'Vagina Monologues' returns for second consecutive year

When Nicole Webb, junior women's studies major, found out there were no plans for Seattle University to host "The Vagina Monologues" this year, she took action. Webb organized the production with the Society of Feminists and united multiple clubs along the way.

Seattle U's production of "The Vagina Monologues" will be held this weekend. All proceeds will go to the Northwest Network, a Seattle-based organization that works with bisexual, trans, lesbian and gay survivors of abuse.

Eve Ensler wrote "The Vagina Monologues" in 1998 and founded the women's rights organization V-Day. The series of monologues focusing on feminism and female rights has been performed in more than 75 countries. Each monologue is somehow related to the vagina and the pieces range between sad, funny and even violent subject matter, touching on topics of abuse or adolescent sexual curiosity.

As a regular participant in "The Vagina Monologues" at other schools, Nicole Webb was interested in performing this year but found out no one was planning on running performances.

"I thought that there has got to be a lot of programs on campus and a lot of clubs that would want to be involved in this," Webb said. "I don't know where they are, and I would assume there are a lot of people at this school who may have a hard time understanding where all these clubs are."


Webb got in touch with the Society of Feminists first, and with other groups they created Domestic Violence Awareness Week. This week, clubs have been holding various events educating about domestic violence. Clubs involved include Trans and Allies, Triangle Club, Society of Feminists and OXFAM.


This movement will promote the ideas of the V-Day campaign and conclude with three productions of "The Vagina Monologues."


"Our main role has been to get all these clubs connected and try to create a network that will be sustainable for the rest of the year and future years for clubs that deal with gender issues and issues of general inequality," said Wynn Barnard, co-president of the Society of Feminists and co-producer of Domestic Violence Awareness Week. "I think this is going to be a lasting connection and one that's going to help us make this an annual event."


The presentation of the "Monologues" will be quite different from previous years. Everyone who auditioned was given a role, and lines will not be memorized as usual but instead read aloud.

Webb thinks this will inspire even more emotion into the performance.

"This is not a play; these are real women's stories," Webb said. "If you're worried about getting your lines right you may very well lose part of the story. It's really important to us to have them go up there and be vulnerable."

Others involved hope this vulnerability will affect those in the audience.


"[The Vagina Monologues] really affected me and changed me and made me think about all these aspects of being a woman that I had never really thought about," said Hannah Reid, co-director and sophomore sociology and fine arts major. "What I'm really excited for is to give that opportunity to others."

Performances will be held in Pigott Auditorium Feb. 12 through Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. Presale tickets are available at the Campus Assistance Center for $5 for staff and students and $8 for the public and tickets are $8/$10 at the door.

Ian may be reached at mccutche@seattleu.edu.