Well that wonderful time of the year is here again, where reds and pinks are everywhere and discussions about the wonders of being female are in the air. Of course I am talking about Eastern Michigan’s annual performance of the Vagina Monologues.
This year will be the ninth production of this show. Written in 1998, author Eve Ensler’s monologue show has made an important impact on many lives and still continues to raise awareness for women.
“‘The Vagina Monologues’ is not a play. It’s really a global movement to end violence against women,” stated Women’s Resource Center Program Coordinator Jessica Klein.
“It’s not about ‘women’s issues.’ Issues is such a negative word. It’s about the commonalities between and among women. It’s about telling a story from someone else’s perspective as someone else lived it. It’s so powerful and it’s for such a good cause,” she said.
The director of this year’s show is the program coordinator for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Resource Center, Mary Larkin.
Larkin is a well-known member and teacher in the EMU community, who has knowledge in improv and sketch comedy. She founded CloseUP Theater Troop in 1997.
“After I graduated from EMU, I directed the Talk to Us and RESREP theater troupe at the University of Michigan for the past eight years,” Larkin said.
Each year the director of the show gets to pick an optional monologue to include into the show. This year ‘Say It’ was the one picked by Larkin to be the placed into the show.
“Say It is a very powerful piece. I auditioned with Say It and was so excited to be cast in it!” freshman member Allison Jay said. “I think that myself and the five other girls in this piece combine powerfully to get the chilling point of this monologue across.”
“Vagina Monologues” is a show that reaches out to all parts of the globe to acknowledge heinous acts against women.
EMU’s production gathers actresses who want the audience to be aware of what is going on at home and across the globe.
“I saw the show last year because my sister was in it and watching it I was astonished that these were real life stories,” ‘My Vagina is my Village’ cast member Chenise Smith said. “People need to be aware of things going on and I’ll admit I was ignorant of the things going on in other countries with women.”
Cast member and NAACP EMU president Mariah Manuel said, “Although, there is no theatrics added to these monologues, it is not needed because the dramatic feelings are there in the words. I cry every time I say my part, not because I want to add something, but because I am a real person. These women that were raped, beat, killed are real. And it hurts. I feel their pain.”
The Vagina Monologues opens at 8 p.m. tonight and continues through Saturday. Tickets are $12 for students and $14 for others, and can be purchased at the Student Center Box Office, the Quirk Box Office and online at www.emich.edu/convocation.
Proceeds from merchandise, such as T-shirts and chocolate vaginas will go to raise money for SafeHouse Center, serving Washtenaw County, and First Step, serving Western Wayne County.
In addition, proceeds from button sales will be sent to Haiti relief.
