Essays

The Vagina Monologues

A production of The Vagina Monologues recently reached the black box and I was fortunate enough to go see it over the weekend. The Vagina Monologues is a play about the different difficulties that women face that have to do with their vaginas. Eve Ensler, the author of the play, interviewed over two hundred women for the play, and out of these interviews, she came up with a series of monologues to show what real women have gone through in their lives. They talk about things like sex, periods, pubic hair, and just plain being confused, disgusted, or in the dark about the details of their own vaginas.

Ensler wrote this play very well in my opinion. She took the stories from all of these different women and compiled them into smaller stories that tell a big point. Ensler has three actresses on stage telling the stories of these women and keeping things fresh. The monologues that she chose to have in the play were all things that most every woman has at some point experienced in her life. The thing is, since we really don't talk about these things, it's not surprising that most women find that subject awkward to even think about on their own, and yet, this play shows how every woman has these thoughts and goes through these things. It is truly eye opening to hear all of these stories about things that are different, yet in a way so similar to how we think.

Erin Johnson, one of the actresses in this production of the play, was absolutely outstanding, and brought lots of life to the stage. She knew when to be quiet and tell her story softly, as to gain the sympathy of the audience in the more dark and despairing type monologue; but she also could perfectly well be vibrant and loud when she needed to be, like when being the type of girl who likes to make other girls moan. Another actress on stage that night was Rachel Rodriquez, who was able to create a good empathic connection with the audience with her stories. Both of these actresses handled the stage well, and went about their monologues wonderfully.

A woman is someone who is strong, caring, and smart. A woman can go through life bearing the pain that the world throws at us, and then proceed to go through terrible other pains only a woman would feel, like periods and childbirth, and yet we still go on and do our jobs just as well, if not better, than most men. A woman watches over the young and those in need, and she takes them under her wing to care for. Women are meant to teach us what it means to love wholly and unconditionally.

A man is someone who is brave and wise. A man must be brave to protect the ones he loves. He will fight for what is true and right, and for a cause he truly believes in, otherwise how can he truly believe in himself? A man must be wise in his decisions as well, knowing when to take a different course of action, and when to remain silent for his best interest. Being wise shows a man when it is the right time to seek justice and a fight, and when to give forgiveness and mercy.

The Vagina Monologues shows a glimpse into the life of an everyday woman when it comes to her vagina, and it's absolutely fascinating! One doesn't often realize how many others think the way we do until it has been brought to our attention. This play was a great show, and one I intend to suggest to many, many others in the future to entertain and inform them.

- 23 April, 2016