DURHAM, N.H. - The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, will participate in a discussion of the landmark marriage equality play "8" following its staged reading at the University of New Hampshire Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012.

The play is based on trial transcripts from California's 2010 court fight over Proposition 8, the initiative that outlawed same-sex marriage in the state, which has since been overturned. The staged reading of "8" will be performed at 7 p.m. in the MUB Strafford Room at UNH. Tickets are free but must be reserved through the MUB ticket office. To reserve tickets, visit www.unhmub.com/ticket.

The UNH production is one of the first in the nation and features a diverse cast made up of UNH faculty, students, staff, and alumni. It is being presented in partnership with the Department of Theatre and Dance, the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, the UNH Alliance, the Discovery Program and the student organizations Mask and Dagger and WildActs: Theatre for Social Justice, with American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) and Broadway Impact.

Following the reading, Robinson will join the co-founder of Broadway Impact and Tony Award nominee Gavin Creel to discuss the play and the issue of marriage equality.

"The reading of '8' gives us a view of the challenge to Proposition 8 in the trial that was denied broadcasting. Through the powerful words taken from transcripts of the trial, we witness the thin -- and ultimately unconvincing -- evidence of why gay or lesbian couples should be denied a marriage license, and we hear the stirring and inspirational words of lawyers David Boies and Ted Olson as they make the case for marriage equality. This is an opportunity to see and hear history in the making. Don't miss it!," Robinson said.

Robinson has been active in the area of full civil rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gender people. Working at the state, national and international levels, he has spoken and lobbied for equal protection under the law and full civil marriage rights. He has been honored by many LGBT organizations for this work, including the Human Rights Campaign, the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, GLAAD, N.H. Civil Liberties Union, GLAAD, and the Equality Forum.

Robinson is the subject of the new documentary film "Love Free or Die: How the Bishop of New Hampshire is Changing the World," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last month. The bishop's next book, "God Believes in Love: Straight Talk about Gay Marriage," will be published later this year.

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling 12,200 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students.

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The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire.
http://www.nhepiscopal.org/images/stories/BishopRobinson__042.jpg

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