Daytime Soap Stars Turn Charitable

Celebrities nowadays are associating themselves with various charitable causes and organizations. It's a very commendable thing to do, as charity sets a great example for the general public.

Young & Restless star Judith Chapman gathered award-winning daytime television actors to perform a play, 'The Trial of Catonsville 9', to benefit micro-loan charity Kiva.

The cast included daytime Emmy award winners and nominees. Fellow Y&R stars to perform include Christian LeBlanc, Michelle Stafford, Vincent Irizarry, Kristoff St. John Greg Rikkaart Daniel Goddard, Eyal Podell and Emily O'Brien.

Berrigan's play 'The Trial of Catonsville' is a period piece about the times and the common sentiment about the Vietnam War. The story revolves around the May 17, 1968 incident, when nine men and women entered the Selective Service Offices in Catonsville, Maryland, removed hundreds of draft records, and burned them in protest against the war in Vietnam. The nine were arrested and in a highly publicized trial were sentenced to jail.

This act of civil disobedience intensified protest against the draft, and provoked angry reactions on the part of many Americans. It also brought the nine Catholic participants' especially priest brothers Daniel and Philip Berrigan into the national spotlight.

The play took place on January 19, 2008 at the Palm Canyon Theatre in Palm Springs, and proved to be a success. The proceeds for the one-night-only production of The Trial of the Catonsville 9 went to Kiva, an organization that enables people in the West make small loans to individuals around the developing world so that they might grow a business and become more self-sustaining.

Acts like these bring to the public notice, the needs of various communities and the causes that organizations and NGOs work towards. These actors should be highly appreciated for promoting social awareness.