Award-Winning Actors, Directors Discuss Sexual Violence at 'Nirbhaya'

The electrifying new docudrama "Nirbhaya" made its North American premiere at Culture Project's Lynn Redgrave Theater. Written and directed by internationally acclaimed Ya�l Farber and in collaboration with an extraordinary cast and creative team from India, "Nirbhaya" had its world premiere at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2013, where it won the coveted Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award, as well as the Scotsman Fringe First and the Herald Angel Award for Outstanding New Play.

"Nirbhaya" explores the now-infamous night that shocked India and the world, when 23 year-old Jyoti Singh Pandey was fatally gang raped on a bus in urban Delhi on her way home. Legally prevented from revealing the young woman's real name, the media named her "Nirbhaya" (Fearless One).

Through its use of intimate, personal testimonies from the cast -- all of whom are survivors of sexual violence themselves -- Nirbhaya transcends traditional theatrical norms. The cast, inspired by a nation who rose up against the forces behind Jyoti's tragedy, chooses to break their own personal silences about sexual violence and seeks to empower their audiences to do the same.

Hailed as one of the most urgent and compelling pieces of human rights theater ever made, Nirbhaya will play a limited 5-week run in New York this spring, with preview performances beginning Thursday, April 16 and opening night set for Sunday, April 26.

At select performances, Vikram Ghandi (Director, "Kumare"), Abigail Disney (executive producer of "The Invisible War," "Queen of Versailles"), Naomi Wolf (Author of the bestselling book "The Beauty Myth"), Lizz Winstead (co-creator of "The Daily Show") and Elizabeth Plank (senior editor of Mic) will each host intimate and in-depth discussions after the show to engage in a dialogue about ending violence against women.

Farber is a multiple award-winning director and playwright of international acclaim. Her productions have toured the world extensively -- earning her a reputation for hard-hitting, controversial works of the highest artistic standard.

She has most recently directed an award-winning production of Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" for The Old Vic at London's West End, garnering 10 x 5 star reviews from the UK's top publications, and exceptional reviews from top USA publications, including The New York Times. The production is one of the most successful in The Old Vic's illustrious history and has recently earned her a London Evening Standard nomination and Broadway World Westend Best Director award.

"Nirbhaya" (directed and written by Farber in India 2013) earned exceptional reviews and three international awards at the 2013 Edinburgh Festival. "Mies Julie" (written and directed by Farber) won a string of international awards at the 2012 Edinburgh Festival, was named one of the Top Ten Productions of 2012 by The New York Times, and Top 5 Productions of 2012 by The Guardian.

Select performances of Award-Winning Play "Nirbhaya" followed by hosted discussion of the play:

Lizz Winstead, April 28 at 8 p.m.

South Asian Night, April 29, at 8 p.m.

Naomi Wolf, April 30 at 8 p.m.

Elizabeth Plank, May 5 at 8 p.m.

Abigail Disney, May 6 at 8 p.m.

See "Nirbhaya" through May 17 at The Lynn Redgrave Theater at CULTURE PROJECT, Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10012. Tickets $30-89.50. For information or tickets, visit www.nirbhayanyc.com

For more information, visit NirbhayaNYC.com.