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V-Day NIU joins global effort to stop violence against females, plans two-night performance

April 3, 2012

V-Day 2012 logoV-Day NIU 2012 will present a two-night benefit performance of “A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer: Writings To Stop Violence Against Women and Girls” in the Cavan Auditorium of Gabel Hall.

The shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 27, and Saturday, April 28. Tickets are $5 and available at the door, which opens at 6:30 p.m. Seating is limited, so attendees are encourage to arrive early.

Produced by the Women’s Rights Alliance, and directed by Megan Woiwode and Brian Walsh, the performances will raise funds and awareness to end violence against women and girls.

More than 5,800 similar V-Day benefits took place around the world last year. Since 1998, V-Day and these highly successful events have raised more than $85 million for local beneficiaries working to end violence against women and girls.

“A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer: Writings To Stop Violence Against Women and Girls” is a groundbreaking collection of monologues by world-renowned authors and playwrights, edited by Eve Ensler and Mollie Doyle and commissioned by V-Day for the first V-Day: UNTIL THE VIOLENCE STOPS festival, which took place June 2006 in New York City.

Proceeds from the book benefit V-Day; the “V” in V-Day stands for victory, valentine and vagina.

These diverse voices rise up in a collective roar to break open, expose and examine the insidiousness of violence at all levels: brutality, neglect, a punch and even a put-down. These writings are inspired, funny, angry, heartfelt, tragic and beautiful. Above all, however, they together create a true and profound portrait of how violence against women affects everyone.

Eve Ensler

Eve Ensler

The volume features such authors and topics as:

  • Edward Albee on S&M;
  • Maya Angelou on women’s work;
  • Michael Cunningham on self-mutilation;
  • Dave Eggers on a Sudanese abduction;
  • Edwidge Danticat on a border crossing;
  • Carol Gilligan on a daughter witnessing her mother being hit;
  • Susan Miller on raising a son as a single mother;
  • Sharon Olds on a bra;
  • Patricia Bosworth on her own physically abusive relationship;
  • Jane Fonda on reclaiming our Mojo.

NIU’s beneficiary is DeKalb’s Safe Passage, which provides victims of domestic and sexual violence with services including crisis intervention and medical advocacy for victims of domestic and sexual violence; short- and long-term housing for victims and their children; counseling; legal advocacy; children’s services; community education; a batterer’s intervention program; and a Latina outreach program.

To learn more about V‑Day NIU, email vdayniu@gmail.com.