For Stephanie Gottschalk, directing this year’s production of the Vagina Monologues is not about her theatrical experience, but more about her passion for an important cause. Gottschalk works as a victim’s advocate at the Interior Alaska Center for Nonviolent Living.
Gottschalk’s theatrical background is limited to some high school musical theater experience and assistant directing last year’s Vagina Monologues production.
The experience might be new to her, but the production’s meaning is not. Each year the UAF student group tries a new director, hoping to switch up the venue a bit. This year’s skits include “Crooked Braid,” a story of Native American women suffering. It pertains to Alaskans’ isolation in the village and the fear of voicing the crimes committed against them. The spotlight of both nights will focus on the women of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the atrocities committed there.
There are also funny skits along with ones meant for a mature audience.
V-Day was created by Eve Ensler, who is also the playwright of the Vagina Monologues. V-Day is a movement of anti-violence that has expanded across the globe. Vagina Monologues’ role in V-Day is to create awareness and raise funds for local anti-violence groups. All the proceeds from these events go towards the V-Day campaign and a local cause — Fairbanks’ being the Interior Alaska Center for Nonviolent Living.
Most of the production’s monologues focus on men’s violence toward women. Gottschalk explained that it is only because that is the most common type of violence toward women there is. They are not trying to bash men.
“It can be uncomfortable for men to be there, but that’s OK,” Gottschalk said, explaining that violence is equally uncomfortable for women to see. She added that men are not at all discouraged from the event, and the more the better. At last year’s event she recruited 25 “V-Men” to help promote violence awareness.
“Pro-women doesn’t mean anti-men,” she said.
V-Day, which is typically celebrated anywhere in between the beginning of February to the end of April, does not have an official day in Fairbanks. The monologues being this weekend, however, directly coincide with another initiative throughout the state: Gov. Parnell’s “Alaskans Choose Respect.”
The governor launched this program on March 31 to help lessen Alaska’s embarrassingly high rates of domestic violence and sexual abuse. This month is also sexual assault awareness month – a perfect time for the Righteous Ladies Rebelling to get their passionate cause out in the open. The group works on providing a voice and breaking the silence for those women in need.
After watching the play, the audience usually feels the need to help, according to Gottschalk. She said there will be information available to do so, but “by even seeing the show, they are helping.”
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Vagina Monologues
WHEN: Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Schaible Auditorium, UAF Campus
TICKETS: $10 general, $8 senior/student/military
INFO: rladiesr@gmail.com, vday.org
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