"The Vagina Monologues" is a play based on a book that included a series of interviews of a diverse group of over 200 women discussing their vaginas and their sexuality. The interviews performed ranged from funny to provocative to maddeningly serious. The women ranged from young to old, married and single, heterosexual, bisexual and lesbian, and included many races. With phrases like "If your vagina got dressed, what would it wear?" the play asks questions that are oddly provocative yet bring up issues that question people's perceptions about their own sexuality.
             The version of the play I saw was directed by a group of five women who discussed and commented on each of the interviews. The set for the play was a simple form of splitting the stage into two sides. On one side, the commentators were in five chairs, and on the other, a spotlight fell strategically on the woman whose interview was being performed. By maintaining this simplicity, the play emphasizes the importance of each interview and allows the audience to focus on the character without being distracted by a cluttered set. I enjoyed this aspect of the play because I felt that it allowed the audience to fully appreciate the acting skills of the actresses'.
             The interviews range from serious sad descriptions of rape or incest to happy recollections of a first kiss to blatant anger towards visits to the gynecologist. In one particular interview, the woman describes being raped by her father at a young age. The topic seemed like an uncomfortable one in that most of the people in the audience were probably not at ease with hearing about the topic in such a public arena. But I feel that this was the whole goal of The Vagina Monologues – to bring awareness to people and allow them to gain a sense of comfort in discussing issues about sexuality that are normally considered taboo.
             Another woman gave a comical interpretation of her opinions about the gynecologist. In a lo...