2013 MEDIA KIT

What to EXPECTWHEN You’re NOT EXPECTING

True Stories of Slips, Surprises and Happy Accidents

TMI PROJECT

SATURDAY, JUNE 29THBEARSVILLE THEATREMUSIC, AUCTION & FOOD 6PMDEBUT PERFORMANCE 8PMto benefit Planned Parenthood Mid-Hudson Valley and The Community Outreach Initiative of TMI Project$45 in advance / $50 at the door

Visit tmiproject.org for tickets and more information

CREATED BY SARI BOTTON AND EVA TENUTO

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ABOUT THE SHOW

“What to Expect When You’re not Expecting: True Stories of Slips, Surprises and Happy Accidents” is an ensemble theater piece created by TMI Project’s executive director, Eva Tenuto and editorial director, Sari Botton. TMI Project is a non-profit organization that provides memoir and monologue writing classes that often culminate in performance and published work.

The show centers on all the different ways reproductive “choice” is exercised by women and men when they are faced with unplanned pregnancies. (Nearly half of all pregnancies are unplanned.)

Inspired by Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues,” the play incorporates as source material the voices of several women and men, a number of whom have participated in TMI Project memoir writing workshops. Their experiences are varied,

and run the gamut from continuation of pregnancy, to termination, to adoption. Adoptees also share their experiences. There’s even a transgendered prospective sperm donor in the mix, who is left to decide if he should transition to womanhood or hold-out to donate; a dilemma he certainly was not expecting.

This powerful show is brought to a close with an original song dedicated to women who lost their lives as a result of illegal abortion.

Productions of the show will always raise money for Planned Parenthood and TMI Project’s own Community Outreach Initiative, through which the non-profit organization brings its empowering workshops to populations that don’t often get to be heard, such as the incarcerated, survivors of domestic violence, LBGTQ teens, those with mental illness, military veterans, and others.

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• Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood was asked recently, “Do you think young women know what it was like before Roe?” Her answer, “They have no idea!” There is a generation of women who survived illegal abortions pre Roe v. Wade whose stories need to be shared before it’s too late. We need to make sure that young men and women hear them, especially at a time when we are at risk of losing our right to choose.

• There are many women who got pregnant as teens in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s who were sent away to homes where they’d deliver their babies, and then be forced to give them up. Hearing about their experiences helps eliminate long established shame and stigma.

• There are men who have never spoken about their experiences with abortion, adoption or unexpected fatherhood, who might be encouraged to after hearing some of the stories in the show.

• Nearly half of all pregnancies are unplanned.

• Politicians are constantly trying to strip women of their reproductive rights, access to birth control and affordable health care.

• Many states are increasing restrictions making abortion less accessible.

• Abortion services comprise a mere 3 percent of Planned Parenthood’s work. They also perform affordable regular gynecological exams, pap smears, and other cancer screenings, and offer birth control, to thousands of women each year.

• It would be a tragedy for so many women if Planned Parenthood no longer existed.

WHY EVERYONE NEEDS TO SEE THIS SHOW

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WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

“TMI Project has given birth to another extraordinary play; one filled with stories, that is already changing lives. I was one of the fortunate audience members who saw the premiere of What To Expect When You’re NOT Expecting: True Stories of Slips, Surprises and Happy Accidents. I believe that executive director Eva Tenuto and editorial director Sari Botton are brilliant and prolific and have created a play that will transform and heal, as well as call many to activism. This play, and the inspired and courageous performances of its readers, has joined the groundswell of women and men who are committed to preserving our reproductive rights and is truly filled with stories that will change the world.”

—Sil Reynolds, Nurse Practitioner and Co-Author (with her daughter Eliza Reynolds)

of Mothering & Daughtering: Keeping Your Bond Strong Through The Teen Years

“The women and men who so courageously tell their stories in What to Expect When You're Not Expecting bring meaning and life to the political debates that continue to rage on about reproductive health and rights. TMI's production is a brilliant achievement. It cuts through the polarization that infects so much of the discussion on women's right to choose. The heartfelt stories shed a very nuanced and powerful light on the diversity of ways that individuals–both men and women–infuse the choices that they make with humility and humanity.”

—Joanne Sandler, Former Deputy Executive Director of Programmes of the United Nations

Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)

“Such an incredibly moving show. Each story gripping and poignant and the final piece is something every American needs to see... Plenty of humor too, of course! I hope this show gets to travel far and wide. It will get people thinking about so many issues that aren’t often talked about while being totally entertaining at the same time!”

—Stephanie Ellis, L.Ac. Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist

“The show is nothing short of magical, and it is an honour beyond words to be a part of it. Eva and Sari put together a collection of pieces, mostly monologues (one penned by me), around the theme of reproduction and reproductive rights. The script is phenomenal. The pacing and sequencing are perfect. The final piece is absolutely devastating. I’ve heard that piece, “The Lucky Ones,” four times now, and after each time, I’ve realized that I’ve been holding my breath the whole way through.”

—Franklin Jane Demuth, cast member

“What to Expect When You’re Not Expecting poignantly demonstrates that decisions about a pregnancy can sometimes be complicated, complex and deeply personal. The cast does an amazing job of representing a range of situations which illustrate that every person’s experience is unique—no one walks in anyone else’s shoes. Anyone who sees this show cannot walk away unaffected.”

—Jessica Lewis, Director of Development & Marketing, Planned Parenthood Mid-Hudson Valley

CONTACT INFORMATION

FOR INFORMATION AND BOOKING INQUIRIES, CONTACT:

EVA TENUTOeva@tmiproject.org914.299.2363

tmiproject.org

About TMI ProjectTMI Project is a non-profit organization that offers monologue and memoir writing classes that culminate in staged storytelling performances and published work. In addition to our general workshops, we also offer classes to under-served populations in jails, shelters, institutions, schools and other places, through our Community Outreach Initiative.

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