After one recent matinee showing of Danai Gurira’s “Eclipsed,” which is now playing on Broadway, the play’s star, Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o championed a movement to remember the kidnapped girls of Nigeria and women around the world who suffer because of war and poverty.
Bringing U2 front man Bono on stage with her, Nyong’o said, “We’ve asked [Bono] to join us today to launch our effort to bring direct attention to the challenges faced by millions of girls all over the world living under the tyranny of war, in poverty, and being denied their human rights simply because they are female,” Deadline reported.
219 schoolgirls of Chibok, Northern Nigeria were taken in April 2014 by the terrorist group Boko Haram and are still missing. The movement to find them has been named #BringBackOurGirls. According to Deadline, Bono’s ONE will be working with “Eclipsed” on the dedication series to drive attention and action in support of the fight to #BringBackOurGirls, #KnowHerName, and other initiatives that will highlight the issues experienced by girls and women globally.
“From here on out, each performance will be dedicated to specific girls from around the world who have been kidnapped and are still missing,” she added, specifying Lydia Habila and Rejoice Musa for that performance.
“Eclipsed” cast member Akosua Busia added, “Many of the abducted girls are living lives exactly like those you have just witnessed today on our stage. They are used as tools of war. Lydia Habila and Rejoice Musa. Know her name.”
“It goes without saying if they were American girls or Irish girls we’d get a daily report on how they are doing,” Bono said. “Well, they’re not out of the news tonight and we want that daily report.”
Gurira’s “Eclipsed,” is a drama about four women held as sexual slaves by a warlord during the Liberian civil war. It opened on Broadway after a successful run at the Public Theater last year. As the L.A. Times noted, it’s believed to be the first play in Broadway history written, directed by and starring women.
On Tuesday, “Eclipsed” was nominated for six Tony awards, including Best New Play and Best Direction of a Play. It is the only play written by and directed by a woman nominated for those categories.
