WISE initiative brings 'Vagina Monologues' to Ring Theater
By Jay Cridlin
Editor in Chief

The Vagina Monologues, a feminist play in which a group of women speak candidly and passionately about their bodies, is coming to the Ring Theater after a two-year push by the Women’s Initiative for Support and Empowerment.

Students from WISE and Salem College worked together to secure the highly successful play, which is staged each February on college campuses nationwide in order to raise money and awareness for issues related to violence against women.

“I’m totally supportive of it,” said Sharon Andrews, an assistant professor of theater and a member of the steering committee for the women’s studies department.

“I think it’s a great project,” Andrews said.

“I think that anytime you can use an art form to support the healing process or to support a consciousness-raising process — not that the theater should always be didactic, but being able to use an art form to support that form of energy — is really valuable, especially in an environment like ours,” she said.

The play will be staged Feb. 8 and 9 in the Ring, with tickets going on sale early next semester.

Monologues, written by playwright Eve Ensler, has been called “a bona fide phenomenon” by the New York Times and has sold out theaters across the country.
Celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Susan Sarandon, Whoopi Goldberg and Calista Flockhart have been among the many women who have performed in the play.

Ensler’s work led to a movement known as “V-Day,” in which women use Valentine’s Day as a time to combat violence against women. The V-Day College Campaign allows college groups to stage royalty-free performances of The Vagina Monologues, with all profits going to groups fighting violence against women.

Nearly 450 universities will be involved with the program for V-Day 2002.
Last year, Monologues performances on college campuses raised $620,000 for women’s organizations.

Senior Lee Anne Quattrucci, the president of WISE, first attempted to bring the play to campus during her sophomore year. Her request was denied by V-Day that year, but Quattrucci kept pursuing the project.

“It’s an application process, like you would apply for a school or any grant,” said Quattrucci, who will graduate in December and will not be able to participate.

“It’s a big deal,” she said. “I’m kind of sad because I won’t be here.”

Salem College also applied for the campaign, but was denied. However, Quattrucci contacted some friends at Salem who were interested and both schools agreed to work together on the project.

The play will be staged twice on campus, but Quattrucci is also trying to set up a performance at Salem.

Andrews said she was glad to see the play staged on campus.

“I am impressed with the desire to do this project, and with the fact that they’ve simply done this on their own,” she said. “There are groups that are happy to support them, but it was initiated by Lee Anne and the women in WISE, and I think that’s terrific. I’m happy for the opportunity to support that initiative, that energy.”

Mary DeShazer, a professor of English and an expert in feminist theory, said the play is a modern classic that has raised a significant awareness about women’s issues.

“I’m delighted that WISE is bringing The Vagina Monologues to campus,” she said.

“I think it is one of the most important American plays of the 1990s.

Ensler presents her audiences with positive, empowering images of women’s vaginas and does so with feminist wit and wisdom.”

Quattrucci said she hopes the campus V-Day campaign will raise “somewhere between $2,000 and $5,000,” with the money going to an organization of WISE’s choice — likely an organization for Afghan women.

“There will be some fundraising events, and the whole month of February celebrates the Violence Against Women Act,” she said.

“The whole month there will be awareness activities and speakers.”

Auditions have already begun for casting in The Vagina Monologues; several university students attended a Nov. 27 audition at Salem.

Auditions on campus will begin with an informational session at 8 p.m. Dec. 3 in Scales rehearsal room. Auditions will last until 10 p.m. Dec. 3 and will last from 8 to 10 p.m.
Dec. 4.

Students may contact senior Lilly Massa at massl02@wfu.edu for more information about auditions and the performance.