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, October 9, 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.

This comes at an especially important time for DAIS. From their website: “On Tuesday, October 1st, Domestic Violence Awareness Month began and there was a press conference about domestic violence homicides in Wisconsin. On Tuesday, October 1st, Dane County saw its second domestic violence murder-suicide of the year. And on Wednesday, October 2nd, DAIS was notified that our federal funding under the Violence Against Women Act has been cut. This funding cut also affects the Dane County District Attorney’s Domestic Violence Unit.”

Fuddy Meers touches on many issues, one of which is domestic violence, hence the partnership with DAIS. 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, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 4:00 pm through October 26th 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.