Have you ever wanted to see a show that captures all of the amazing, scary, wonderful, upsetting, and emotional parts of being a girl? Then look no further! Eve Ensler’s I Am An Emotional Creature is a collection of monologues and stories that offer a glimpse at the many facets of experiencing emotion in this crazy world. Emory’s own upcoming production is being put on as a collaboration between Dooley’s Players, Emory’s resident student theater group, and Feminists in Action (FIA). The cast features an ensemble of 16 students, each sharing and bringing these stories to life in a way that celebrates all experiences.
I personally have had the great joy in taking part in this show as a member of the ensemble, and it has given me a new perspective into what it means to be a woman. Emotion is a thing that every human experiences, and yet so often we are told to push it down or be ashamed. But this show not only displays emotion; it celebrates it, sharing an incredibly important message for women and people in general. The monologues touch on so many different feelings and experiences, that everyone can find something to relate to. There are moments of humor, tragedy, quirkiness, and sadness, but overall the show is sincere. For this week’s Campus Cutie I chose to ask a few other members of the cast and crew what their experience with this show has been, and how it has made them feel.
“I Am an Emotional Creature is an illuminating experience for everyone in the audience, not just women. Eve Ensler masterfully captures a narrative that exists at the heart of the gendered experiences and struggles faced by all: emotion. The fear of expressing, encountering, and embracing raw human emotions pervades everyone’s navigation through life. Experiencing emotion, a concept systematically deemed to be ‘feminine,’ is the deepest connection we have with ourselves and with the rest of humanity. This production is my contribution to this important ongoing dialogue. It is my way of arguing that it is time to empower and uncover the feminine truths in all of us. It is time to embrace our emotions.”
– Franny Parent, Director (‘18Ox, ‘20C)
“I can definitely relate to some of the monologues in the show. I think the show explores a great deal about the desire, fear and joy, as well as what it means to be a female, and how different yet similar everyone is.”
– Jessica Wang (‘21C)
“Eve Ensler’s unique way of exploring what it means to be a woman makes this show both artistically and intellectually interesting. I’ll be interested to see what the audience members take from the show. The show has inspired me to stop and take account of what my personal experience of being a woman has been.”
– Colleen Carroll (‘21C)
Performances for I Am An Emotional Creature begin Thursday, October 3rd and run through the 5th. All performances begin at 7:30PM in the Harland Cinema, located in the Alumni Memorial University Center (AMUC). Tickets are FREE and can be reserved here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0c4da5aa2aa1fa7-iaman