The Power of Eve Ensler's The Vagina Monologues

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The Power of Eve Ensler's The Vagina Monologues

When Obie award-winning author and playwright, Eve Ensler, began collecting testimonials from women across the country regarding their experiences with sexuality, she had no idea what would eventually occur as a result of her innovative ideas. Ensler gathered 200 monologues from women, and wove them into a play that represents the strength and vitality of female sexuality. The Vagina Monologues were first performed in the basement of New York City’s Cornelia Street Café in 1996. Since that time, the play has become a symbol of awareness and advocacy about violence against women, and has been translated into 24 different languages, making it an international success (2005, randomhouse.com).

After their inception, the Vagina Monologues became an edgy, provocative show that pushed the limits of what was then considered acceptable when speaking publicly about female sexuality. Some of the testimonials included in the production were humorous; others graceful and classy, and a few were brutally honest and deeply emotional. The...

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