The best part of homecoming at Georgia College is that it normally begins right after our annual production of The Vagina Monolouges.
That’s right, “V-Day” doesn’t always have to stand for February 14th. Since 1998, the phrase has also been a symbol for the movement to end violence against women around the world. Created by activist and feminist Eve Ensler, V-Day revolves around her 1996 play The Vagina Monologues, which features a collection of diverse monologues based on personal interviews with hundreds of women on their experiences with gender-based violence, sexual assault, and their complex relationships with their vaginas. Here at GC, the Women’s Center sponsors a student-run production of the monologues on campus every year!
So what exactly is our production like? Well, it’s simple, it’s moving, and it’s a lot of fun. Audience participation is always encouraged, including snapping, clapping, and even wolf-whistling for the more involved performances. For some, this is the best part of the show.
“The encouragement from the audience was such a cool thing to see,” student Amanda Wiggins said after this year’s rousing Friday night performance. “Everyone who comes just gets so into it.”
It’s true; the energy for the show is always as high offstage as it is on.
The monologues are presented to emphasize the stories in the performances, which is reflected in the bare stage and minimalist cast outfits of black, red, and pink. There’s also a traditional dance at the end of every year’s show, which includes the audience as well. By the end of the monologues, everyone in the theater is smiling and hopefully more than a little empowered by the overarching themes of sexuality and body positivity.
For more information about V-Day and how to get involved with fighting for women everywhere on a worldwide scale, you can visit www.onebillionrising.org, and for a more local approach, don’t hesitate to contact GC’s Women’s Center through http://www.gcsu.edu/womenscenter. Happy V-Day!