The Vagina Monologues are coming to Georgia Southern once again. This performance is usually put on near Valentine’s Day, but this year it will be on Feb. 4.
The Women and Gender Studies program and N.O.W. contingent sponsor this event on campus.
For those who are unfamiliar with this event, it is an award-winning play written by Eve Ensler composed of true stories that are presented as monologues by a number of performers.
Most of the performers are GSU students, although there are a few from the community because the auditions were open to all women.
The show requires little preparation, and there are only a few rehearsals. The actresses are not allowed to memorize their lines for the purpose of showing that the women and stories are real. They hold scripts so that no one improvises upon forgetting a line.
The topics discussed range from sexual assault to gynecologist visits. The show mostly appeals to college age and up; it is not recommended for a younger crowd.
The show isn’t obscene or pornographic, but there are a few things to be aware of.
The play director, junior Elizabeth Hobbs, said, “Some monologues may be disturbing to hear or see, whether one has experienced abuse or not. But abuse and rape happen. The stories may be painful and emotional to listen to, but we can’t help stop violence by pretending it doesn’t happen.”
The monologues remain the same as the ones performed in previous years. These are the original ones put together by Eve Ensler. There are, however, a few optional monologues that can replace others. This year the play will feature a monologue called “Say It,” which is about Japanese women who were forced to be comfort women to the soldiers during World War II. Another thing that changes annually is a spotlight monologue written by Ensler. This year’s spotlight monologue is called “I Am an Emotional Creature: The Secret Life of Girls Around the World”. It tells the tale of a girl who was put into sex slavery and of her escape.
Remember, the main purpose of this event is to raise awareness about the violence and inequality against women. Although most women will be able to find something in the show to relate to, it isn’t just for girls. Men can also enjoy it. Hobbs says, “We all have mothers and sometimes sisters, and these stories highlight issues that our society tends to shy away from: women’s sexuality, and injustice and violence towards women and girls.”
The play will be held at the Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Tickets can be bought in advance or at the door. The price for advance tickets is $5 for students and $7 for other patrons. The price for tickets at the door will be $7 for students and $10 for other patrons.
All proceeds from the event are going to local and international causes. Most proceeds will benefit the Statesboro Regional Sexual Assault Center, but 10 percent of all the net profits will be donated to help build a safe haven for women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
