Vagina Monologues Kicks Off with Initial Auditions
Tuesday, December 13th, 2011
On December 7 and 8, approximately 50 students gathered at the Study Center in 90 Fifth Ave. to audition for The New School’s upcoming rendition of “The Vagina Monologues.”
V-Day at The New School, a student-led women’s rights organization founded in 2007, sponsored the auditions. While those involved stress that everyone who auditioned will be involved with the performance to some extent, they believe the auditioning process is a chance to bond with members of the university community.
“I’m really excited about the way this is going so far,” said Catherine Gobel, co-chair of V-Day at The New School and a junior at Eugene Lang College. “Some have background in performing, while others just came to be part of a community. Either way, this is a cause we can all get behind.”
The student-led program is an extension of the national V-Day movement, started in 1998 by playwright and activist Eve Ensler in an effort to end violence against women and girls worldwide. Ensler based “The Vagina Monologues” on a series of interviews with women about rape and sexual abuse. Each year, between February and April, over 5,000 events are held around the world in support of the movement.
The play will be staged at Tishman Auditorium on April 14. In addition, on April 21, performers will read a series of original, student-penned monologues. Proceeds from both shows will be going to Dwa Fanm, a Brooklyn-based women’s rights organization.
“’We’ve worked with a lot of local charities over the years,” said Katherine Towell, a V-Day at The New School board member. “In Creole, ‘dwa fanm’ means ‘women’s rights.’ We think that sends the right message all around.”
V-Day at The New School, a student-led women’s rights organization founded in 2007, sponsored the auditions. While those involved stress that everyone who auditioned will be involved with the performance to some extent, they believe the auditioning process is a chance to bond with members of the university community.
“I’m really excited about the way this is going so far,” said Catherine Gobel, co-chair of V-Day at The New School and a junior at Eugene Lang College. “Some have background in performing, while others just came to be part of a community. Either way, this is a cause we can all get behind.”
The student-led program is an extension of the national V-Day movement, started in 1998 by playwright and activist Eve Ensler in an effort to end violence against women and girls worldwide. Ensler based “The Vagina Monologues” on a series of interviews with women about rape and sexual abuse. Each year, between February and April, over 5,000 events are held around the world in support of the movement.
The play will be staged at Tishman Auditorium on April 14. In addition, on April 21, performers will read a series of original, student-penned monologues. Proceeds from both shows will be going to Dwa Fanm, a Brooklyn-based women’s rights organization.
“’We’ve worked with a lot of local charities over the years,” said Katherine Towell, a V-Day at The New School board member. “In Creole, ‘dwa fanm’ means ‘women’s rights.’ We think that sends the right message all around.”
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