A few weekends ago The Vagina Monologues were performed on BC’s campus. Whether you were there to support a friend or see what all the fuss is about, it proved to be a memorable and truly amazing experience. If you didn’t go, read on to hear about the show and it’s co-director, senior Rebecca Kelley! After one conversation with her about the show, I couldn’t help but feel empowered and passionate about the monologues and the issues they address, and hopefully after reading you’ll feel the same.
How did you get involved in The Vagina Monologues?
One day, freshman year, I saw a poster for auditions in the O’Neill staircase and thought, “Why not?” I had never heard of The Vagina Monologues before, but I had done theater in high school and was interested. So I auditioned and got a part! Sophomore year the directors asked me to assistant direct and I just couldn’t pass it up. I was scared because I’m not a theater major so I didn’t really know how to do any directing, but everyone was so supportive and I learned a lot.
What do you take from the experience of putting on the show?
For me and for the cast, it’s more than just a show. We put it up in just a month, and so we are forced to become really really close, really really quickly because we’re talking about issues that you don’t usually talk about with people you just met. And for the most part, that’s what we are at the beginning. It just bonds us so quickly, and the amount of solidarity and empowerment that we feel together is truly transformative.
What are some of the things you do to break those barriers?
Our first rehearsal is spent getting comfortable with the words we usually cringe to say, and we get rid of that. We end up screaming at the top of our lungs in Maloney on a Sunday night, and it’s awesome. We also play a game called “That’s f***ed up, that’s orgasmic” which is a better version of highs and lows, and it’s great because it allows us to feel for each other and create a bond. Throughout the process, what started as 22 random girls becomes a group of close friends, which is amazing, because at BC I feel like we walk around thinking we “found the good ones” in our friends and the other girls are just “BC betches.” But it’s experiences like these that make you realize that, no, there are some really incredible girls out there that I don’t know yet.
The title The Vagina Monologues is pretty bold, what do you have to say to people who are wary of the show?
It’s such an amazing show. It’s really unfortunate that it gets a bad rap a lot of the time. I think people expect it to be a sad solemn experience, but it really is a celebratory show. It’s all about celebration and contradiction and including everyone in the discussion. It’s so unique in that it celebrates women’s pleasure and talks about rape at the same time. The contradictions in the show are so important.
What do you want BC guys to take from the show?
It’s hard to say. Everyone walks out with something different, and a big part of it is not forcing opinions on anyone. I think what’s great about the show is that it strives to give the audience a sense of solidarity with humanity. The Vagina Monologues is not just about bringing women together; it’s about bringing humanity together. The point of the show is not so that guys leave feeling like they are doing something wrong, because that is just so not true.
Why should The Vagina Monologues be important to BC?
At BC I feel like topics about sexuality gets swept under the rug a lot because they aren’t politically correct. But they are issues everyone goes through and feels, male and female. It’s sexuality. It’s so innate in us, and the fact that it’s something we can’t talk about is so detrimental. The Vagina Monologues creates this outlet as a safe environment to open up the dialogue. We talk about it in hopes that people will go home and feel like they can talk about it too.
If you missed out on the show last year, look out for auditions in December and the performance in February, as I can promise you it’s an experience every Collegiette should have! But you don’t need to have seen the show to recognize the importance of the issues discussed, to feel empowered as a woman, and to have those important conversations at BC that help you learn about yourself!