By: Katelyn Norris
“The Vagina Monologues” focuses on woman empowerment by reciting stories with the central theme of vaginas. This program is produced by the theater department and the monologues are from an Eve Ensler book by the same name. The show will be Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. in Hilary’s, with an educational fair taking place at 6:30 p.m.
Amber Schools, the director of the production said, “ It’s about the experiences of women, and it cover a broad range of topics. There’s even vagina facts.”
The show contains 15 monologues with content ranging from a 6-year-old asking questions about vaginas to a woman watching her grandchild being born to various women learning to love their vaginas. The women whose stories are being told vary by race, sexuality and cultural backgrounds.
The production also features an original monologue written by Schools, who wished to keep its content private until the show. She also said“The Vagina Monologues” is not the perfect piece and leaves out a certain female demographic: women with disabilities.
One of the assistant directors, Gracie Trowbridge, described the play as being “very intersectional.”
Trowbridge described a monologue told from a transwoman’s point of view, explaining the directors wanted to get the right to person to tell this story. She further expressed that this was also the mindset behind the casting of the other monologues.
This year will be the second appearance of “The Vagina Monologues” on Bellarmine’s campus after a brief hiatus until last spring. Schools, along with Taryn Tramill, were the driving forces behind reviving this show.
“The show itself is so important for women to especially hear it at a Catholic university,” Tramill said about restarting the production last year.
Schools said: “This is arguably one the most important pieces of political theater of our time. We’re remiss to let it die again and let it not continue.”
Another driving force behind bringing the program back is the knowledge audience members can gain from the production. Trowbridge said this production is educational and gives women the knowledge and opportunity to learn more about themselves and other women. Caroline Cox, another assistant director, said this is a chance to raise awareness and spark discussion.
“ I think it’s important for people to be aware of the subject matter and to understand it better and to see it from different perspectives…and create a conversation about it,” Cox said.
The cast also urge men to attend the monologues and learn more about women, their struggles and their experiences.
One experience the whole cast can agree on it the sense of pride and self-confidence from being a part of “The Vagina Monologues.” Schools said she witnessed many performers and audience members feeling empowered by the show.
“You can feel the power of the words. It’s just crazy because you get this sense of like pride in being a woman at like a lot more self-confidence,” Trowbridge said.
Schools emphasized the importance of having a production like the monologues on Bellarmine’s campus.
“We live in a bubble here at Bellarmine, in the Highlands. Perfect pristine world and nothing bad happens here. It’s important that we remind ourselves that Bellarmine is not the real world,” Schools said. “The real world is what these pieces are about. This is a reminder that this is what happens and that we need to make a change to make everyone’s lives better.”
The production will also collect money donations for The Center for Women and Families throughout the entire show.