Sex education being what it is here in Utah, as well as in many other places around the United States, it is no wonder that people respond as strongly as they do to the word ‘vagina.’ Usually the word is avoided in everyday conversation. People feel more comfortable pretending vaginas and the word itself don’t exist, turning a regular part of certain bodies into a taboo subject. Enter Eve Ensler’s episodic play, “The Vagina Monologues,” which clearly has no problem using the word with all its possible connotations, positive and despairingly negative.
Just what are the “The Vagina Monologues”?
“The ‘Monologues’ is a series of stories and interviews that were conducted by Eve Ensler and is a combination of different stories,” said director, producer and U student Napsugar Hegedus. “Some of [the monologues] are based off of one woman’s stories, and some of them are based off of several women’s stories surrounding the same subject.”
These stories are all tied to women’s experiences relating to their sexuality and range in topic from passion, desire and bliss to rape, abuse, battery and sexual harassment.
Hegedus has directed and produced “The Vagina Monologues” at the U for two years now.
“I’ve been doing the Monologues since 2011. I studied down at Southern Utah University for two years, that’s when I was first in it,” she said. “I saw the production when I was like 10 years old — my mom took me to go and see it in Vegas, and I’ve been enamored with it ever since.”
This year’s cast is comprised of 26 actors, including Hegedus, who is aided by assistant director Darrah Jones.
U student Kate Heiner is one of the actors. Not having seen “The Vagina Monologues” prior to being cast in the show, Heiner tried out more from a desire to practice auditioning. Still, the show has spoken to a lot of her personal thoughts about female sexuality.
“One of my thesis projects deals with rape and sexual violence, particularly exploring the rhetoric of how we talk about it,” Heiner said.
From her research for that project, she has learned that one in three women in Utah experiences sexual assault and violence, as opposed to the national average of one in five, and that women aged 18 to 35 are the most likely to be affected. As Heiner explained, “That is like every girl that steps on the University of Utah campus! Why aren’t we talking about this?”
Both Heiner and Hegedus were adamant in their beliefs that people should see this show and contribute to discussions on sexual assault and violence, particularly when they are perpetrated against women. The category of women also includes transgender women. The piece Heiner performs in directly engages in experiences of transgender women, which she said has been complicated in rehearsals since none of the four women involved in that piece identifies as transgender. They have often questioned the ethics around speaking for that group but have come to the conclusion that they are vessels for the performance.
“We are there to help express and communicate what’s going on,” Heiner said.
“The Vagina Monologues” will be at the U for only two days, this Saturday, Feb. 27, and Sunday, Feb. 28. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for the general public, with all funds going toward the U’s Women’s Resource Center. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-vagina-monologues-2016-tickets-21438346672. For more information, visit “The Vagina Monologues 2016” on Facebook.