Struggling To Be Heard

Joan of Arc’s story supports women in need

"The Fairest Flame" tells the story of Joan of Arc's relationships prior to the onset of her trial. Victoria Fox, left, portrays Joan and Kaitlin White is Jennette in rehearsal for next weekend's production.
"The Fairest Flame" tells the story of Joan of Arc's relationships prior to the onset of her trial. Victoria Fox, left, portrays Joan and Kaitlin White is Jennette in rehearsal for next weekend's production.

Magdalene Serenity House of Northwest Arkansas will present Stacy Ericson's original play, "The Fairest Flame," a historical drama about the last few days before Joan of Arc began her trial, Feb. 17-19 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Fayetteville. The proceeds of the production will benefit Magdalene Serenity House, a nonprofit organization that offers refuge to women who are survivors of sexual exploitation.

"We provide sanctuary," explains Magdalene Serenity House executive director Amy Giezentanner Hardwick. "We're a two-year program for women that are recovering from sexual exploitation. Many of them have been trafficked, raped, sexually abused throughout childhood. We provide a healing, loving home that requires them to recover and stay clean and sober. While they're with us, they receive all health care -- mental, dental, physical -- and if they don't already have a GED, we require they get one while they're here. If they want to get college classes under their belt, we'll help them with that. We'll also help them solidify job skills and help them get training, so that they can get employment after their two years with the program."

FAQ

‘The Fairest Flame’

WHEN — 8 p.m. Feb. 17-18; 2 p.m. Feb. 19

WHERE — St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Parish Hall, 224 N. East Ave. in Fayetteville

COST — $10 suggested donation

INFO — facebook.com/magdal…

Hardwick, a self-proclaimed "theater geek," says she and Ericson met nearly a year ago, and, after learning of the play Erickson had written, thought it was a natural fit as a fundraiser for Magdalene Serenity House.

"There are certain things in Joan of Arc's life that sort of mirror what our residents have gone through," she says.

"The play involves women who have struggled to be heard, women who have fallen under the oppression of society and men, and women who help each other," says Ericson of the parallels. She says the play is historically accurate, but it's about a little-known period in Joan's life: Joan's sometimes-contentious relationships with three women in her life prior to her trial.

"So many stories have been told about Joan, but the more research I did, the more I realized that there was this one time in her life that no one wrote about. I thought it was an amazing juxtaposition of people and places and time: These [characters] are almost forgotten in history. "

-- Lara Hightower

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NAN What's Up on 02/10/2017

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