2008 Woodie Awards
"Vagina Monologues" comes to SSU Cooperage
Janisha Harris
Issue date: 2/26/08 Section: Arts and Entertainment
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"The Vagina Monologues" will be performed for two nights at Sonoma State University in the Cooperage Feb. 29 through Mar. 1.
The winner of the Off Broadway Theatre Award (The OBIE award), "The Vagina Monologues" first opened in New York City at the HERE Arts Center in 1996, a center that has supported and served many different artists and audiences over the years.
SSU's production of "The Vagina Monologues" is entirely student run and this rendition of the play will mark the production's 10 year anniversary as it's traveled all across the country to a multitude of universities.
Ensler wrote the play in order to empower women who had been raped, or physically abused. The production is a series of monologues talking about celebrating femininity as well as spreading awareness about oppression against women.
Ensler models her material from real women that have come face to face with these difficult realities, in an effort to advocate for a societal change in how to deal with these injustices.
This play has been translated into many different languages and been performed in many different countries.
Having the chance to see it on campus and performed by our peers illustrates how important these issues are.
The play has really struck a nerve and as a result, spawned V-Day, a holiday that's aimed towards raising awareness about violence experienced by women. V-Day was founded in 1998 as a means to raise money for the causes addressed in "The Vagina Monologues."
The occasion has garnered such recognition that Wikipedia states, "In 2008, over 3,700 V-Day benefit events are being coordinated by volunteer activists in over 1,250 locations in the U.S. and around the world, educating millions of people about the reality of violence against women and girls."