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2-15-2007 By SHIRLEY O'SHEA Neither the play’s director, Rebecca Burk-Sciallo, 26, nor the play’s cast and crew see anything offensive in this added touch. “Birth isn’t pornographic; life isn’t pornographic,” Burk-Sciallo said. The play “is an amazing piece of theater. It’s respectful of women and sexuality. Once you really get to know (the play’s) cause and mission, I don’t see how anyone can be offended.” The production will take place tonight and tomorrow at 7 p.m. in the Cooperstown Art Association’s Gallery C in the library building. Ensler’s 1996 play has been produced around the world as part of the V-Day Worldwide Campaign, an annual event that takes place on or around Valentine’s Day. V-Day is sponsored by the foundation V-Day.org to bring public attention to domestic and political violence against women and girls. According to V-Day.org, “the ‘V’ in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina.” In order to obtain the rights to perform “The Vagina Monologues” on V-Day, groups must agree to donate 10 percent of the proceeds from their productions to V-Day.org and the remaining 90 percent to local organizations that work to stop violence against women and girls, the website said. According to Burk-Sciallo, the proceeds of the Cooperstown production will be given to Lifestyles, a self-esteem group for school-aged girls in Cherry Valley, and Opportunities for Otsego’s Violence Intervention Program’s WINGS program. “I first saw the show in 2002 at Hartwick College,” said Burk-Sciallo, who teaches English and theater arts at Cooperstown High School. “It was so funny and so sad.” She decided to direct a production herself, and opened auditions to not only community members but to students at the high school as well in November of last year. “This group of women really is amazing,” Burk-Sciallo said. “They are willing to try new things. Everyone is here for the right reasons.” The play is constructed of a series of monologues interspersed with conversations among the all-female cast members. The characters talk about their lives, some of which are marked by abuse and violence, and their relationships with their bodies, in particular their vaginas. “I grew up in a very open household, so I feel comfortable doing this,” said cast member Ashley Rombough, 19, a student at Hartwick College. “We all feel so comfortable going on stage and talking about our vaginas.” “Like vaginas, this play has many layers and levels,” said cast member Debra Aluisio, 55, a licensed clinical social worker at the Otsego County Mental Health Clinic in Oneonta. “It’s not only about the personal comfort (of women in talking about their bodies), but having that in the society as a whole. Violence against women is violence against everybody. The pornography is violence against women.” Burk-Sciallo said that the group’s performance is “a community-organized production” that is being sponsored by the Cooperstown Art Association. “People are stepping up to the plate,” she said, citing contributions by local businesses and artists to a raffle to be held during the play’s intermission, with winners to be announced the second night of the show. “They know why we’re doing it. It’s a beautiful thing.” Tickets to “The Vagina Monologues” are $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. For more information, call (315) 858-0210. |
Copyright 2007, Cooperstown Crier, Cooperstown, NY All rights reserved