Borough Among 4,500 Performances of 'Vagina Monologues' This Year

The power of one word. A three-syllable noun that's inked into every edition of Webster's Dictionary, found in millions of science books and spoken every day in classrooms around the world.

Such a natural, common term—yet, when spoken in public, still has the power to instantaneously drain all color from some faces.

Vagina.

To the faces who just went translucent by simply seeing the word—pinch your cheeks and keep on reading.

Because, ready or not, the Vagina is coming to Collingswood. Nineteen of them, to be exact.

At promptly 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 24, all 19 will use the Scottish Rite Auditorium stage—located at 315 White Horse Pike in Collingswood—to perform Eve Ensler's world-renowned production, The Vagina Monologues.

And "V-Day" Campaign Organizer Will DeTurck, who is directing the countywide branch of this year's monologues—the production is not sponsored by Camden County, but will benefit organizations within the county—said the Collingswood production is part of a bigger picture.

"V-Day is a global effort to stop violence against women and girls, and it promotes creative events to increase awareness and raise money for anti-violence organizations," said DeTurck. "V-Day brings attention to the fight to stop violence against women and girls—including rape, battery, incest, female gender mutilation and sex slavery."

DeTurck said The Vagina Monologues is staged locally around the world each year, and 10 percent of each show's proceeds are donated to vday.org. This year, Collingswood is among 4,500 worldwide productions.

"We will give 10 percent of our show, fundraiser and event proceeds to V-Day International. This year, V-Day International is donating those funds to two beneficiaries—the Republic of Congo, to advocate against gender mutilation; and to Haiti, to support three post-earthquake Haitian shelters and promote non-violence."

The remaining 90 percent of funds that the Collingswood monologues raises will be donated to two local beneficiaries, said DeTurck. The first, Camden County Center for Family Services' SERV program, will help support women and children affected by domestic violence and rape. A local transgendered organization is the second beneficiary, and funds will help raise an awareness and understanding for our transgendered and transitioning neighbors.

With such small- and large-scale promise stemming from the Collingswood production, Vagina is more powerful than ever.

A good power. Ensler's monologues are not rooted in vulgarity. The play does not seek to offend or unnerve its audience. Its script was not written to disgrace or mock the female gender.

In truth, The Vagina Monologues is intended to manifest just the opposite.

Each monologue during the 90-minute production is read by a different woman. And each monologue tells a story.

Some monologues are tragic. Some are brutal. Some are unfair. Some provide comic relief. But each of them tell a different woman's story. They're vastly dissimilar, but they are all stories of womanhood.

There's a story for everyone. Many of the monologues parallel audience members' own life experiences. Other monologues act as eye-openers for women who can't relate.

It's a celebration of what makes us the same. Regardless of what paths lead us to womanhood—some rocky, others paved—Ensler's play uses the vagina to unite all women.

As each monologue sends raw, human emotion rippling through the audience—fear, love, helplessness, pain, vulnerability—the word vagina becomes less translucent, and far more empowering.  

Tickets to the March 24 show can be purchased through Ticketmaster and range in price, from $15 to $50. 

Events are also being held prior to, and following, Collingswood's one-night performance of The Vagina Monologues. Proceeds from all fundraising events will also go to this year's local and international beneficiaries.

• March 12—An Afternoon of Pretty Spa Day—Rizzieri Spa School, 8200 Town Center Blvd., Voorhees—From noon to 3 p.m., spend $25 and choose two of the following:  manicure, pedicure, facial or blowout. Food and beverages included.
  
• March 15—A Night at the Aquarium—Adventure Aquarium, 1 Aquarium Dr., Camden—From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., have a family adventure with the kids at the aquarium.  Tickets are $35 per person, and include admission, food, drink and fun.
  
• April 28—Denim Day—Camden County Center for Family Services—Join us in wearing denim all day to stop sexual violence in the community.
  
• May 20—A Night at the Ballpark with the Camden Riversharks—401 North Delaware Ave., Camden—At 7:05 p.m., enjoy a night out at the ballpark, as well as a meet-and-greet with the team before the game! For every $12 ticket sold, the Riversharks will give back $5 to this year's beneficiaries.
  

To order tickets for any of the pre- and post-show events, contact Will DeTurck at willyphillydares@gmail.com, or the Camden County Center for Family Services at 856-757-9450. For Riversharks tickets, visit the team's website, and be sure to enter CFFS in the unique code box  (to ensure $5 of your ticket purchase will be donated to beneficiaries).