Drake University will celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the international V-Day campaign with performances of “A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer” and Eve Ensler’s award-winning play “The Vagina Monologues.” Both productions will be held in Bulldog Theatre in Olmsted Center, 2875 University Ave.
Drake faculty and staff members will present “A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer,” a new groundbreaking collection of monologues from across the world, at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21.
The show features faculty and staff members Renee Cramer, Sally Frank, Jennifer Harvey, Linda Krypel, Bill Lewis, Craig Owens, Ralph Siddall, Tasha Stiger and Beth Younger.
“The Vagina Monologues,” which opened as an off-Broadway production in 1996, will be performed at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, and Saturday, Feb. 23. Prior to each performance, there will be a “Vagina Carnival” featuring various Drake and community organizations on the lower level of Olmsted Center, beginning at 6 p.m.
The V-Day campaign was founded by Ensler, author of “The Vagina Monologues,” aiming to raise awareness about violence against women. To date, the V-Day campaign has raised more than $50 million for local anti-violence groups. Proceeds from the Drake performances will benefit Monsoon: United Asian Women of Iowa, a local organization that provides services to victims of domestic violence and was started by a Drake graduate.
Drake students are heading up the productions. Brittany Lagemann, a senior from Olathe, Kan., is director and producer; Amanda Goucher, a senior from Elburn, Ill. is the co-director; and Miranda DuPont, a junior from Tucson, Ariz., is the co-producer. This will be Drake’s seventh production of “The Vagina Monologues,” which has become a tradition for the University.
“The performances are important to Drake because they bring awareness to the Drake and Des Moines community that violence is a social issue that impacts each and every one of us in one way or another,” Lagemann said. “This year we’ve seen much support from the community.”
The cast consists of:
• Rachel Gulick, a senior from Des Moines
• Jo Hawxby, a junior from Des Moines
• Rebecca Larew, a first-year student from Bettendorf, Iowa
• Katie Hovick, a first-year student from Roland, Iowa
• Jen Henry, a first-year student from Cedar Rapids, Iowa
• Katie Stephenson, a sophomore from Naperville, Ill.
• Kayla Easton, a sophomore from Parker, Colo.
• Amanda Krafft, a sophomore from Appleton, Wis.
• Amanda St. George, a senior from St. Paul, Minn.
• Audrey Pierce, a junior from Des Moines
• Marcia Keyser, a Drake faculty member from Des Moines
• Lynn Grochowski, a senior from Des Moines
• Gretchen Waech
Tickets for all three performances are $12 for the general public and $8 for students with a Drake ID. Tickets will be available at the door, or can be reserved by calling the Drake Fine Arts Box Office at 515-271-3841.
For more information about the performances or the V-Day College Campaign, contact DrakeVM2008@gmail.com.