Boston.BroadwayWorld.com, September 19th, 2007

'Globesity' Festival Raises Consumption Awareness 10/22-28

The first ever "Globesity Festival: Hunger Strike Theatre" has been set for October 22 – 28 at New York City's Theatre for the New City (155 First Ave.), and it will be free to the public.

This multi-disciplinary event was created and produced by Australian filmmaker Robert Mac, along with festival artistic director and legendary performance artist Penny Arcade, and associate artistic director Michael Premo. Together, they have organized a week of performances, speakers and panel discussions committed to raising awareness of, and sharing solutions to, the dangers of "globesity."

"'Globesity' is the over-consumption of all natural elements that sustain life on Earth – some of the most valuable being water, minerals, oil and food. America is suffering from a massive imbalance between what we consume and what we produce. According to Forbes, we are currently the fattest nation in the developed world, and while our nation makes up just 5% of the world's population, we consume 25% of the world's energy resources. But we're still not satisfied, and we seek fulfillment at the malls and on our plates," describe press notes.

The festival's sponsor is self-made Australian businessman Joe Cross. Joe suffers from a rare and debilitating immune condition for which he finds substantial healing through juice fasting. This ancient practice produces both mental clarity and physical detoxification, and is a well-documented avenue towards overall health. Joe is a veteran of juice fasts lasting up to 40 days, and during the festival he will be undergoing a 60-day juice fast. "Doing without" in its simplest form—fasting—heals and strengthens. The Globesity Festival aims to show how "doing without" on a larger, global scale, and rethinking our diets and overall consumption choices, can actually cleanse and strengthen the overall health of the planet and its inhabitants. Cross's journey, including the Globesity Festival in its entirety, will be filmed as part of a feature documentary film called Faster, directed by festival creator Robert Mac and produced by Mac and John Miller-Monzon.

Participating performers will include Penny Arcade, John Fleck, Zeroboy, Phoebe Legere, Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping, Darius James, Rick Shapiro, and The Last Poets among many others, including younger artists like Eric Lockley and Janie Martinez. In their search for clarity, all participating performers will undergo their own 10-day juice fasts during the conception of original work that will premiere at the festival.

For further information about the Globesity Festival, please visit www.theglobesityfestival.org or call 917-547-1292.  A complete schedule of events will be announced shortly.