VagMo 2010 - The Journey Begins

Hi Everyone,

I'm going to try to keep this blog updated much more often this year as we begin the journey to Vagina Monologues 2010. Last years' show was a HUGE success. At the end of the year we donated over $7,000 to the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center - enough money for them to train 7 new volunteers! Speaking of which, volunteering for BARCC is an extremely rewarding experience - if anyone's interested in learning about how to become a volunteer, contact me!

Our activism didn't stop with the show - a group of Wellesley Women also attended the BARCC Walk for Change, raising several hundred dollars and having a great time walking through Boston on a beautiful day with thousands of new friends:


While we're on the topic of BARCC, I'm going to throw in a shameless plug: my birthday is coming up on September 10th, and I'm using Facebook to ask my friends for donations to BARCC instead of presents. There's more information here: Lauren's Wish! If you happen to have a couple extra bucks lying around and you want to make me the happiest birthday girl in the world, BARCC could put those extra bucks to real good use. (end plug)

One last thing: look forward for more information about this years' Pussy Proclamations! "Pussy Proc" is an open-mic event for all members of the Wellesley community to share their original prose, poetry, music, art, etc etc etc. Last years' first-ever annual event was a huge hit with 10 unique and dynamic performances. This year it's going to be bigger and better than ever! Date TBA, possibly early December.

If you have any questions about The Wellesley V-Day Campaign, email v-day@wellesley.edu.

So much love,
Lauren

Ticket sales begin tonight!

Come by the LCW 2nd floor and buy your Vagina Monologues tickets (and vagina pops) tonight! We will be there selling from 6-8:30 pm.

WC community: $8
Off-campus: $10

If you buy them now, you'll pay $2 less than if you buy them at the door. :)

Vagina pops: $2 each or 3 for $5. Milk, dark, dark mint, and milk cherry.

The show opens on Friday, and I can't believe it's all almost over. Holy cow!

It is going to be a fantastic show, and I hope that we are packed/sold out every night. Because that'd be pretty awesome.

Pretty spam! Great show! Opens in less than a week, and we are super excited.

Email "v-day@wellesley.edu" to get your tickets (or, if you are at Wellesley, stop by when we're selling tickets to buy your raffle tickets, vagina pops, and show tickets all at once)!

Hope to see you next weekend!

Aaah!

Roles have been assigned! Rehearsals have started! The show goes up in t minus 18 days!

Let the insanity begin.

I am incredibly impressed with the creativity, passion, and enthusiasm of everyone involved with the show this year. We have had two discussions so far, and both have been intensely eye-opening and very cool to be a part of. :) Tonight's rehearsal was super fun because we presented our vagina art.

Some people had poetry, some had drawings, some had songs... it was all amazing. We are a talented group, and I am so glad that people are willing to share their talents and ideas.

I sound really dippy, but that's partly because it's 2 am. It's also partly because this group of people just blows my mind. I thought that, with such a big cast, it would be really difficult to have good discussions. Over the last two days, though, I have been proven wrong.

So thanks, guys. I appreciate that.

I'll be posting some spam up here soon with info about how to get tickets for the show (and other exciting stuff, like how to order vagina pops)!

<3
Brit

Auditions are nearly over...

...which means the really fun part is about to begin.

Tomorrow is the last day of auditions, and I have to say that so far, we have been very impressed with the auditions. :) We have a cast of over 40 this year, which is by far the biggest cast I've ever seen at Wellesley (3 years running). Lauren, Katie, and I will be casting tomorrow evening, which will be difficult!

If you have not yet had a chance to sign up for an audition, or have only recently realized that you can/want to do The Vagina Monologues, please email us-- we don't have any audition spots left, but we do need crew members!

Not much else to say here, just that we are impressed and excited and can't wait to get started! We have a bunch of fun, awesome stuff planned, and we'll keep you all updated about it right here. :)

Brit

A Sneak Peek

Since we are absolutely dying to get started, I figured I'd let you all in on a little bit of what is going on with The Vagina Monologues so far. The executive board (Lauren, Katie, and I) met today to talk about rehearsal structure and topics for discussion.

