“‘The Vagina Monologues’ for Childbirth.”

- Dr. Christiane Northrup, MD FACOG, author of Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom

BOLD is a theater-for-social-change global movement to make maternity care mother-friendly. We inspire communities around the world to organize productions of Karen Brody’s critically acclaimed play about childbirth "Birth" to raise money and awareness to make maternity care the best it can be for all mothers. Since 2006 hundreds of BOLD events have taken place around the world produced by volunteer activists in the U.S. and around the world, educating thousands of people about childbirth options and the birthing climate in local communities.

Proceeds from BOLD events support innovative gatherings and campaigns to educate and change attitudes towards childbirth and a woman’s right to chose where and how to give birth. These include seed money and promotion of the Second Annual Breech Birth Conference in Ottawa, Canada; re-opening a birth center in Alliston, Ontario; the “Where’s My Midwife?” campaign in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Also, as a result of BOLD events, money has been raised for homeless shelters for pregnant women and teens, prison-based doula programs, organizations educating mothers about VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean), the International Cesarean Awareness Network, the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services, and many local birth networks and organizations working hard to provide mother-friendly services to pregnant mothers.

BOLD stands for “Birth On Labor Day”. In our first year BOLD events occurred only on the American Labor Day weekend. The following two years BOLD events kicked off on Labor Day and were permitted throughout the month of September. Today BOLD events happen year-round.

Problem

In 2012 BOLD launched The Birth Change Campaign. In May our goal is to perform the play "Birth" and raise awareness about local maternity care issues that need to change in 31 communities (in 31 days). In October we plan to have 31 colleges in 31 days perform the play "Birth" and spark discussions about maternity care and birth choices with the next generation of parents. We're looking for sponsors to support us administratively to make our campaign happen. Specifically we would like money to fly our founder and key birth visionaries to communities and college campuses to discuss timely topics in maternity care today. We would also like money to pay a press person to pitch our stories to the media so the general public can be more informed about maternity care issues.

Solution

Our solution offers grassroots people the opportunity to "be the change they want to see in the world" by using a theater piece to spark change. Theatre is a powerful tool that moves people to action because it creates a visceral response in the audience. It is the perfect way to go beyond the numbers and get people to listen to an important subject matter that they would otherwise ignore.

Example

We use theater to spark change in maternity care throughout the world. In 2009 and 2010 community members in Winnipeg, Ontario felt their community needed a birth center. In fact, there were no birth centers in this part of Canada. So they came to us and we helped them produce the play "Birth" to first raise awareness and seed money to start a birth center. At the performances the community came together in support of the birth center and the following year they used the play to raise money for the birth center and to continue to gather support. In 2011 the first birth center ever in their area opened.

Marketplace

There is no play on childbirth. There are a few theater pieces that have had limited runs, but no clear competition. The closest competition is a film called "the Businees of Being Born" because they too encourage grassroots communities to use their film to raise consciousness about maternity care.