Emerson Theater Collaborative raises nearly $4K for survivors, Verde Valley Sanctuary, with ‘Silence is Not Golden’ production

COTTONWOOD, Ariz. — Emerson Theater Collaborative (ETC) President Camilla Ross recently presented a check to Verde Valley Sanctuary (VVS) for $3,946 as a donation of the proceeds from her most recent production, “Silence is Not Golden.”

Written by Anita Yellin Simons, “Silence is Not Golden” was presented to the public during a three-day stretch in September at Verde Valley School’s Brady Hall. It was written and produced to raise awareness on domestic and sexual violence.

Ross said that Emerson Theater Collaborative’s mission has always been to use theatre as a catalyst for conversation, connection and social change. With “Silence is Not Golden,” the group turned their focus to an issue that affects far too many lives in silence – domestic violence.

“This production was a call to awareness. It was an opportunity to break through the silence that too often surrounds abuse and to honor the courage of survivors,” Ross said. “Our creative team and cast have approached this work with sensitivity and deep respect, knowing that theatre can hold space for truth-telling and healing.”

Arizona consistently ranks among the states with high rates of reported domestic violence, with nearly one in four women and one in seven men will experience severe intimate partner violence in their lifetime.

“This production is dedicated to Kelly Paduchowski, who lost her life on June 30, 2024. We honored her memory, and we thank her family for sharing in this moment with us,” Ross said. “It was a deep privilege to produce and direct this production and support the work of Verde Valley Sanctuary.”

Every 68 seconds, someone in the United States is sexually assaulted, according to a 2020 study by the Department of Justice. Furthermore, only 19% of sexual assaults are committed by a stranger, with 72% by a current or former spouse, partner or acquaintance. And 75% of sexual assaults are not reported.

VVS, a local nonprofit whose mission is to provide safety, services, and comfort to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, offers a 24/7/365 pet-friendly emergency shelter and crisis hotline, transitional housing, lay legal advocacy, community-based advocacy, public outreach and awareness, and youth violence prevention education.

In fiscal year 2024-25, VVS provided services to more than 1,500 survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, including nearly 9,500 bed nights provided and almost 1,300 crisis hotline calls answered, a 28% increase from the previous year.

“We want to thank Camilla, Anita, and the Emerson Theater Collaborative for bringing awareness and space to highlight insidiousness and complexities of domestic violence relationships,” VVS Executive Director Jessye Johnson said. “These conversations need to be had because we all know someone who has been, or is, affected by domestic violence.”

About Emerson Theatre 

Emerson Theatre Collaborative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Tax ID #26-2369204) that was established in April 2008 as a new professional theater company to serve northern Arizona with innovative and thought-provoking theatrical productions. ETC’s mission is to serve youth, under-represented communities and artists with an emphasis on diversity, by producing innovative and thought-provoking theater in central Arizona. ETC explores timely themes and issues through new, original works and modern theatrical classics. They develop and nurture both emerging and professional artists and collaborate with the Emerson College network of alumni and students. ETC’s goals include reaching youth through educational theatrical programming, to support local communities by providing free admission to low-income families and donating profits to humanitarian causes. For more information, visit EmersonTheaterCollaborative.org. 

About VVS

Verde Valley Sanctuary’s mission is to provide safety, services, and comfort to survivors of domestic and sexual violence. The agency began in 1993 as a grassroots organization with a leased modular home that slept six and has grown into a 32-bed emergency shelter with transitional housing options, a lay legal advocacy center, community-based advocacy support, a 24/7/365 crisis hotline (928-634-2511) and a staff that takes pride in its youth violence prevention education and public outreach and awareness. VVS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and qualifying charitable organization for the Arizona Tax Credit. Federal Tax ID: #86-071314; QCO Code: #20041. Visit VerdeValleySanctuary.org for more information.