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"Vagina
Monologues" visits The Beach
By
Jennifer Frevele
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
Chocolate-shaped
vagina making was on the agenda of the "Vagina
Monologues" cast Monday during rehearsal,
and now they are really prepared to celebrate
V-Day. Valentine, Victory and Vagina Day,
or V-Day, is a theatrical campaign to fight
violence and abuse against women.
Local
college students and other volunteers create
and perform a play called the "Vagina
Monologues" for their communities on
or around Valentine's Day all over the world.
Its purpose is to increase awareness and
raise funds to help decrease violence toward
women in all cultures.
Eve
Ensler began the "Vagina Monologues"
in 1998 and they have grown globally to
raise over $25 million to support anti-violence
groups and crisis centers. Originally performed
in New York, the "Vagina Monologues"
directly address these issues in a shocking
manner based on interviews Ensler witnessed
with over 200 women. The cast portrays women
victims of many forms of abuse, such as
rape, female genital mutilation, sexual
slavery and incest. Unlike a usual theatre
performance, the stage has no sets so the
audience can focus solely on the main components
of the show, the dialogue and the speaker.
There
is some controversy about this play despite
its positive intentions. Advocates of the
"Vagina Monologues" and V-Day
believe that the movement is beneficial
to women globally to increase awareness
of abuse and violence and to fund crisis
centers. The Chicago Tribune proclaimed
that the "Vagina Monologues" is,
"frank, humorous and moving...a compelling
rhapsody of the female essence. Ultimately,
Ensler achieves something extraordinary."
Others oppose the vulgarity and the explicit
content of the monologues and believe they
say women are only worth what they can do
with their vagina. Catherine Brumley, a
writer for the Independent Women's Forum,
states, "It tells women that they are,
first and foremost, sexual beings. It reduces
the full potential of a human person to
a single part of that person's body."
Even though these issues exist, the "Vagina
Monologues" continue to be shown all
around the world.
Now
V-Day is coming to Cal State Long Beach
for its sixth showing on-campus to increase
awareness. Both performed and directed by
students, CSULB's Theatre Department has
created their rendition of Ensler's tradition.
Directed by Eleanor Van Hest, a CSULB student,
the monologues are intended to inspire women
in our school and local community. Van Hest
said she hopes "that the play will
spread awareness of the violence and help
women stand up for themselves."
The
"Vagina Monologues" will be playing
Feb. 4 and 5 at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
It costs $15 in advance and $20 at the door
to attend the performance, and all money
collected from ticket and refreshment sales
will go to the Women's Resource Center on
campus, the CSULB Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender
Resource Center and Long Beach's Women's
Shelter. Part of the money collected from
the show will also help abused women in
Baghdad. There will be information booths
from many supportive organizations an hour
before the shows begin.
Not
to worry, men; vaginas are not required
for admission.
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