A V-Day tradition: ‘The Vagina Monologues’ at Elon

Brittany Yelverton / Reporter

“The Vagina Monologues,” a critically acclaimed and often controversial production, was written by playwright Eve Ensler to inform the global community of the stigmas and brutality the female gender often endures. 

The performance is directed by Cortney Sprinkles and stars Ashley Busch, Rosie Allensworth, Monica Arone, Stephanie Leon, Ashley Condict, Adeline Vadini and Valencia Smith.

Each Valentine’s Day weekend, college campuses across the United States stage productions of “The Vagina Monologues” to enlighten their audiences of the violence and crimes committed against the female population. 

This nationwide outreach is being referred to as the V-Day initiative, which is a campaign to put a stop to domestic violence.

Often considered a biased and feministic play, “The Vagina Monologues” tends to rouse several emotions, causing its audience to question its preconceived notions about women, feminism, and female anatomy.  Contributing to the controversy of “The Vagina Monologues” are the use of obscenities are used throughout the production. The stigmatic term “vagina” can be found 128 times within the play.

Though the play is often viewed as controversial, the primary concern of “The Vagina Monologues” is not to make its audience uncomfortable. As director Cortney Sprinkles affirms, “It’s about empowerment and bringing women’s issues to the forefront.” 

 “The Vagina Monologues” is a collection of several different true stories regarding the lives and obstacles of various women; some comedic, some disturbing and others dramatically heartbreaking. 

Ashley Condict, assistant director and cast member, has participated in previous productions of “The Vagina Monologues” and believes that it is imperative “that the audience comes in with an open mind.”

The eight-person female cast will be performing “The Vagina Monologues” at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m in Whitley Auditorium .  Tickets can be purchased in Moseley Center or at the door for $5. 

Nationwide productions of “The Vagina Monologues” benefit the V-Day campaign, therefore all of the proceeds that the Elon production acquires will be contributed to Crossroads, a crisis center in Burlington that offers assistance to women who are victims of domestic violence and provides counseling to rape victims.

Brittany Yelverton / Photographer

“The Vagina Monologues” will be performed this weekend by Ashley Busch, Rosie Allensworth, Monica Arone, Stephanie Leon, Ashley Condict, Cortney Sprinkles, Adeline Vadini and Valencia Smith from left to right, bottom to top, above. Not pictured: Sara Horn.