Baton Rouge locals looking to punctuate women’s history month with an exclamation mark may look no further than a performance of “The Vagina Monologues.”
STAR, the Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response Center, will host the performance tonight at the Lyceum Dean Ballroom in downtown Baton Rouge. Venue doors will open at 6 p.m. for a silent auction, and the performance will begin at 7 p.m.
Eve Ensler’s “Vagina Monologues” is a collection of funny, taboo and provocative vignettes which focus on the topic of female sexuality.
“It will show the range of real experiences that [Ensler] has collected from different women over her life,” said Racheal Hebert, STAR program director.
She said the performance’s cast is comprised of local women who vary in theatrical and artistic performance experience. The cast includes four University graduate students, according to Hebert.
The event will be held with support from V-DAY, a non-profit group committed to ending violence against women and girls.
“It’ll be fun because we’ve combined art with activism,” said Hebert.
She said 10 percent of the event’s proceeds will go toward a V-DAY campaign to support women in Haiti. The remaining 90 percent of the profits will benefit STAR and women locally. Hebert said the function is a good way to get involved with local and foreign women’s support groups.
Colleen Kissel, English junior, got involved with V-DAY and a performance of “The Vagina Monologues” last year. Kissel performed a monologue and crocheted two vaginas that were sold to benefit STAR and the V-DAY cause.
“I read the monologues in high school and liked their openness about women’s self-identity and sexuality,” Kissel said.
Kissel said gender violence is an important problem to her and said she felt “Vagina Monologues” performances – past, present and future – are a good way to bring attention to the problem.
“Women deserve to feel safe in their own bodies,” Kissel said.
Hebert said STAR has already sold about 100 tickets in advance, but there will be some available for $15 at the door.
 
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Contact Josh Naquin at [email protected]