local Jewish religious and community leaders as to their feeling about the work.” Later, he said that Ariel Sharon’s illness and the Hamas election had created an inappropriate political climate for the play. After a public outcry against censorship, joined by Harold Pinter, Tony Kushner, and Vanessa Redgrave, the play was eventually put on by another company, and was received with little controversy.
