Ruined

The Philadelphia premiere of Lynn Nottage's 2009 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Ruined, was the centerpiece of the Philadelphia Theatre Company's (PTC) 35th anniversary season. This production marked a continuation of PTC's ongoing commitment to presenting the work of contemporary American writers. Ruined, which takes place in the Democratic Republic of Congo, explores sexual violence against women during a time of war and political strife. In his review of the play on Broadway, the New York Times' Ben Brantley wrote, "[A] raw and genuine agony pulses within and finally bursts through this sturdy framework, giving Ruined an impact that lingers beyond its well-shaped, sentimental ending."

PTC hosted Nottage, a Brooklyn-born playwright and the recipient of a 2007 MacArthur "Genius Award," for a free public discussion in Philadelphia. Along with representatives from the Enough Project, HEAL Africa, Women's Campaign International, and the Penn Society for International Development, the theater also held a panel discussion titled "The World Behind Ruined: Facing the Truth of Congo" to discuss national advocacy efforts to end the conflict in the Congo.