For those of you who don't know, the first 10 or so VM rehearsals are discussion-based. In fact, we don't reveal whom was cast in which monologue until the much-anticipated "Vagina Dinner." During the first rehearsals, we talk and get to know one another. These rehearsals are the reason I love participating in The Vagina Monologues-- I get to hear 20 or so other women's opinions, experiences, and comments on a variety of topics.

Tonight, Lauren, Katie, and I figured out what discussion topics we would like to use... and we are so excited! Although I can't tell you all of them (then where would the fun be in coming to rehearsal?), I can give you a general sampling. We are planning on talking about sex and masturbation (an annual favorite), birth (with a guest presenter), violence toward women (in many of its incarnations), and attitudes toward sex (complete with a surprise picture book!).

Also, there is only one more day before auditions begin! Remember, everyone gets cast, so there's no reason to be nervous! We want as many people as possible to participate, so whether that means you perform, or are crew, or sell tickets, or simply forward our spam and get your friends to come, please help out. :)

If you want to participate but can't make auditions or will have to miss rehearsals, please email us anyway-- we could really use all the help we can get, and there are other ways to support the V-Day Campaign at Wellesley. And! If you want to perform but haven't signed up for an audition yet, there are still a few slots left, so email "vaginaauditions" soon. We want you!

So excited--
Brit

Why we do the show:

Well, obviously we do the show because it is fun and an opportunity to say the word "vagina" like a billion times in a day. But we also do the show to raise awareness and support a local organization full of vagina warriors!

The proceeds from the Wellesley Vagina Monologues go to the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC). I've been volunteering on the hotline for a semester now and I am so so so impressed with every single thing about this organization. I seriously can't praise it enough. BARCC provides services for survivors of sexual violence including counseling, legal advocacy, and medical advocacy. They also have outreach programs that educate and encourage communities to stop sexual violence and support survivors in the most effective and empowering way.

BARCC has a fabulous website: www.barcc.org if you want more information about their services, or information about sexual violence in general. Also, the hotline is a great resource if you have any questions or just need someone to talk to: 800.841.8371. It's 24/7, confidential and anonymous, and staffed by totally awesome and fully trained volunteers (like me)!


Are you curious about what our donation actually does? According to BARCC's website:

$25 helps us answer two hotline calls.
$75 pays for medical accompaniment to a hospital emergency room by a trained volunteer.
$200 supports the first three sessions of free counseling for survivors and their families.
$1,000 allows a new volunteer or intern to attend BARCC’s comprehensive training program.

So if you want to be a part of the show, see our spam on community or email me at lfink @ wellesley for more information. Otherwise, be sure to come see the show on Feb. 27 and 28 and March 1st...all at 7pm in Jewett.



And by the way....VAGINA!!!


Can you tell how badly Britt and I can't wait to get started??

Love you all,
Lauren

Hello and welcome!

Hello and thanks for reading!

Things are kicking into gear for the 2009 season of The Vagina Monologues, and I, for one, am very excited. We have some great events scheduled (more info to come), but, as Lauren said, first and foremost are our auditions.

If you are a member of the Wellesley College community, you are welcome to participate-- and if you aren't, I hope you will come and contribute to the fundraising we do for BARCC. As we do every year, we will be selling vagina lollipops (a perennial favorite), as well as a few new things.

We would also love some feedback-- anything you'd like to see from WC's V-Day Campaign this year? Let us know.

And sign up to audition! (See the info in the previous post.)

Looking forward to hearing from you all (and working with at least some of you).

Lots of vagina love
Britt

Welcome to the Wellesley V-Day Blog!

Hey Vagina Warriors,

I was catching up with an old (as in, "we met a long time ago," not as in "he is old") teacher today, and he asked if there was a place he could follow the progress of this weird thing I'm putting all my time into these days. So here you go, Mr. Honeyman! The Wellesley College V-Day Campaign Blog! Check this out for details about the fun things we're up to.

For now, check out our newest audition spam and SIGN UP ASAP!!! We only have 12 auditionees so far. Everyone will be a part of the show; the audition is just a chance for us to get to know you and decide who is going to do which monologue. So don't freak out! and let us know if you'd rather be involved behind the scenes.


Can't wait to get started! Check back later for news about the show and a top-secret new event we're tentatively calling "The Vagina Fair" (it doesn't involve rides...unless someone wants to make that happen?)


- Lauren