“The Vagina Monologues,” a play written by Obie-Award winner Eve Ensler, will soon be performed once again on the University of Denver campus.
The co-directors of this year’s performance are Hannah Seigel and Sarah Asplin. Both have been involved with “The Vagina Monologues” before, but this is their first time directing.
According to Seigel, there will be a few changes to the show this year.
The monologue titled “Under the Burqua” has been replaced with another monologue titled “In Memory of Her Face.”
The monologue focuses on both the disappearance of women in Mexico and the facial scarring of women in some Middle Eastern countries.
Another new feature in the show will be Ensler’s “warrior statement.” Also, unlike past performances, Seigel and Asplin have plans to have the entire cast on stage at all times.
“It’s going to be a new, exciting show,” said Seigel.
The cast will also wear somewhat different costumes in this year’s production. In past years, the cast has only worn black and red costumes.
This year, the costumes will include the usual black and red, but will also include pink and white.
The set will be different from past productions, as well. According to Seigel, the set will be “industrial.”
This year’s symbol for the show is the WWII icon “Rosie the Riveter,” who was a symbol of female power in the 1940’s.
Ensler’s play has been translated into over 25 languages, has been performed in many countries.
The “Vagina Monologues” is part of a larger movement called “V-Day.” V-Day is a movement whose goal is to stop the violence against women and girls worldwide. According to Ensler, the V in V-day stands for vagina, valentine and victory. Ensler proclaims Valentines Day as V-Day, as a reminder about the violence faced by women.
Ensler allows colleges and volunteer casts to perform “The Vagina Monologues” free of charge, in order to raise consciousness about the V-Day movement, which began in 1998.
The V-Day movement supports other women’s programs, such as The Afghan Women’s Summit, The Stop Rape Contest and the Indian Country Project. Visit the V-Day website for more information: www.vday.org. This year’s V-Day is focusing on women in Juarez, Mexico.
This year’s “Vagina Monologues” performance will take place in the theatre in the Margery Reed Building.
The show will run Feb. 12-14 at 8 p.m. Tickets will be $10 for students, faculty and staff. Tickets for community members will be $20. Donor tickets, which are tickets for people who want to donate more money, will be $30.
As instructed by Ensler, all proceeds from the tickets will go to charities devoted to women.
One of the charities that will be recieving funds from this year’s performance is The Gathering Place, and the Gateway Battered Women’s Shelter.
The Gathering Place is located in Denver and can be contacted by phone at 303.321.4198. Gateway is located in Aurora, and can be reached by phone at 303.343.1856.
For more information about the show, call stage manager Megan Sullivan at 303.226.3161.
Tickets for the production went on sale on Tues. Jan. 12 in the Women’s Studies Office (Sturm Hall 419).
Tickets can also be reserved by phone at 720.989.7787. The show has sold out for the past two years.
Copies of “The Vagina Monologues” are available in the Women’s Studies office, room 419 in Sturm Hall. Copies are also available in Penrose Library. A copy of the original performance starring Ensler, originally aired on HBO, is also available at Penrose.
