Vagina is a word that can make people uncomfortable.
“The Vagina Monologues,” aims to break down that feeling by covering topics women often have had difficulty speaking about in public, said Courtney Kersten, director of this year”s production.
Themes of the play include domestic violence, pubic hair and anger, Kersten said.
Kersten, who received her bachelor”s degree in theater, said she has since decided to work only in plays with an activist component. Kersten herself has performed in “The Vagina Monologues” twice, and said she is excited to be directing it this year.
“I love the play because I think it talks about a lot of issues that women maybe wouldn”t talk about publicly. But putting it in a public forum, which is not only making it not so mysterious but also empowering,” Kersten said.
Auditions for the play will take place from 5-7 p.m. Friday, and 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Both auditions will take place at the Arena Theater in Shoup Hall.
Instead of the monologues last year, Kersten performed in the play “Any One of Us,” which was by the same playwright, Eve Ensler.
Although some of the monologues are new this year, Ensler, a well-known activist, transcribed the monologues years ago, Kersten said. She said this year”s performance even includes a monologue from the perspective of a transgender woman.
Stories come from Ensler”s interviews with women from all over the world, ages 6 to 70, which are transcribed and performed internationally as part of the V-Day Campaign, said Rebekah MillerMacPhee, assistant director for programming at the Women”s Center. The monologues have been performed in over 40 languages, MillerMacPhee said.
A global activist movement, the V-Day Campaign aims to raise awareness about violence against women and about women”s issues in general, Kersten said.
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Rebekah MillerMacPhee is the assistant director of programs for the Women’s Center.
The campaign not only involves plays about women”s issues, but also includes workshops and educational presentations, MillerMacPhee said.
She said the V-Day campaign was originally brought to the University of Idaho by FLAME, a feminist organization, which also helped organize “The Vagina Monologues” at the university. The first production at UI took place in 2002, MillerMacPhee said.
After FLAME died out for a period of time, VOX took over the play until 2009, at which point the Women”s Center took on the responsibility of the production. The Women”s Center has produced the “The Vagina Monologues” every year since, with the exception of last year, MillerMacPhee said.
MillerMacPhee has been involved with “The Vagina Monologues” for the past eight years, both at Washington State University and UI, but this is her first time producing it.
“It”s a really cool way to engage in activism because it really does make a significant difference to people right here in our community,” MillerMacPhee said.
The large majority of proceeds raised by show will go to Alternatives to Violence of the Palouse or fund the operations of the Women”s Center, while a smaller portion will fund the V-Day Campaign, MillerMacPhee said.
Performances are scheduled from Feb. 18-20, and include about 15-20 performers, Kersten said.
Both MillerMacPhee and Kersten said those involved want anyone who is interested and identifies as a woman to audition. This means students, university staff and community members, Kersten said.
“We”re really making an effort to make this open to everybody, and let people know that we”re interested in how they feel about it and interested in their involvement,” MillerMacPhee said.
Those who audition should be able to discuss why they want to be involved in the production, but otherwise do not need to prepare anything, Kersten said of the auditions. She said it is fine if people auditioning would like to prepare something in advance, but cold reads will be provided.
Nina Rydalch can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @NinaRobin7