“We were worried about vaginas.” Thus begins Even Ensler’s famous play The Vagina Monologues, presented this weekend by Athena’s Players. Anna Petcosky (SED ’13), the assistant director, says that “the show is about the female experience through the lens of the vagina.” Vagina Monologues addresses a wide range of issues that women all over the world face, from sexual violence in war to the debate over whether or not to shave down there.
It is not structured like a traditional play; it is a series of women or groups of women addressing the audience directly. There is no fourth wall, no sense of disconnect between the audience and the performers, and this is part of what makes this piece so powerful. The diverse monologues resonate differently with everyone, so it is sure that you will walk away moved by at least one.
When Director Alia Gilbert (COM ’12) was asked to describe the show, she said, “There are two key words: awareness and proceeds. The point is to raise awareness about issues that are imperative to creating and having a healthy community here and around the world: gender, sexuality and sexual violence. These issues are not talked about, so creating a forum through theatre and combining it with activism is an effective way of forwarding a cause.”
In terms of proceeds, all the money raised by this production will go to charity. Ensler has a policy where any group can perform her play without paying for the rights, but they have to donate half the proceeds to V-Day, a non-profit she started that helps women who face violence around the world, and the other half to a local charity. BU’s production is donating to the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC), an amazing organization that provides free counseling to survivors of sexual abuse, a 24-hour hotline, and a medical advocacy program for survivors who choose to seek medical attention.
Participating in The Vagina Monologues at BU is a unique experience. Both Anna and Alia stress that their main goal for this process was to create a community of women who could have open, empowering dialogues with each other that they then can carry out into the world. “In the end we put on a show,” Alia said, “but really it’s about creating that meaningful community. The dialogue is something that stays with people.” This year, most of the cast is performing the show for the first time, but a few have participated in past years. Alia and Anna both have been involved for the past three years, and talk about feeling a connection to the show from the first time they saw it. “This show made my BU career,” Anna said.
So why should everyone come see this show? Cast member Janette Martinez (CFA ’13) answers, “Because not only does it support two amazing organizations, but it also fosters an empowering and inspiring community amongst everyone at BU who has any interest in sexual and personal discovery.”
The Vagina Monologues will be performed this Friday the 24th a 7:00 and Saturday the 25th at 2:00 (ASL interpreted) and 7:00 in the Tsai Performance Center. Tickets are on sale all this week at the Link table and on the second floor of the GSU.
For more information about BARCC, visit www.barcc.org.
To learn more about Eve Ensler’s V-Day movement, visit www.vday.org.