EVANSTON — The Strand Theatre was nearly full of people on Saturday, Feb. 24. Locals and visitors were there to watch a production of “The Vagina Monologues.” Soroptimist International of Evanston (SIE) produced the rendition of the monologues as a fundraiser for their programs that assist young girls and women in the community with educational opportunities.
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EVANSTON — The Strand Theatre was nearly full of people on Saturday, Feb. 24. Locals and visitors were there to watch a production of “The Vagina Monologues.” Soroptimist International of Evanston (SIE) produced the rendition of the monologues as a fundraiser for their programs that assist young girls and women in the community with educational opportunities.
“The Vagina Monologues,” written by Eve Ensler, is an Obie Award-winning production performed all over the world. The monologues introduce a wildly divergent gathering of female voices, including a 6-year-old girl, a young girl who was sexually abused, a septuagenarian New Yorker, a vagina workshop participant, a woman who witnesses the birth of her granddaughter, a Bosnian survivor of rape, and a feminist happy to have found a man who “likes to look at it.”
The evening began at 5:30 p.m. with drinks and refreshments for those who had purchased a VIP ticket for $30. The performance began at 7 p.m. with a $15 admission.
Soroptimist’s famous women’s purse silent auction took place before and after the performance. Lined up on two tables in front of the stage were designer purses filled with all kinds of items centered on different themes, including crafts, chocolate, cowgirl, travel and more.
An original painting and a statue of a woman designed by Lynne Fox were also available for bid. Bidding took place before the start of the show and for 10 minutes after, concluding with winners taking home their prizes.
Evanston Soroptimist president Jessica Arch opened the evening and shared the purpose of SIE while encouraging audience members to join the organization. She then introduced Sunny Kaste, a nurse practitioner, from Evanston Regional Hospital, a sponsor of the event. Kaste discussed medical issues that women face and talked about suggested ages for certain medical exams.
Director of the production, Tammy Koncitik, had recruited women from the community to perform, and they worked for weeks to prepare for opening night. The result of all that hard work and dedication was a very successful and professional production. The crowd laughed and cheered at the more boisterous and funny monologues and became somber during the more serious monologues.
The women performing the monologues were: Tammy Koncitik, Chelsy Morris, Jen Ellingford, Laura Howard, Tammie Morris, Rana Jones, Aimee Cogger, Amanda Manchester, Lisa Cox, Jessica Arch, Lisa Ovard, Charli Bruce and Patricia Arnold. Kami Casady handled the lighting.
The evening performance ended with a standing ovation and long-lasting cheers. Many guests stayed after the conclusion to congratulate and visit with the cast.
