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	<< Back "DAWN" Newsletter of The DAWN CENTER < The Dawn Center Attains its 5th Anniversary > Women's Art Theater: A Cultural Expression Program for Women The Dawn Center (Osaka Prefectural Women's Center) was inaugurated in November 1994 as a comprehensive support institution for women in order to develop the basic concept of "creating a new society through cooperation between women and men." With the 21st century facing us and the world-wide trend toward solving the various problems relating to women, Japan also has achieved improvement in laws and institutions. However, there are still some sexist and male chauvinist attitudes deep-rooted in sex role consciousness. To cope with these problems, the Dawn Center has developed various programs during the past five years. They include: (1) accumulating and sending out information about women; (2) counseling services for women; (3) enlightenment and self-learning to address women's issues; (4) development of women's abilities; (5) surveys and research; (6) networking with other women; (7) support for cultural performance activities by and for women; (8) international exchange, and (9) programs about health and welfare. These programs are more and more utilized each year by Dawn Center visitors and the number of participants is increasing. This shows that the center plays an important role as a support facility for women. We have a variety of lectures, courses and activities according to the intention of every program. Among them is a program characteristic of those held over the last five years, "Women's Art Theater." "Women's Art Theater" provides Osaka residents with stage art performances by women from a feminist's point of view. The fourth "Women's Art Theater," in 1998, put on the musical "Moonlight Children" on the subject of child abuse, and it touched the large number of audience members to the heart. "Mother, I'll be a good girl. I'll try. Don't hit me. Don't hit me any more." A four-year-old girl appeals with tears. As nuclear families are increasing, mothers, who are almost always alone with their children in their closed houses, often suffer from serious neuroses about their child care. Child abuse is rapidly increasing but this is not only a family problem but also a social problem, because society plunges mothers into offensive activities. The play "Moonlight Children" expressed the weakness of abused children, the society which isolates and plunges mothers into depression, mothers' internal conflicts, and the cries from abused children. At the same time, the play expressed children's strength through songs and dances with the message, "You are in no way to blame." Some of the audience said, "I felt strong sympathy with the message, "You are not to blame." "I cried when the child asked, "Should I not be here?" "This type of enlightenment is very significant." "I was encouraged by this drama to bring up my children." Though this is the first attempt for the center to stage a musical on a serious subject, people showed much interest in and enthusiastic response to the problem everyone needs to confront face to face. Page Top Copyright (C) DawnCenter. All Rights Reserved.