The Women’s Initiative for Strength and Empowerment (WISE) will present a production of “The Vagina Monologues” at 6:30 p.m. on March 1 and March 2. The student organization will stage the event in the Flohr Lecture Hall of the Clark Memorial Library, and doors will open at 6 p.m. each evening for a social period. Tickets may be purchased with cash at the door. Cost is $5 for students and $10 for all other audience members.
“The Vagina Monologues” is a play written in 1996 by Eve Ensler and composed of various monologues that cover a wide range of topics. According to Rebecca Blaine, the president of WISE, these topics include “learning what the vagina is, rape, childbirth and sexual experiences.”
Blaine added that “these monologues can be funny and heartbreaking at the same time. … One minute you may be laughing, and the next crying.” Each monologue provides a unique perspective of what life is like as a woman.
Blaine highlighted “fan-favorite” aspects of “The Vagina Monologues,” such as “The Woman Who Loved to Make Vaginas Happy.” In this comedic monologue, a performer plays the role of a prostitute who particularly enjoys sexual encounters with women. It ends with the performer acting out a variety of different moans based on said encounters.
In past performances, some students and community members wrote their own monologues, further personalizing the production. “I do believe someone may write a new monologue,” Blaine said. “I am also writing one about my own experiences.”
To future audiences, she added, “We hope that you enjoy the show as much as we do.”
Blaine is currently looking to fill three more roles within the cast. The final round of auditions are scheduled 5-7:30 p.m. this Thursday (Feb. 8) in room 215 of the Morris University Center. All people who are female identifying or female presenting are encouraged to audition. She described the roles as not “too difficult,” though some are lengthy and explore “difficult topics” like those listed above.
Rehearsals are set for the night before the show, and WISE officers will share the time and location closer to the production’s opening night. “If you plan on auditioning, please don’t be scared,” Blaine said. She promised a relaxed performing environment to potential auditionees.
Most productions of “The Vagina Monologues” in the past were presented by the Women’s and Gender Equity Center (WGEC), but the Center has been largely inactive since the departure of its most recent director prior to the start of this academic year. When asked why WISE is presenting “The Vagina Monologues,” Blaine described her organization as “mostly about building up other women on campus and supporting anyone who is female or female presenting.” She added that the loss of the WGEC left student organizations responsible for several popular events.
“With WISE being about women and for women, we thought it best for us to grab the opportunity to support this cause.”
