Activist, Playwright Eve Ensler To Speak at Alma
One of the world's leading crusaders for ending violence against
women will address students, faculty, staff and community at Alma
College.
World-renowned activist, performer and playwright Eve Ensler, author of the global phenomenon The Vagina Monologues, will speak at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6th in the Remick Heritage Center. Admission is free and open to the public.
As a kickoff to Ensler’s presentation and Women’s Month in March, Alma College students will perform The Vagina Monologues
at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1st and Saturday, Feb. 2nd in Jones Auditorium
at Alma College. This student-produced, -directed and -performed
benefit costs $5 or a donation at the door. All proceeds will go to the
Gratiot County Women’s Aid Services.
Author of more than a dozen plays and books and founder of the V-Day
campaign, Ensler is one of today’s most prominent crusaders for ending
violence against females and raising awareness of the conditions of
women all over the world.
“The audience can expect a wonderful presentation,” says Grandville
senior Rebecca Peacock, event organizer and student producer of Alma
College’s 2008 presentation of The Vagina Monologues.
“Eve Ensler is an extraordinary women and speaker,” she adds. “As
an activist, one of her main goals is to mobilize audiences and spread
awareness of issues that impact all people.”
Ensler founded V-Day, the global movement to end violence against women and girls, at the first benefit of The Vagina Monologues
in 1998. Currently celebrating its 10th anniversary, the V-Day campaign
has raised more than $50 million and reached thousands of communities
in more than 100 countries around the world.
The ‘V’ in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina.
Ensler is the recipient of many awards, including the Guggenheim
Fellowship Award in Playwriting, the Berrilla-Kerr Award for
Playwriting, the Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Solo Performance,
the Jury Award for Theater at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, the
Freedom of Expression Award at the Sundance Film Festival, as well as
the Amnesty International Media Spotlight Award for Leadership, the
Matrix Award, and numerous other recognitions.
Celebrating women’s sexuality and strength, The Vagina Monologues
has inspired not just V-Day but new awareness and honest discussion of
female issues and conditions as well. The different monologues
comprising the production are based on Ensler’s interviews with more
than 200 women.
"The Vagina Monologues is about women, their struggles and their
triumphs,” Peacock explains. “The monologues range from dealing
with issues of rape and assault to orgasms, aging and much more.”
Peacock continues, “The play is not only entertaining but also helps
contribute to an amazing community organization that needs our
support.”
The benefit production was first performed in Alma as part of the V-Day campaign in 2002.
Ensler’s presentation and the performances of her world-famous
monologues are sponsored and organized by the MacCurdy House, Women’s
Issues Advisory Board, Co-Curricular Committee, and the Women’s Studies
and English departments at Alma College.
Copies of the new, 10th anniversary edition of The Vagina Monologues will be available for purchase and signing following Ensler’s speech.
Posted: Mon, January 28th, 2008 at 8:18AM
