Drexel University is performing Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” Feb. 9, 10 and 11 as a part of the V-Day College Campaign. V-Day is a national foundation that raises money to stop violence against women and girls, according to vday.org. Drexel’s performance profits will be benefiting Women Against Abuse, which provides shelter and other resources for victims of domestic abuse.
The play is directed by Kristin Spagnolo and features 15 of Drexel’s students. The performances start at 8 p.m. at the Mandell Theatre.
The V-Day Campaign also includes “large-scale benefits and produces innovative gatherings, films and campaigns to educate and change social attitudes towards violence against women,” according to vday.org.
The V-Day College Campaign focuses on productions of “The Vagina Monologues” being performed on or around V-Day, Feb. 14, on college and university campuses.
The proceeds from the productions are given to local organizations within communities around the campus. V-Day.org said, “One of the goals of the College Campaign is to empower young people-the leaders, shapers and messengers of the future.”
Eve Ensler’s book “The Vagina Monologues” was based on interviews with over 200 women about their memories and experiences of sexuality, according to randomhouse.com. Women like Melissa Ethridge and Oprah Winfrey have performed the monologues, according to randomhouse.com.
The book and play have come under the fire of recent criticism. Including “the ‘othering’ of non-western women” by Megan Sweeney, a professor at University of Michigan, in an article for insidehighered.com.
In an effort to diversify “The Vagina Monologues,” students at University of Michigan cast all of the roles with minority women, according to insidehighered.com.
The decision created controversy and in the end, white women were allowed to audition as “women who may identify as white ethnics,” such as Italian or Jewish women, according to insidehighered.com.
Despite controversy surrounding the production, both University of Michigan and Drexel University are going ahead with the play.
For ticket information for Drexel’s production, call 215-895-ARTS. And for more information on V-Day visit www.vday.org.
Posted to the web by Brian Coary
