2008 Woodie Awards
Until the Violence Stops
Jamie Mariano
Issue date: 3/6/07 Section: News
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In hopes to bring awareness to the William Paterson University community, the play has been performed annually for the past seven years. A percentage of the play's proceeds go to V-Day. Locally, WPU supports Strengthen Our Sisters, a battered women's shelter in West Milford. Strengthen Our Sisters is an organization devoted to ending the cycle of violence for women and children. It received a $1,000 donation from last year's three sold-out performances.
Lydia Martin, the feminist collective president says, "audience reactions [to the play] range from bust-a-gut funny to being on the verge of tears. But most of all, the monologues are meant to bring pride back to the vagina, and to break through the shame society feels it needs."
In an effort to raise funds and awareness of violence against women of all ages, the organization puts on benefit performances of The Vagina Monologues, based on the book by Eve Ensler of the same name, in countries around the world. At William Paterson University, this play is sponsored by the Women's Center and the student club, Feminist Collective.
Bernadette Malavarca, the women's center department secretary, says the play is a "series of monologues that range from comedic approaches to the body and sexual experiences to serious topics such as abuse."
As part of the WPU celebration of Women's History Month, The Vagina Monologues will be performed at the Hunziker Black Box Theater on March 6 at 12:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets will only be sold at the door at a price of $5 per student with a WPU ID. The faculty and staff price is $10, and general admission is $12.
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