Bring Back My Body to Me
(an original four-act play that examines
issues of sexuality, relationship, body image, and the return of the Divine Feminine)

Available for conferences, symposiums,
Expos, and other events

Presented by
Diane Wolverton and Kayne Pyatt
Contact Diane Wolverton • ddw@bresnan.net

The Play as Teacher

Bring Back My Body To Me is an original play written by Diane Wolverton in collaboration with Kayne Pyatt. It serves as an innovative and engaging teaching tool to expose conference attendees to the important issues of body image, sexuality, relationship and the return of the Divine Feminine.

This lively performance gives a window into the lives of two women as they struggle to become whole in a culture that has historically denigrated and exploited the female body. Through conversation, song and ritual the characters explore the use of Divine Feminine archetypes from myth and spiritual traditions to find insights, meaning and healing in their lives. The characters draw the audience into their stories—giving life to the issues and providing fertile ground for reflection and provocative discussion. The conclusion brings vision and hope as the characters discover how to address these issues in their own lives and step into their full power as women. The audience will laugh, sing, and even gasp, but they will not leave untouched.

Experiential Elements

The play is fast paced and full of surprises. It provides experiential learning in the following ways:

• The power of story: this is not an ordinary conference presentation with PowerPoint and handouts. Instead, it tells the story of two modern day mystics and how they deal with everyday issues such as love, sex, spirituality and coming to terms with their own bodies. The audience members will recognize their own stories in the lives of the characters, opening them to insights, inspiration and action.
  
• Song: the audience is invited to sing along with the title song, Bring Back My Body to Me.
  
• Movement: The audience is invited to stand up and join the performers as they step into their power
  
• Discussion: As time allows following the play, the audience is given an opportunity to process the material and discuss the affect it has had on them.
  

Performance Length:

The play runs approximately one hour in length. A 90-minute time slot is most effective, providing time following the play for dialogue and discussion.

Comments from audience members:

• Carol Vaccariello (Wisdom University Director of Academic Programs): Powerful, transformative, gutsy and brazen—qualities you need to bring the work of sacred activism forward. The play embodies what has been teaching about sacred activism.
  
• Larry Edwards (Wisdom University Faculty): I loved the play. There is no question that it will help people and the Earth.
  
• Michael Mansfield (Wisdom University Faculty): Bring Back My Body to Me is a thoughtful and transformative presentation for all who attend. It engages us at the deepest levels of heart and soul.
  
• Karen Batignani (Wisdom University D.Min Student) This is a feminist play for a new era—the feminist is embodied, full blooded, mystical and mythic. The characters Ricci and Senti are doing the work of liberation while celebrating the feminine Universe.
  
• So fresh and fun and enlightening!
  
• It is inspiring to see women stand up and say, “This is who I am and I’m proud of it!”
  
• You have told every woman’s story.
  
• I loved the respect given to the feminine and the courage of the performers.
  
• I think plays and stories like this are important for raising awareness about balancing feminine and masculine energies. I think the play was well balanced, giving a lot of information without projecting blame.
  
• Excellent way of encouraging a discussion of these ideas.
  
• I loved so many aspects of performance! My favorite was the singing and getting us involved.
  
• Very spiritual. Very much about social change.

Bring Back My Body to Me
Fun, Funny and a Force for change.

Logistical Requirements:

The play has been specifically designed for performance in small venues and classroom-type settings, so it is easy to set up and take down. We have all the necessary props and costumes. When available, an auditorium style room or classroom with a stage will give best visibility for the audience. We would need time to set up before the performance and it would be ideal if we could rehearse in the room before the performance to ensure proper blocking and positioning of props and set. (This can be done the day before if necessary.) It will also be helpful to have a screen or room “off stage” to change costumes between acts and to hide props not in use

Presenter Bios

Diane Wolverton is the State Director of the University of Wyoming Small Business Development Center, a statewide program that assists Wyoming entrepreneurs. In addition, she is a speaker, trainer, writer and advocate for women’s issues. She is the author of this play as well as the novel Return of the Yin: A Tale of Peace and Hope for a Troubled World and she is a contributor to the anthology, If Women Ruled The World. Diane holds a Bachelor’s degree in English, a Master’s Degree in adult education and is a doctoral candidate at Wisdom University, San Francisco, CA. She has presented at conferences nationally and internationally.

Kayne Pyatt recently retired as an assistant professor of communications and feminine mythology at Western Wyoming Community College. She has directed and performed in several plays and was member of the Sage Brush Theater Group in Evanston, Wyoming. Most recently, she directed the Western Wyoming Community College student production of The Vagina Monologues. She is the collaborating writer for this play and author of the novel, The Women of Eden and the children’s picture book, Old Women’s Garbage. She has also contributed to two anthologies, Crazy Woman Creek: Women Rewrite the American West and Ahead of Their Time: Wyoming Voices for the Wilderness. She holds a Bachelor’s degree is social sciences and Master’s degree in education. In 2004, Kayne received the Wyoming Woman of Distinction Award from the Wyoming Council on Women’s Issues.

To order the book, go to Amazon.com or contact M.O.T.H.E.R. Publishing at 307-382-5027.

Visit Diane's Healing Garden