January 18, 2005

Campus celebrates V-Day with Vagina Monologues

California State University, Sacramento is preparing to host for the fourth year Eve Ensler’s hysterical, poignant and liberating The Vagina Monologues in a production directed and performed entirely by Sacramento State students.

Three performances of the Obie Award-winning play are scheduled for 8 p.m., Thursday to Saturday, Feb. 3 to 5, in the Playwrights' Theatre in Shasta Hall.

The show is based on interviews Ensler conducted with more than 200 women about their sexuality. From them, she created a delicately balanced series of painful, joyous, mysterious and ultimately powerful tales told from their perspective. Ranging from delightful sexual experiences to organized rape in Bosnia, the stories honor all women.

Sacramento State students Stefani Overman and Jena Grant direct a cast of nearly a dozen women in this year’s University production. Performances will include an appearance by Rashelle Cain, Miss Black California, USA.

The Sacramento State presentation of the Monologues is part of a worldwide movement created by Ensler to help end violence against women and girls centered on “V-Day” Feb. 14. More than 600 colleges presented the play last year in support “V-Day.” The Sacramento State production benefits the University's Violence and Sexual Assault Support Services and the SHARE Institute, a local non-profit organization working to improve the health and well being of women and families in the U.S. and abroad.
The event is sponsored by Sacramento State's Women's Resource Center, CSUS NOW, Mellow Me Out, Luna Bars and Coffee Works of Sacramento

Advance purchase of tickets is recommended as the show has sold out the previous two years. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $8 for students, and can be purchased at the CSUS Ticket Office at (916) 278-4323 or www.tickets.com. For media assistance contact public affairs at (916) 278-6156.

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