On Monday, 14 South Whidbey residents joined thousands of other people around the world in the first-ever theatrical event for peace.

The Lysistrata Project presented worldwide readings of Aristophanes’s bawdy ancient Greek antiwar comedy “Lysistrata.” Laura Borum, who coordinated the local reading, said she was inspired to organize a South Whidbey event after she read about the project on the Internet.

“The purpose was to give those against a unilateral war in Iraq a chance to voice their objections in a unique way,” she said.

The Lysistrata Project was conceived six weeks ago by several New York actors protesting the Bush administration’s move toward war.

“We’re taking tangible action by thinking globally and acting locally,” Borum said.

Borum and 13 other South Whidbey residents sat in a circle at the library reading excerpts from the play.

“Lysistrata” tells the story of women from opposing states who unite to end a war by refusing to take care of their homes and husbands until the men agree to lay down their swords.

“It’s a very bawdy play,” Borum said. “Cooking and cleaning aren’t the only things the women refused to do.”

Borum said there were over 1,000 readings scheduled in 56 countries and in all 50 U.S. states to voice opposition to a possible war on Iraq.

Many were actually theater productions, Borum said, planned to raise money for charities working for peace and humanitarian aid in the Middle East. In New York City, dozens of teams of actors and directors read “Lysistrata” in public spaces throughout the day.

According to the Web site lysistrataproject.com, there were events in Russia, China, Hawaii, Athens Iceland, and even among homemakers’ reading groups in the Midwest.