Vagina Monologues
By Keith Boykin, in theater
Monday, December 16 2002, 6:00AM
Hazelle Goodman, Margot Kidder (Lois Lane from "Superman") and Marin Mazzie star in the current production of The Vagina Monologues at New York's Westside Theatre.
The idea behind the show
The show's creator, Eve Ensler, interviewed hundreds of women for research, background and monologues used in the performance. Culled from the interviews are the stories of real life women learning to love themselves and their bodies and to overcome their fears about their vaginas.
The Vagina Monologues features dramatic scenes dealing with rape, torture and cancer, comedic scenes that explore sexuality and sexual innocence, and a triumphant moment of childbirth depicted at the end of the show.
The show reveals the participants answers to questions such as:
If your vagina could talk, what would it say?
What would your vagina wear?
The responses to these questions punctuate the individual monologues read by the performers. We see various sides of the women who were interviewed, from the sexaholic to the repressed. One woman said she had never seen her vagina before, while another described it as a place of shame, like a cellar. A lesbian revealed how she liked to dominate other women and please them.
The Current Cast
The cast members all relied on oversized index cards for their scripts. I expected the note cards to be a distraction, but after a few minutes they were hardly noticeable, except when Margot Kidder forgot a part of her story once and had to go back and start from the middle. She laughed it off and the audience loved it.
The entire show was enjoyable, but by far the funniest moment was Marin Mazzie's performative list of the most popular moans made during sex. My favorite was the WASP moan, an open mouth that emits no sound.
The actors played various characters throughout the show, and most of the characters seemed well suited for the particular actor chosen to play the part. Hazelle Goodman, a black performer, played the African-American and ethnic roles. Although she relied more on her note cards than the other two performers, she connected with the audience with perfect theatrical timing.
Margot Kidder's loud raspy voice aggressively took control of the stage when she spoke. This is not the sweet young-looking Kidder from the Superman movies anymore.
Rotating Cast
The three current performers will appear until December 22, but the show has a continually rotating cast and also tours. The New York show will close for good on January 26.
Past cast members include Diahann Carroll, Nell Carter, Kate Clinton, Kim Coles, Lolita Davidovich, Lea DeLaria, Linda Ellerbee, Teri Garr, Marla Gibbs, Robin Givens, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Ricki Lake, Sanaa Lathan, Jenifer Lewis, Marsha Mason, Rue McClanahan, Audra McDonald, Rita Moreno, Alanis Morissette, Cynthia Nixon, Rosie Perez, Mackenzie Phillips, Phylicia Rashad, Mercedes Ruehl, Brooke Shields and Marlo Thomas.
I highly recommend this show. I have never laughed so hard in a live performance in my life. This show is deeply moving and touching, but it is also hilarious. Go see it, or see it again before it closes for good.
© Copyright 2002 by Keith Boykin.