The "Vagina Monologues" celebrates 10th anniversary

Sarah Rebell Staff Writer

Feb. 14 represents more than just Valentine’s Day: It is Vagina Day, otherwise known as V-Day. V-day is celebrated around the world with performances of “The Vagina Monologues,” a play by Eve Ensler that addresses women’s sexuality and experiences.

Vassar’s annual production of “The Vagina Monologues” will be performed in the Susan Stein Shiva Theater Feb. 14-16 at 8 p.m. This year’s production has been dubbed “V to the 10th” because it is V-Day’s 10th anniversary at Vassar.

“The concept is to exponentially raise awareness to the 10th power by reaching more people than ever before,” said Jillian Shaw ’09, who co-directs the show with Sara Mason ’08. Shaw described the play as “a moving, politically conscious piece that seeks to raise awareness about global violence against women. It is simultaneously humorous, empowering, heart-breaking, and inspiring.”

The play currently consists of about 15 monologues, and Ensler writes an additional monologue each year. This year’s monologue concerns the women who survived Hurricane Katrina.

“These women—Katrina Warriors—have come to symbolize the universal plight of women in conflict zones—high levels of violence, economic hardship, racism and public structures that failed to protect them,” Ensler said of the new piece.

Other monologues address abducted women who worked in factories in Juarez, women who were victims of acid thrown into their faces, and women living in war zones such as Baghdad.

“The diversity of the monologues allow for personal identification with the women speaking,” Shaw said.

Sarah DePaolo ’08 plays an older woman who describes a scarring sexual experience from her youth.
“I really care about my character,” DePaolo said. “She reminds me of women I know.”

It will be DePaolo’s second time performing in the play and she said she finds the experience to be rewarding and important.

“Often in media and in culture, women’s issues disappear,” she said. “Domestic violence and sexual assault are still really big problems in this country and all over the world.”

Some of the monologues take a less serious tone. “My Angry Vagina” examines and criticizes aspects of modern culture, such as wearing thongs.

“Things aren’t made to give women pleasure. They’re made to make women look a certain way,” said four-time veteran Kate Abbruzzese ’08

Abbruzzese will deliver her monologue in a stand-up comedy style, but said that “the only reason it’s funny is because it’s true, which is really sad.”

Rehearsing the monologues is an unusual process. The themes raised in the play are so provoking and intimate that the cast has been inspired to discuss their own issues as well as those of their characters.

“[The cast] becomes a close-knit community of women—you end up talking about not only your character’s vagina, but about your vagina, too,” said two-time monologues veteran Baize Buzan ’10.
Many of the monologues present issues that society tries to hide. The monologues allow for a unique opportunity to get these issues out in the open and to hopefully raise awareness.

“The vagina is a part of our body that goes unacknowledged,” said Abbruzzese. “It’s like a temple. It speaks to our society that women find masturbating gross or scary.”

Ultimately, the piece is a celebration of women. As Buzan noted, “Its a wonderful showcase of their strength, talent and intelligence.”