Vagina Monologues
Published Feb. 20, 2007
As a cheer of "vagina" echoed through a packed Jesse Auditorium Saturday night, co-hosts Molly McFatrich and Jessica Omoile helped audience members get in the mood for MU's sixth-annual production of "The Vagina Monologues."
The show — performed on college campuses nationwide as part of playwright Eve Ensler's V-Day movement, a campaign to end violence against women and girls — includes a variety of reflections about womanhood and the female anatomy, with topics including menstruation, sexual assault and dreams about Burt Reynolds.
The local production benefited the MU Stop the Violence Fund, the L.E.A.D. Institute and The Shelter.
Many of the monologues balance humor with an empowering message.
"My Angry Vagina" was an impassioned rallying cry to "work with the vagina" rather than attack it with tampons and the harsh instruments used in gynecological exams.
"My Short Skirt" urged women to embrace the sexuality of provocative clothing as a "liberation flag."
Freshman Chelsea Robinson, who was among the 69 female students who participated in this year's production, said she was pleased with the final performance.
"I felt the show went really well," Robinson said. "The performers were great, and I felt that we were really able to reach the audience."
Although some of the monologues were comical or satirical, many touched on more serious issues concerning the abuse of women and girls.
Often, the monologues contained jarring statistics and testimonies.
Due to the sensitivity of some of the topics, counselors were seated at the back of the auditorium to offer support to audience members.
Each year, a new monologue is added to the program as a spotlight on a particular issue affecting women.
With three other women, Robinson performed the new piece, titled "What Happened To Peace?"
The monologue reflected on the role of women during times of war.
"At first it was a bit scary because we didn't know what it was going to be about," Robinson said. "Also, there was a bit more pressure because no one had performed it in the past, and we only had our own interpretations of it to use. But I ended up really enjoying performing it because war is such a relevant topic in our society."
The show's efforts to reach out to the community did not end at the stage doors.
In Jesse Auditorium's lobby, many organizations set up information booths with literature on issues including safer sex, domestic violence and information about American Sign Language.
Members of the MU Women's Center sold chocolate "vagina pops," available in both milk and while chocolate, and chocolate birth control pill boxes.
Junior Sarah Mitchell said though this was her second time seeing "The Vagina Monologues" at MU, there were still plenty of surprises.
"I was actually surprised the second time around," Mitchell said. "I think they went a little further with it this year."
Mitchell referred to a monologue entitled "A Six Year Old Girl Was Asked..." in which a 6-year-old girl is interviewed about what her vagina would say if it could speak, what it would wear and what it would smell like.
In response to the latter, the performer portraying the girl pretended to stick her hands down her pants and sniff her fingers.
The action is not in the original script but was added by the performer.
Robinson said she felt one great aspect of the monologues was the freedom the performers had to make each story their own.
"Each of the monologues are up to the individual performer's interpretation," Robinson said. "I thought that she made a great choice adding it in because if you think about it, what would a 6-year-old girl do if asked what her vagina smelled like? I think she would smell it."