Dutchess Community College Presents: The Vagina Monologues
At 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 7th, the campus of Dutchess Community College was deserted. No students lingered outside buildings or on sidewalks; everyone was either inside, protected from the cold, or had already gone home. However, Dutchess Hall’s room 101 was warm and crackling with hectic energy. Women of all ages talk and laugh with each other as they prepare for their rehearsal of “The Vagina Monologues,” which they will perform on Thursday, February 16th, in honor of V-Day, a global movement dedicated to ending violence against women and girls.
On her website, Eve Ensler, creator of “The Vagina Monologues” and V-Day (an activist movement dedicated to ending violence against women and girls), describes the show as a “whirlwind tour of a forbidden zone,” that “introduces a wildly divergent gathering of female voices.” Throughout the course of the rehearsal, members of the cast take turns reading short, multi-person speeches or longer, single person monologues, each with a different theme or focus.
One monologue focuses on a grandmother remembering the birth of her grandchild, another on a young girl in Africa, and another on a six-year-old girl. A varied group of stories are told, some are profoundly sad, like the monologue told from the perspective of a rape victim. Others are light and humorous, like the monologue that includes a series of different types of “orgasmic moans,” but what they all have in common is that they have an important lesson or message about women to share.
After the first few monologues were read, student director Vanessa Baer kept the group focused, occasionally commenting on a reader’s pace or delegating the parts of absent speakers to others in the room in order to keep the flow of the script going. “We want this to be honest, not practiced and rehearsed… just give yourself to this rehearsal, be here, be now,” she said, reminding the women to concentrate on the rehearsal.
Although “The Vagina Monologues” is powerful in and of itself, this year the show has an especially important message in light of recent events. Lori Scolaro, president of the Association of Women at Dutchess Community College (AWDCC) and co-producer of the Vagina Monologues at the college believes that the show will help bring awareness to college students about some of the issues that are happening in the world today.
“It’s a staple for college students to be exposed to ‘The Vagina Monologues’… male or female, it’s powerful,” Scolaro said. “It’s about raising awareness for violence against women, it’s important to have the college community realize that violence against women is still prevalent.”
“The Vagina Monologues” will be performed in the James & Betty Hall Theatre at Dutchess Community College on Thursday, February 16th at 7:00 p.m. Admission is free, however donations will be accepted and all proceeds will benefit the Grace Smith House. A dessert reception and flower sale (with proceeds going to AWDCC’s women’s scholarships) will follow the performance.
For more information contact: Lori Scolaro (lori.scolaro@sunydutchess.edu), Susan Conrad (conrad@sunydutchess.edu)or Tommy Costello (tcostello@sunydutchess.edu)
