The 17th Annual Vagina Monologues production is upon us. This year, the show will be held Feb. 23-24 at 7:00 pm at the Green Space Arts Collective. For those unfamiliar with it, the Vagina Monologues is a play created by Eve Ensler in 1996 which delves into the experiences of several women. The play discusses not only sexual experiences but the woes of everything in-between and beyond, such as rape, masturbation, sex work, sexuality, race, body image and mutilation. The crew personifies each of these real and raw stories–stories which have made a significant impact not only at UNT, but across the nation. All proceeds from ticket sales and purchases from this event will benefit Denton County Friends of the Family.

Lena Glover, one of the producers of the show this year, has been a part of the project since her Freshman year at UNT in 2005. In total, she has been involved in 8 out of the last 13 productions.

“It’s a movement and community,” Glover said. “It has helped there be a conversation about vaginas and violence when before there was none because it was too taboo.”

Glover said the play raises awareness of violence and has also helped to connect survivors to each other and to a healing process.

Glover said she looks forward to it every year.

“It is a labor of love–all work on it is voluntary with no material compensation,” Glover said. “It is difficult, beautiful, life-changing, and extremely painful and messy and exhausting, but it’s all worth it in the end.”

Other than Glover, the show will be co-produced along with Anjelica Fraga and Tiffany Stenger,  and directed by Morgan Van Aken, all a part of the Denton V-Day Collective.

The upcoming fundraising events for the Vagina Monologues are as follows:

Feb. 3: Rise Up! Benefit – annual house show at house venue Paradise Island. The lineup includes  Hey Cowboy, konklin, Manifest Destiny’s Child and uglyg.rl. Cover is $3, show begins at 8 p.m.

Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/166711160497422/

Feb. 7: Convenient Comedy: Vagina Monologues Edition – Hosted at Midway Craft House, the comedy show includes an all-female lineup featuring comediennes Monna, Kelsey Molina, Emily Cline, Ali York, Zahra, Bree Cunnigham and Natalie Elsbury. The evening will also be hosted by Jaylin Menai. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. with a suggested $3 donation.

Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1867740320223499/

Feb. 14: V-Day Variety Show – An evening of Burlesque, comedy and spoken word hosted at Andy’s Bar is probably the only way you should do Valentine’s Day. The lineup for the night features Olive d’Juice, Mina Panamour, Marie de Menthe, Scarlett Frenzy, Violet Bites, Birdie Holly, Illusive Isis, Claudia, Anjelica Fraga, Javoris James and Taylor Higginbotham. The evening will be hosted by Tiffany Stenger. The show starts at 7 p.m. and includes a $5 cover.

Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1832798153437376/

Feb. 23-24: The Vagina Monologues – The show will be performed at Green Space Arts Collective at 7:00 pm.

Header image by Amelia McBride.

Header image layour design by Holden Foster.