Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues confronts audiences’ discomfort from its very first line: “I bet you’re worried.” As the play’s introduction points out, it “doesn’t matter how many times you say it, it never sounds like a word you want to say.” But past the shock of The Vagina Monologues’ frank language lies a well-crafted, emotionally gripping play, and one the actors, directors and producers of Georgetown’s rendition hope will bring to light women’s issues and sexuality on the Hilltop.
Presented by Georgetown University Take Back the Night and GU Men Creating Change, The Vagina Monologues is directed by Vicky Handley (COL ’11), Whitney McAniff (COL ’12), Alex Russo (COL ’11) and Elizabeth Seaman (COL ’12). Seaman, who also works as stage manager, noted that much of the negative reaction to The Vagina Monologues arises simply because people “either haven’t seen it, or aren’t really aware of what it’s about.”
“A lot of the underlying themes are ideas that—at least I hope—people don’t object to: women being equal, women being empowered,” she said.
Handley and Seaman aim first and foremost to create an enjoyable production that will entertain the audience and inspire engagement. By going out to see The Vagina Monologues here at Georgetown, students will also help support Spotlight on Women of Haiti, as proceeds from the performances will aid victims of the 2010 earthquake, as well as the DC charity Courtney’s House, which helps women and girls who have survived sex trafficking in the United States.
Although the production does address jarring issues such as sexual assault and violence, it balances these with empowering dialogue and scenes of levity. “Hey Miss Pat,” a monologue by Miss Patricia Henry of New Orleans, focuses on an extraordinary woman’s contribution to her community in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. “Lists” crafts real women’s answer to the question: “If your vagina got dressed, what would it wear?” Actresses proudly exclaim: “Mink! Silk stockings! Something machine washable! … Armani only!”
Despite the play’s positive message, its performance at Georgetown still meets its share of opposition. Conservative blog Catholic Campus Watch remarked that “it is hard to imagine a production more degrading to woman… with its anti-Catholic message of indecency.”
Looking to scenes like “Hey Miss Pat,” actress Tamika Ferguson (SFS ‘11) cannot see how The Vagina Monologues could be taken as degrading to women, and hopes that the play continues as a strong Georgetown tradition. Actress Hannah Hauer-King (COL ‘14) found the Catholic Campus Watch’s opinion “hilarious” adding that anything “very feminist and sexually explicit is going to cause some element of outrage … I think the blog happening is actually a positive thing for The Vagina Monologues.” Although Hauer-King remembers reading the play and feeling uncomfortable, she believes that the aim of the production is “to end it feeling comfortable and laughing, and not taking it as an extremist political position, but more of a well intentioned and feminist work that has a good sense of humor.”
Although aware that not everyone at Georgetown will see The Vagina Monologues, the cast and directors agree that its presence alone on campus proves valuable. While critics argue that the play conflicts with Georgetown’s Catholic identity, Handley disagrees, believing that the use of theater to further change and address issues of social justice fits in perfectly with the Jesuit tradition.
“I hope that audiences leave the performance with the urge to start a conversation about the play—both with people who also saw it and the Georgetown community as a whole,” she said.
The Vagina Monologues runs in the Devine Studio Theater in the Davis Center from Thursday, Feb. 3 through Sunday, Feb. 6.
