Vagina Monologues to benefit Domestic Violence Helpline

The groundbreaking show The Vagina Monologues created by Eve Ensler in 1997, has inspired a group of local women to put on a second production of the show in Bonners Ferry.

The show will begin at  8 p.m. on Friday , April 23, and Saturday April 24, in the Community Events Center across from the Rex Theater in downtown Bonners Ferry.

Tickets can be purchased for $15 at Under The Sun and Bonners Books.  Proceeds go to  Domestic Violence and Youth Crisis Helpline.

Barbara Rawlings, Margaret Huggins and other phenomenal women in the community are performing the monologues in recognition of sexual assault awareness month.

The Vagina Monologues are a series of sly, lyrical, incisive first-person vignettes, most of them hilarious, some heartbreaking, all of them illuminating women's lives.

“The parts are written about real people who may have been victimized, and some are just funny stories and some will make you cry,” said Huggins.

Huggins asked Rawlings if she would do it again this year since the previous year they had so much fun.

Huggins’ part is based on a grandmother taking part in the birth of her daughter’s child which Huggins said she just experienced in real life, so she can really relate to her performance. 

Ensler has performed with Jane Fonda, Calista Flockhart, Kate WInslet, Glenn Close and Oprah Winfrey.  These are just a few of the dozens of actresses who joined Enlser’s crusade.

“The stories come from the hundreds of interviews Eve Ensler had with women about different topics with their bodies, sexuality and relationships and out of them she created the monologues,” Rawlings said.  “Some are composites and some are the actual interviews all written by Ensler.”

“Last year we had a group of four women who performed and this year we have seven women from Bonners Ferry participating in the performance,” said Rawlings.

The women are from various ages, backgrounds and experience, and the readings will be entertaining and eye opening. 

“We are having a great time doing it, it is challenging and a lot of fun and I think the audience will enjoy it and be challenged also,” said Rawlings.

The Domestic Violence and Youth Crisis helpline number is 267-5211 and is a 24-hour crisis line.