The Visayan version of the critically-acclaimed play The Vagina Monologues will be performed for two nights this weekend.
The original play, written by American playwright and activist Eve Ensler in 1996, sparked success and controversies for tackling women’s experiences concerning sex, birth, love and rape.
The show had sold out performances at the Off-Broadway Westside from 1999 to 2003 and on London’s West End with performers that included Oprah Winfrey, Glenn Close, and Winona Ryder.
The last time The Vagina Monologues–in its original English version–was performed in Davao City was in 2000 at Apo View Hotel by three actresses namely, Monique Wilson, Lara Fabregas and Tammy Monsod.
In the past ten years, the Vagina Monolouges continues to gather acclaim with repeated performances globally, with translation of the play in 48 languages including Filipino and Visayan.
The acclaim led Ensler and various women’s groups including Gabriela to launch the global movement called V-Day that called for the end of violence against women and for the celebration of femininity.
The V-Day celebration kicked off with the One Billion Rising campaign on February 14 and International Women’s Month in March in 2012.
On April 2, 2012, OBR spokesperson Wilson staged The Vagina Monologues with actress-singer Aiza Seguerra.
The Davao-based nongovernmental Women Studies and Resource Center (WSRC) produced the Vagina Monologues with a Visayan translation by award-winning poet, fictionist, playwright and columnis, Don Pagusara.
The show will be staged at RSM Events Center at the Philippine Women’s College RSM Events Center at 7 pm in June 27 to June 28.
Director BJ Absin said the staging of The Vagina Monologues intends to engage the Davao audience on women issues, as he finds the play’s relevant on the current plight of women.
“This show will reveal women’s relation to society, how she is a victim that could be affected by disasters, by corruption, and how she is searching for empowerment. We hope the people of Davao is open to discuss this through the staging of this play,” said Absin.
The proceeds of this show will benefit rehabilitation efforts of disaster relief group Balsa Mindanao in rural areas of Compostela Valley and Davao del Norte that were hit by typhoons Pablo and Agaton.
The WSRC said repeat performances in other campuses and cities have been set this year.(davaotoday.com)
