This Valentine’s Day, Western New Mexico Fine Arts Center Theatre hosts a “one night only” production to raise money and awareness for the mission and vision of Silver Regional Sexual Assault Support Services. $15 Tickets are available now online or $20 at the door on Feb. 14 at 6:30 p.m. V-Day is a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls started by author, playwright, and activist Eve Ensler. V-Day began on Feb. 14, 1998, when the very first V-Day benefit performance of Ensler's play The Vagina Monologues took place in NYC, raising over $250k for local anti-violence groups.
For too many people, “vagina” is a dirty word, organizer Wendy Spurgeon said.
“Men are perfectly comfortable talking about their penises, and women are used to hearing them talk about their ‘packages,’ but vaginas are still considered off-limits among most,” Spurgeon said, a local producer and director.
That’s why she embraced the message of Eve Ensler‘s influential 1996 play, The Vagina Monologues, when she first encountered it. She reached out to SRSASS Outreach and Education Coordinator, Emma Eileen McKinley, to set the wheels in motion for a Silver City Production on the 26th Anniversary of the first V-Day benefit performance in 1998.
“Unfortunately, sexual violence is a prominent problem in our society — and around the world,” McKinley said. “The work of SRSASS is extremely important in our community as they work toward creating a world free of violence by providing services to survivors and families through case management, crisis intervention, community education and awareness, counseling, and accompaniment for both the SANE exam and legal proceedings.”
The Vagina Monologues explores sexual experiences, body image, genital mutilation, vaginal care, menstrual periods, and other topics through the eyes of women of various ages, races, and sexualities. The WNMU presentation will feature a cast of 8 local women.
“My hope is that the audience will walk away with a better understanding of the issues that women face, a deeper education of the difficult and sometimes horrible journey that many women have traveled,” McKinley says. “But overall, the feel of the production is much more funny than it is somber.”
Spurgeon stresses the importance of men attending the show.
“These are issues that affect their wives, daughters, mothers, sisters and friends,” she said. “Due to the sensitive subject matter, we recommend this show for people 16 and up unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for a 7 p.m. showtime. $15 Tickets can be purchased online now at https://silverregionalsass.harnessgiving.org/events/1303 or for $20 at the door. Refreshments will be available during a brief intermission.
Silver Regional Sexual Assault Support Services (SRSASS) is a non-profit Rape Crisis Center established in 2011. We are located in the southwest region of New Mexico providing services to survivors of sexual violence in Grant and Hidalgo Counties. Our vision is a world in which all people are safe, valued, and free from any form of violence and oppression.
SRSASS’ services are available 24/7/365 with a crisis hot-line that is staffed by a trained volunteer advocate or a staff member.
