Playwright, actress and director Jessica Weiner will combine story telling, theatrics and personal experiences in her Denison presentation of "Mirror, Mirror: A Journey from Self-Loathing to Empowerment." The convocation is at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday (Sept. 20) in the Bandersnatch (Huffman Hall lower level). Sponsored by the Denison Lecture Series, Women's Emphasis and Women's Programs, the presentation is free and open to the public.

Weiner's one-woman show is an interactive performance that engages and empowers an audience by breaking through the myths and stereotypes surrounding eating disorders, body loathing and self-hatred. More than seven million women have full-blown eating problems and men make up between five and 10 percent of the eating disordered population. Her Denison appearance will be preceded by student presentations on the Academic Quad during the lunch hour (12:30 to 1 p.m.) and at a rally from 4:30 to 6 p.m. with "Love Your Body Monologues" presented by Denison students, faculty and staff. An art exhibit featuring student works also will be a part of the rally on the Academic Quad.

Founder in 1995 of The ACT Out Ensemble, a national touring company based in Indianapolis, Weiner is the author of eight social issue plays covering the topics of eating disorders, alcohol and drugs, diversity, violence, date rape, literacy and homophobia. Her play, "Body Loathing...Body Love," was based on her own recovery from exercise bulimia. She earned a bachelor's degree in theatre arts from Penn State University.

Weiner has served for three years as the Indianapolis city coordinator for National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. In collaboration with Eating Disorders Awareness and Prevention, Inc., she has written and produced a video and study guide about body image and eating disorders titled "Puppet Strings."

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

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Barbara Stambaugh

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Director, Media Relations

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(740) 587-8575