'Vaginal Wonder' "I bet you're worried. I was worried. That's why I began this piece. I was worried about vaginas."
And thus, Eve Ensler begins her infamous "Vagina Monologues". According to the Random House Web site, in 1998, Ensler first published her controversial work, and today the set of monologues has come to symbolize much more than just the stark contrast between comedic and dramatic looks at women and their vaginas.
The monologues, which have been translated into 24 languages, are now performed across the globe on or around V-Day, Feb. 14, as a means of spreading the message of stopping abuse and violence against women.
According to the movement's official Web site, "The 'V' in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina."
Ensler and women everywhere have come to see "The Vagina Monologues" as a way of not only celebrating themselves and their gender but also as a channel through which they can reach society.
In honor of this cause, several of the University's finest have given their time to participate in this year's production of Ensler's masterpiece.
Directed by fourth-year College student Heather Comstock and assisted by fourth-year College student Kathy Radd, this year's cast has come together to create a bond of which Ensler would be proud.
Comstock said she views the experience of working on this show with "such a great cast of women" as an enlightening experience.
"It's not just about girls and their periods. It's more than that," she said. "It's not about a woman and her vagina. It's about women as a whole."
The show is comprised of a series of monologues accompanied by a few group scenes. Some are humorous, some introspective, some dramatic and some downright heartbreaking. On top of the various tones and moods, the monologues deal with a variety of topics as well: from rape and sexual abuse to preferred monikers and 'upkeep.'
'Unique, Beautiful, Fabulous Vagina'
Each member of the cast of "The Vagina Monologues" is diverse yet similar, unique yet the same. Each actress, through her own experiences, said she has brought depth and truth to each character. Each said she has created a distinct persona; however, all have the same intention of conveying Ensler's crucial message.
Thirteen actresses have come together to communicate to the University community the weight and relevance behind Ensler's work. Each portrays a different aspect of everyday struggles and battles which women around the world face, even if the differences are subtle. The cast is a strong group of women dedicated to the play.
Fourth-year Education student Ashley Taylor narrates the monologues as an authority on the topics discussed and an insight into the stories told.
First-year College student Katie Cristol begins the show in a group scene along with fourth-year College students Nicole Ihasz and Amber Payne, by introducing the general theme of the performance: vaginas. After an extensive list of vaginal pseudonyms, the show begins to unfold as a true vision.
Throughout the play, the comic monologues help to ease the tension and seriousness and create an atmosphere which pushes the limits of excepted social norms.
Third-year College student Lauren Pool shines in both comic and serio-comic roles. She is equally capable of portraying a woman infatuated and smitten with the usually derogatory "C" word -- which she'll have you chanting by the end of the monologue -- and a wife oppressed by her husband's sexual desires.
Fourth-year College student Nicole Ihasz, easily shows her vagina's dislike, or rather hatred, of feminine hygiene products in an angry diatribe against the tyrannical forces of Kotex and the like.
First-year College student Katie Cristol and third-year College exchange student from England, Kate Cowcher, play the roles of women discovering their vaginas for the first time. While Cristol's character has never taken the time to notice herself, Cowcher's character, although slightly promiscuous, has never come to appreciate herself.
Third-year and fourth-year College students, Ruthie Yow and M Bruce round out the comedic cast with a certain eccentricity that gives the show a particular 'umph.'
Each brings a quirky and crazy aspect into their characters, a moaning obsessed dominatrix and an elderly woman that has lost her connection with society and her vagina, which guarantees to at least crack a smile.
The show, however, is not entirely about socially awkward hilarity. A deeper, rougher aspect comes through that is meant to illustrate the horrors that are present in the world today with which women must deal. Physical, mental and sexual abuse, rape, corporeal mutilation and simple stress are all discussed.
The show is not at all a resentful reaction to the evils of men in the world. The tone of the program suggests neither the "Vagina Monologues" nor Ensler wish to denounce an entire gender, but rather to demonstrate to the world that violence must stop. From here, the show can be graphic and disturbing, unsettling and moving.
Third-year College student Meg McEvoy, enacting Ensler's own monologue, discusses the beauty of birth. She is enlightened by the miracle that comes from such a process and is amazed at her body's ability to create life.
Four of the actresses have the daunting task of dealing with the topic of spousal abuse. From physical to mental to sexual, each deals with forms of abuse that affect women around the world. From Native American reservations to Islamabad and Juarez, Mexico, the four deal with instances of abuse that carry a grave message and urge the world to stop such unwarranted violence.
Second-year Education student Teresa Tung carries the burden of relaying the horrific consequences of rape on a woman's mind and body. Tung deals with perhaps the heaviest material of the entire production and convincingly shows the horror that comes from an all too common crime in the world.
The cast blends into an ensemble, creating a harmony that resonates into a poignant and touching show. This year's production of "The Vagina Monologues" at the University is truly a moving experience that does not, in any way, fall short of Ensler's dream of spreading hope and peace to the world.
'We're worried about Vaginas'
Bright, colorful, eye-catching posters have been posted all around grounds, all with somewhat unexpected and shocking statements.
"I make most men anxious
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