As spring slowly draws near, Lasell College’s Peer Health Educators hold their annual theater production of the Vagina Monologues. For those who are not familiar with the Vagina Monologues, it consists of several monologues acted out individually by women where they describe their personal experiences in regards to vaginas. Their personal experience can range from heavier topics such as pregnancy, rape, and female genital mutilation all the way to lighter topics like the daily struggles of having a vagina or finding confidence in one’s femininity. Overall this production is supposed to enlighten women’s view and the world’s view of what it means to be feminine and how to love vaginas.
When seated in the Lasell auditorium for the awaited Vagina Monologues there seemed to be an even mixture of males versus females sitting in the audience. This production, despite its serious moments, is very comical and as one can see is not just for women to enjoy. Not including the introduction there were sixteen different monologues that Lasell’s edition performed that night. During the performance itself there were a few awkward pauses while the audience adjusted to hearing the word vagina in so many new forms and sequences. Despite that there were hardly any moments where the entire audience wasn’t laughing.
Monologues that received extraordinary applause was “The Flood” acted out by Tessa Dinnie and “The Woman Who Loved To Make Vaginas Happy” acted out by Haleigh West. Dinnie did a stunning rendition of a woman who was at least seventy years old who describes her first experience of getting wet or turned on, hence the clever monologue title “The Flood”. Compared to West who had the audience in a constant mode of laughter due to her accurate portrayal of several listed moans including a Lasell College moan. Lasell was lucky enough to have a very special moan dedicated to them created by West herself. Without giving away too much this particular moan may have involved a certain sports team on campus.
The proceeds earned from the Lasell production of the Vagina Monologues is going to the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center and The Second Step program. Not only will the five dollars aid in rape and domestic violence organizations, but will leave audience members with a newfound respect for the very aspect that makes women powerful and that ladies and gentlemen is the one and only vagina.
Photo Courtesy: 1 Peer Health Educations, 2 Tessa Dinnie