For the fourth time in 13 years, The Vagina Monologues will be on stage in Powell River.
Far Off Broadway Theatre Company is staging the monologues for one night only on Wednesday, April 30, at Patricia Theatre. Director and Powell River VDAY coordinator CaroleAnn Leishman hopes again for a packed house. “The first time I suggested to the Far Off Broadway board members that we should put on “The Vagina Monologues” there was a universal intake of breath, a long pause and several shocked comments of ‘The what monologues?’” she said, laughing. “For the couple of months leading up to the first production in 2001 women would whisper to each other on the street or at work: ‘Are you going to the monologues?’ We’ve come a long way in 13 years.”
The play was written in 1994 by author Eve Ensler who, after interviewing dozens of women to gather the material, started performing the monologues as a one-woman show in New York City as a way to raise awareness about violence against women. On Valentine’s Day in 1998 she started the VDAY Foundation, a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls. The foundation now raises millions of dollars each year with over 10,000 productions of The Vagina Monologues performed worldwide annually as well as other productions written by Ensler.
With the money raised through this global campaign the foundation has funded the Panzi Hospital and built “The City of Joy” in Bukavu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, that helps victims of rape physically and emotionally reclaim their lives. The foundation also supports many other initiatives at the local level in many communities worldwide. The VDAY board of directors includes activist/actors such as Jane Fonda, Rosario Dawson, Charlize Theron, Thandie Newton and Kerry Washington.
The Powell River production will be performed by 10 actresses this year including previous performers: Leishman, Carma Sacree, Christine Hollmann and Roberta Pearson; as well as six new performers: Isabelle Southcott, Melissa Call, Claudia Medina, Nola Poirier, Dawne Briggs and Annabelle Tully-Barr.
Doors open at 7 pm and the show begins at 8 pm on Wednesday, April 30. There will be wine, beer and other refreshments as well as a few raffles. Tickets are $25 available at Breakwater Books and the Patricia box office. “We do anticipate the event selling out as it has in past years so get your tickets early,” said Leishman. “You will have one of the most entertaining and informative nights of your life.”
