Asheville – Eve Ensler’s 1996 episodic play, The Vagina Monologues, was an immediate hit and is still incredibly applicable almost 30 years later. Based on interviews with over 200 women and girls, the stories were originally perceived as a celebration of the female anatomy, feminine sexuality, and the ways in which women and girls are shamed by society for their bodies.
Within two years, however, the focus changed when Ensler founded V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women. Since February 14th, 1998, a different version of the play has been performed around the world, with every performance raising money for organizations that help victims of sexual violence and domestic abuse.
Another important change that has been made to Ensler’s original script is that she has added a new monologue every year. Each one was chosen to reflect issues that were not addressed in the original production. Evolving with the changing ideas of gender and even listening to critics at times, The Vagina Monologues has continued to remain representative and relevant.
Hendersonville Theatre has harnessed the power, humor, and quiet sorrow of the original play with the tenacious performances of its three actors, Natalie Broadway, Jennifer Russ, and CC Blackburn. Each woman was portraying many of the individuals interviewed by Ensler, and I was astonished at how fully formed each character felt to me.
Varying in ages, ethnicities, social and economic backgrounds, and vastly different approaches to how they felt about telling the often intimate stories, Broadway, Russ, and Blackburn managed to deliver the depths, wit, gutting heartbreak, and at times horror, of each voice they were depicting.
Directing this intensely intricate web of experiences is Ellen Pappas, who has been involved in theater for several decades and was exactly who Hendersonville Theatre was looking for when they sought a “fearless director” for this iconic production.
In her Director’s Notes, Pappas says, “What an adventure this has been: bringing truth, poignancy, sorrow, heartbreak, hilarity, humanity, and love to the stage. Over 200 women shared their deepest, most intimate selves through their stories, and I am deeply honored to bring their realities to you with three incredible, powerful actors and a stellar crew.”
I should add that the crew is indeed stellar. From stage manager Sara Hassinger to lighting designer Madeleine Anderson to costumer Emily Dake, everything onstage was visually captivating from beginning to end.
Through all of it, whether the piece was funny, angry, or sad, we in the audience felt the shame that society foists on women and girls for their bodies, and especially their reproductive systems. For me, shame felt like the underlying thread that tied every monologue to the next one. Each time I was laughing until I couldn’t breathe, wiping tears from my face, or sitting there completely gutted by a story, I felt the layer of shame beneath the surface.
If you’re not certain exactly what to expect, I thought Hendersonville Theatre’s summation of the show was beautifully explained: “A poignant and hilarious tour of the last frontier, the ultimate forbidden zone, The Vagina Monologues is a celebration of the feminine experience in all its complexity and mystery. Based on countless interviews conducted with real-life women, the production features stories of body image, consensual and nonconsensual sexual experiences, genital mutilation, direct and indirect encounters with reproduction, sex work, and several other topics through the eyes of women of various ages, races, sexualities, and other differences. A recurring theme throughout the piece is the vagina as a tool of female empowerment and the ultimate embodiment of individuality.”
Even after almost 30 years, I believe this is still an immensely important social and political theatrical piece. No matter your age, gender, anatomy, ethnicity, or economic status, this is a show I think everyone should see. And if you’re going to experience it, this production will affect you profoundly.
The Vagina Monologues runs through February 11th, with evening performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3:00 p.m.
For more information, visit hendersonvilletheatre.org.