Name: Alisar Awwad
Major: Theatre Studies/Communication Studies
On-Campus Activities: Cast member of The Vagina Monologues
Her Campus Ithaca College: How would you describe your overall experience of being in the Vagina Monologues?
Alisar Awwad: Educational, crazy and inspiring.
HCIC: What did you learn from your monologue? From the show?
AA: The entire process was a journey of self realization. There were things about myself that I never knew or thought about before. I was a part of two monologues: They Beat the Girl Out of My Boy… or So They Tried, and Because He Liked to Look At It. The first monologue was the only monologue in the entire script to give transgender people a voice. I learned a lot about their daily struggles, and the little things that can bother someone who is trying to transition or just be who they want to be. I had to do a lot of research in order to make sure I did justice to the role, and that entire process was painful. It’s not like I was ignorant of the struggles faced before, it’s just that I’ve never spent so much time educating myself regarding such issues, and honestly, it felt good to be aware of what really goes on. Having said that, I’m happy I was a part of that monologue because it allowed me to do the same thing for the audience, to help them take the first step in educating themselves.
HCIC: Which monologue was most powerful in your opinion?
AA: My Vagina Was My Village. It was the most painful performance to watch, regardless of the number of times I’d seen it during rehearsals. It definitely evoked a lot of raw emotions from the audience and it was performed so beautifully. In my opinion, it really captured the message Eve Ensler was hoping to communicate with this monologue.
HCIC: What went into the rehearsal process?
AA: A huge amount of work. We only had three weeks. We would begin with our warm ups and then get straight into running the entire show. We would also have one-to-one sessions with our fabulous director, Sam Guter, and she helped us develop a character and a persona for our monologues.
HCIC: How long have you been acting?
AA: For as long as I can remember. My first performance was when I was seven years old, but my first musical production was when I was ten years old. And I haven’t stopped since.
HCIC: Out of the shows you’ve been in, which has been your favorite?
AA: Oliver Twist. It was the first musical I performed, and it’s the reason why I’m studying Theatre today.