This week, we caught up with freshman Zoe DiPinto to learn more about her first-year experience at Clark, and to talk about her role in Clark’s annual performance of The Vagina Monologues. Read on to learn more about this fiery freshman!
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’ve lived in a small town in Connecticut called Brookfield my entire life before coming to Clark. I’m planning on majoring in Psychology, I have a little succulent named Patoot, I can say the alphabet backwards really fast, I have a sweet tooth, my favorite book is “I’ll Give You the Sun,” I’m really good at shouting things out during the Rocky Horror Picture Show, my favorite articles of clothing are my knee high purple fuzzy socks and my favorite show on Netflix is either How I Met Your Mother or Sherlock depending on my mood!
We know you do a LOT on campus! Tell us a few things you’re involved in.
I’m in Dance Society, Hip Hop Collabo, Vagina Monologues, and I’ve recently been accepted as the choreographer for Clark Musical Theater’s production of Heathers this semester! If you’re ever looking for me, try Atwood. :)
What has been your best experience at Clark so far?
Hmmm… well one of my first nights here at Clark I was sitting alone in The Grind worried I wasn’t going to make any friends when some girls came up to me and invited me to get frozen yogurt with them at midnight. After getting free fro-yo on the green, I noticed it was officially my birthday! The girls were so excited that they threw a surprise party even when we were practically strangers. I consider that my best experience at Clark because it was the night where I made some amazing new friends for my 18th birthday. Clark has been so welcoming, meeting new people has been such a great experience and my friends and I do exciting things all the time. Last week we went skiing, and the week before, we were at the Boston Women’s March! Every week holds new and exciting experiences.
Tell us about what you’re looking forward to this semester.
I’m looking forward to late night movies, sore muscles, warmer weather, Bistro French fries, staying up late to watch Netflix, and performances! Be sure to check out all the Clark performance group shows on campus including dance, choir, acapella, theatre and band. All of these groups are all so full of talent. I’m so excited to both watch and perform in multiple shows.
What inspired you to get involved with the Vagina Monologues?
As you can probably guess, I love performing. I adored acting and theater in high school but with all of my dancing I don’t have time for a semester length show. Coincidentally, I’m a passionate girl with a lot to say! The first time I heard of the Vagina Monologues was actually as a senior in high school on the Clark website, trying to decide if I wanted to go here. I was scrolling through the clubs looking for dancing and acting opportunities when I got to the end of the list and the word VAGINA popped out at me. On the front, I saw a picture of a bunch of girls in shirts with big Vs on them and I was hooked. I started to look up what the Vagina Monologues were and got completely inspired! If you don’t know, the show is a compilation of monologues from real women. One woman went around the country asking other women about their lives, experiences as a woman, and yes, their vaginas. The interview soon turned into multiple women talking about their experiences and it was so powerful, they made it into a show for women to perform nationwide. I signed up for it expecting hard work and a lot of acting, but it’s so much more than that. The show has been a bonding experience with complete strangers, an inspiration to love my body and just full of fun activities as well as performing!
Who will you be portraying in the show?
I am performing the monologue “Because He Liked to Look.” It’s about a woman who hated her vagina so much to the point of pretending it wasn’t there (instead she imagines a red leather couch between her legs) until she met a (very ordinary and boring) man who loved vaginas and made her feel beautiful. I’m also a “moaner” in the monologue “The Girl Who Liked to Make Vagina’s Happy” (aka one of the girls making loud obscene sex noises). You’ll see… ;)
What have you enjoyed the most about this process?
Being welcomed and encouraged even though I’m a freshman and completely new to the show! Everyone has been so nice and nothing is super awkward even if we are talking about genitals! One rehearsal, we had a big group talk about times we’ve felt disempowered and empowered to be a woman and it was honestly one of the most inspiring, amazing feelings to be part of a circle of such strong women.
Make sure to catch Zoe and the rest of the cast during their performances of the Vagina Monologues, February 17th and 18th. Thanks, Zoe!