2008 Woodie Awards
Women Empowered Through Words
Emily Buckley
Issue date: 2/27/08 Section: Culture
Laughing one minute, crying the next, and gasping throughout, the audience of "The Vagina Monologues" rode on a theatrical roller coaster of emotion. Don't think the men weren't along for the ride.
Last Friday and Saturday night, nineteen women ranging in age from 14 to 65 years old, 11 local artists, and a supportive community collaborated to perform and reform. The performing arts program Sanctuary Stage hosted the event, which took place at the Eureka Theater. Though many label this production 'male bashing,' those who watch the show might say it's more of a comedy, certifiable by the consistent explosive laughter coming from audience members.
Director and Humboldt State University senior nursing major Helena Class said that though hilarious, this performance offers insight by giving the vagina a voice to tell a story about its intricacies and idiosyncrasies. "Women and men, especially college-age, can find liberation from seeing 'The Vagina Monologues.' It can help them to feel good about their bodies, and embrace their sexuality," she said.
Many of the women did not consider themselves actors, just passionate women united for a cause: to stop violence against women and to celebrate vaginas. Ciara Hunt, an 8-and-a-half month pregnant Arcata local, preformed, "I was there in the room." This is a monologue about a mother witnessing her daughter giving birth. Rebecca Caswell, Humboldt State nursing major, preformed, "The woman who loved to make vaginas happy." Her skit consisted of mimicking women's different types of sexually expressive moans. "The Flood," performed by Norma Livella, was a true story about a woman who had never had an orgasm at 72 years old. "A woman came up to me after the production and told me she related to my performance," Livella said.
Monologues were broken up by women reading facts about vaginas, and with brief group performances. Humboldt State graduate Michelle Kagan read, "The clitoris contains the most concentrated number of nerve endings in the human body, twice the amount of the penis." All the women sat onstage for the duration of the performance in support of one another. "There was no diva. We all meshed very well, which isn't always the case with large groups of women," Livella said.
Last Friday and Saturday night, nineteen women ranging in age from 14 to 65 years old, 11 local artists, and a supportive community collaborated to perform and reform. The performing arts program Sanctuary Stage hosted the event, which took place at the Eureka Theater. Though many label this production 'male bashing,' those who watch the show might say it's more of a comedy, certifiable by the consistent explosive laughter coming from audience members.
Director and Humboldt State University senior nursing major Helena Class said that though hilarious, this performance offers insight by giving the vagina a voice to tell a story about its intricacies and idiosyncrasies. "Women and men, especially college-age, can find liberation from seeing 'The Vagina Monologues.' It can help them to feel good about their bodies, and embrace their sexuality," she said.
Many of the women did not consider themselves actors, just passionate women united for a cause: to stop violence against women and to celebrate vaginas. Ciara Hunt, an 8-and-a-half month pregnant Arcata local, preformed, "I was there in the room." This is a monologue about a mother witnessing her daughter giving birth. Rebecca Caswell, Humboldt State nursing major, preformed, "The woman who loved to make vaginas happy." Her skit consisted of mimicking women's different types of sexually expressive moans. "The Flood," performed by Norma Livella, was a true story about a woman who had never had an orgasm at 72 years old. "A woman came up to me after the production and told me she related to my performance," Livella said.
Monologues were broken up by women reading facts about vaginas, and with brief group performances. Humboldt State graduate Michelle Kagan read, "The clitoris contains the most concentrated number of nerve endings in the human body, twice the amount of the penis." All the women sat onstage for the duration of the performance in support of one another. "There was no diva. We all meshed very well, which isn't always the case with large groups of women," Livella said.
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