APSU Women’s Studies Program hosting production of ‘Vagina Monologues’

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – The Women’s and Gender Studies Program and Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance at Austin Peay State University (APSU) announces the 18th annual production of Eve Ensler’s award-winning play, “The Vagina Monologues,” scheduled for Feb. 20 and 22 at 7 p.m. in Clement Auditorium.

Local dance group Diamond Divas will open the Wednesday night show with a dance routine.

As part of the international VDAY campaign to raise awareness about violence against women and girls, APSU’s production will feature a new monologue written by Dr. Dwonna Goldstone, APSU professor of English and African American Studies. The monologue is the story of a Tennessee woman serving time in prison and honors the VDAY 2019 theme highlighting the experiences of women in jail, prison, detention centers, or formerly incarcerated women.

In Friday night’s show, Monica Meeks will perform an original monologue calling for attention to sexual assault survivors who have served in the military.

As in past years, all the funds raised through two performances of “The Vagina Monologues” will be donated to Clarksville’s Sexual Assault Center and Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee.

“The Sexual Assault Center needs more space to serve our community members. A waiting list of 25-30 is frequently the reality with sometimes half of the list filled with children,” Dusty Coates, co-director of the production said. “Our goal is raise the needed money to expand services so that no member of our community must wait to start their healing journey.”

This year’s show has two teams of directors with one team for each show. Wednesday night’s show is co-directed by Kianna Marshall, Psychology Major, Women’s and Gender Studies Minor and African American Studies Minor, and Dusty Coates, History Major and Women’s and Gender Studies Minor.

Friday night’s show is co-directed by Adriane Hatfield, local realtor, and Barbara Lee Gray, APSU instructor of English and Women’s and Gender Studies. All directors are veteran performers of the show.

APSU first produced “The Vagina Monologues” in 2002. The show has been performed every year, raising more than $20,000 which has been donated to the Sexual Assault Center, Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee, and Urban Ministries Safehouse in Clarksville.

By joining V-DAY’s global fundraising efforts, APSU participates with tens of thousands of communities and college campuses to perform in over 140 countries, raise consciousness, change laws to protect women and girls, fund rape crisis centers and domestic violence shelters, educate their communities, and raise over $100 million in urgently needed funds for groups doing the essential work of ending violence and serving survivors and their families.

Additionally, a portion of the APSU Clothesline Project will be displayed in Clement Lobby during the peformances. For more information, or information about supporting the show or the Clothesline Project, call Dr. Jill Eichhorn at 221-6314.