Contacts:
Judith Siers-Poisson, Director of Development
Domestic Abuse Intervention Services
Ph: 608.251.1237
E-mail: info@abuseintervention.org

Beth Shippert, Producer
Fuddy Meers
Ph: 608.335.3992
E-mail: MercuryFuddyMeers@hotmail.com

Website address (high resolution photos available for press use): http://mercuryfuddymeers.tripod.com

(Madison, WI, September 20, 2002) - Mercury Players has recently announced a special performance of season opener Fuddy Meers on October 10th to raise funds for Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (DAIS) with all proceeds benefiting this important Dane County service.

Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (www.abuseintervention.org), located in Madison, Wisconsin, offers a 24-hour crisis line (251-4445), a 25-bed safe house for women and their children, legal advocacy, support groups, information and referrals. DAIS is a nonprofit organization. Judith Siers-Poisson, Director of Development at DAIS, has this to say about working with Mercury: “When we can connect with new pockets of the community, it’s a great opportunity, as we rely on the support of the community to do the work that we do. Groups like Mercury and DAIS are what make Dane county a great place to live, and when they get the rare opportunity to work together, they help make this a great community.”

Fuddy Meers touches on many issues, one of which is domestic violence, hence the partnership with DAIS. Director Stephen Montagna says, “It was clear to me from the very beginning that it would be silly to produce the play and not do something to take advantage of the fact that it breaches certain topics. When, as they say, good fortune came to pass, and Mercury Players Theatre not only put it in their 2002-03 season, but assigned it the October slot, it became a no-brainer: October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.”

The October 10th performance will be an opportunity to educate as well as fundraise. All the box-office earnings of October 10th will be donated to DAIS, and DAIS staff will help facilitate a talk-back with the audience after the performance. When asked what she hoped the talk-back would achieve, Siers-Poisson responds, “I think it’s a great opportunity to help people make connections between domestic violence and everyday life and culture. It will be great to talk to people about what comes up for them seeing something like Fuddy Meers.”

Fuddy Meers will be performed Thursdays at 7:30 pm (October 10, 17, 24), Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm (October 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26) and Sundays at 4:00 pm (October 6, 13, 20) in the Evjue theatre at the Bartell Community Theatre at 113 East Mifflin Street. The DAIS benefit will occur on October 10th, 2002 at 7:30 pm. Tickets for all performances are $12.00. Reservations can be made at the box office by calling (608) 242-0150.

This project is supported by a grant from the Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission with additional funds from the Madison Community Foundation and the Overture Foundation.