Within a week of being diagnosed with breast cancer four years ago, Christine Rathbun began writing a journal to deal with her emotions. Soon the pages were filled with raging rants, painful feelings and bits of humor. Writing was Rathbun's way of distancing herself from the illness and subsequent radiation treatments and chemotherapy. It became a healing tool on the bumpy road to recovery.

Reconstruction or How I Learned to Pay Attention, is a survivor's monologue, which will benefit Hurricane Voices, a not-for-profit breast cancer foundation that raises public awareness and spurs action in the fight against the disease that afflicts one out of eight women. But Reconstruction is more than just a play about coping with breast cancer. Instead, Rathbun says her illness "is a metaphor for anyone else's scary story, grief or loss."

The 70-minute monologue is part memoir, part rant. It consists of short stories including Rathbun's frank conversation with her oncologist and tender moments like telling her daughter about her illness. It opens with Rathbun in her surgeon's office the day she got her diagnosis. There are also funny moments. When she told her daughter she was going to lose her breast, the 6-year-old remarked with childlike innocence, "That is OK. I stopped nursing a long time ago." Reconstruction is a play about life, illness and joyful survival; a strong, funny, kick-ass one woman show.

The performance is a benefit for Hurricane Voices. For more information, go to
www.hurricanevoices.org.

Group Sales Number (15+): 617-879-2147

Appropriate For Ages: 10 and up/youth and adult