“The Vagina Monologues,” which took place last Thurday and Friday in the Adrian-Tobias Room, featured a number of different monologues from various womens. The play was originally written by Eve Ensler. (Photos courtesy of Chelsea Blankenship)
On Thursday Feb. 4 and Friday Feb. 5, “The Vagina Monologues” were performed in the Adrian-Tobias Room of Ritchie Marketplace at Adrian College.
The event was sponsored by the combined efforts of V-Day: Adrian College, FinCom and the Feminist Empowerment Movement (FEM). This was the second time “The Vagina Monologues” was hosted at AC and FEM members hope it will become an annual event.
The event was free for students with an I.D. and canned food item or an article of clothing. Admission was $5 otherwise.
The proceeds from the event went to Students Active For Ending Rape (SAFER), an organization run by students which aims to reform college sexual policies, the Catherine Cobb Domestic Violence Shelter, a local support shelter, and to women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“The Vagina Monologues” is based off a series of interviews conducted by Eve Ensler. Women between the ages of 18 and 75 were asked different questions about their vaginas. The monologues work to empower women, and to bring light to the existence of physical abuse towards women and girls.
The night began with three speeches; one by Emma Donelson, organizer of the event and vice president of FEM, one by Skyler Lambert, president of FEM and one by a representative from the Catherine Cobb center.
The cast list consisted of 16 different AC students: Donelson, junior and director Angelica Lopez, senior Alyssa Allen, senior Jalisha Elaine Belle, sophomore Courtney Carolyn Clouse, sophomore Shelley DeHosse, junior Dominique Fernandez, senior Kelly Funk, sophomore Sasha Gale, sophomore Laura Ashley Greer, freshman Emily King, junior Connie Klein, junior Gabrielle Piazza, junior Sara Smither, junior Brittany Ward and junior Amber Lee Williams.
The monologues themselves ranged from humorous to somber, from “My Angry Vagina” to “The Memory of her Face” and “The Happy Fact” to “The Not-So-Happy Fact.” The play concluded with a slideshow documenting the struggle of women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
There were also two musical performances, one by Greer and the other by Gale featuring freshman Tyler Chase on guitar. In total, there were 17 different monologues performed.
“It was pretty good,” said junior Ken Warren. “There is no one form to vaginas.”
Freshman Autumn Clark thought the play was exhilarating and believes all should see it at some point.
“It was extremely empowering,” she said. “It’s something that all men and women should see.”
Freshman Sarah Alder also thought the play was moving.
“It was absolutely empowering,” she said. “It’s wasn’t about sex, or about women being better, it’s about respect.”
Planning for the play began in November.
“We chose to do ‘The Vagina Monologues’ because it seemed like a great opportunity, and we wanted to take part in it,” said Lopez.
This was Lopez’s second time performing a monologue. She returned because she had an “amazing time” and wanted to have that same experience to share it with others.
“It’s a very positive show because it’s all real,” said Lopez. “It’s not glamorized, it’s come straight from real life.”
Donelson said the play brings all women together.
“It expresses that women are not alone,” she said. “They have nothing to be ashamed of. It helps show them a way to cope.”
For those inspired to take action or looking for people to talk to, FEM meets every Monday in the Vivian Boardroom at 9 p.m.