Testimonies, laughs, tears and awareness — the Sexual Assault Support Services promises these and many more with the annual production of “The Vagina Monologues” this Thursday and Friday at McDonald Theatre. @@http://www.mcdonaldtheatre.com/@@
The play was written by author and playwright Eve Ensler in 1996 and was based on her interviews with women around the world. Each testimony reflected women’s experiences with being women and connected with what it means to have a vagina. Some of the stories — or monologues — were celebratory, while others were tragic. Ensler took these stories, created the show and has offered it to communities and school groups across the globe. The play provides entertainment for viewers while also raising international awareness of sexual violence against women. @@http://www.randomhouse.com/features/ensler/vm/@@
Ensler asked that 10 percent of the proceeds go to her global nonprofit, vday.org. Every year, the organization picks a different region of the world or different group of people somewhere globally who are doing supportive and helpful work with women who have undergone extreme sexual violence. They have focused their efforts in places like the Congo, Haiti and New Orleans.
Jess Pendragon, one of the directors of the production, said that the show offers something for everyone. @@Can’t find confirmation of the names of the directors@@
“People ask me all the time if men should go to the production,” she said. “And I say if there’s a man out there that cares about someone with a vagina, they should see the show.”
And that’s just how the producers, directors and cast raise awareness.
Lindsay Selser, another director of “The Vagina Monologues,” said informing people, whether men or women, raises awareness on both a personal and broad level.
“When you hear women share these stories that are really your stories, you’re like, ‘Oh yeah, we’re totally in this together,’” she said.
One interesting thing about “The Vagina Monologues” is the mesh between old fans and a brand new audience. Pendragon said that it is exciting to combine these groups of die-hard fans with the new ones and see how their reactions of the show complement one another.
“No matter what, the show rocks their world in different ways,” she said. “Whether it is seeing an old favorite performed in a new way or seeing something so empowering performed for the first time.”
Many people who are new to the play — whether they are a part of the audience or the cast — may seem uncomfortable with the idea of sitting in a darkened theater for a number of hours while women talk about their vaginas. But Pendragon said that this is all just a part of the awareness-raising process.
“We have to get the word out as much as possible and have people step out of their comfort zones,” she said. “My favorite part as a director is seeing what happens to women who are terrified to share these stories and how the community and cast supports them.”
“The Vagina Monologues” promises a unique show like nothing you’ve seen before. It promises to make you laugh so hard that you will cry. It promises to make you shed tears. It’s about women with real stories. It’s about awareness.
“You have to go at least once because it’s such a rollercoaster of emotions that opens your eyes to new things,” Selser said.
“The Vagina Monologues” runs this Thursday and Friday, April 5 and 6, at 6:30 p.m. at the McDonald Theatre. Tickets can be purchased at www.mcdonaldtheatre.com, the McDonald Theatre box office, and at all TicketsWest Outlets for $10. All proceeds benefit SASS. @@http://www.mcdonaldtheatre.com/eventCalendar.html#vm@@