STAGE SCENE
'Monologues' are all about self-respect

• 'Vagina Monologues' shocking, funny, sad
• Domestic violence center benefit planned

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Editor

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All about Eve Little known fact: Eve Ensler is the adoptive mother of actor Dylan McDermott of "The Practice." "I married his father," she said, "and adopted him so he'll always have a mother." Awards: 1997 Obie Award, for "The Vagina Monologues"; 2000 Jury Award for Best Theater Performance at the Aspen Comedy Festival Other stage credits: "The Depot," "Floating Rhoda and the Glue Man," "Extraordinary Measures," "Ladies," Scooncat," "Lemonade" and "Conviction" Coming up: "Necessary Targets," in mid-April, a play about two American women — a psychiatrist and a women's rights worker — in Bosnia Current project: A screenplay about women in prison, for actress Glenn Close Notable quote: "I know more pet names for the vagina and have a lot more knowledge about the vagina that I'd ever dreamed of."

It ultimately helped trigger worldwide awareness about violence against women.

"I love women, I love listening to their stories, I identify with women," Ensler said in a phone interview last week from Boston, where she was back in the limelight, doing her one-woman version of her feminist play. She won't be in the cast, however, when the show opens a limited run Tuesday at the Hawai'i Theatre; a trio of actresses will perform in a format that has worked best in touring productions.

"We come from a tradition of struggles," said Ensler, who has been the one-woman dynamo behind "Vagina." "A lot of us come from a history of abuse and difficulty. And a lot of women haven't been proud of their bodies. 'The Vagina Monologues' has helped change attitude through sharing experiences."

The actress/writer acknowledged that many people, male and female, initially took offense to the word "vagina" in the title of her play. Established media initially avoided uttering the word, which became fodder for giggles among shock-jock radio types. But the success of "Monologues" proves Ensler wasn't all that off-base in her feminism or her art; the play won the 1997 Obie Award (off-Broadway's version of the Tony) and a few other accolades, and "The Vagina Monologues" has become embedded in the social consciousness through a range of TV shows, from "Oprah Winfrey" to "Will and Grace."

The V word, however, remains problematic in marketing the show, because it not only is prominent in the title, but is uttered 128 times in 106 pages of script. Ensler shuns criticism that she alter the title; besides, she said, the play is precisely about monologues about the vagina — truth in advertising — in both serious and humorous tones, emotionally compelling as well as outrageously funny.

"I think people need to laugh, to understand, to let difficult information in and biases out," said Ensler, whose career is hinged on the relationship between gender identity and violence against women. "I've never been banned, but I've been in the middle of controversy. But what is controversy, anyway, but the struggle over a new idea? I think it's a good thing."

The subject, she said, grew out of curiosity. "I think, for the most part, women have been taught to hate their bodies, to have shame," she said after hearing real experiences. "I propose that women are free to love, where they haven't been allowed to love, and to feel the power in their desire, when they have that desire. For far too long, the perception about women is that they can't have too much sex or show too much emotion."

In an evening of monologues, fueled by her interviews and occasionally based on personal insights, Ensler covers — with unabashed honesty — such taboo topics as orgasms, masturbation, pubic hair ... and, well, double-taboo topics.

"Generally, women are responsive to the play, but some men are disturbed by what is shared," she said of audience reaction. "But interestingly, the longer we do the play, more men come. And when you have lots of guys in the audience, that's fantastic. That's progress."

It still bothers her somewhat that you can't say vagina on the air in some quarters, "yet you can put anthrax on the cover of a magazine, and it's all right," Ensler said. "It perplexes me because people are terrified of love, of birth, of power, of intimacy, of sexuality, and more comfortable with explosions, of disease, of death ... all because, I suppose, you don't have to take responsibility."

Since "The Vagina Monologues" was published in 1998, the show has become a phenomenon, yielding the V-Day Initiative, a global movement to end violence against women, and it has toured 800 cities in 45 countries. It also has become a Valentine's Day tradition in such cities as New York (where it still is running off-Broadway), Los Angeles and London, attracting a host of celebrities in this country. Whoopi Goldberg, Glenn Close, Calista Flockhart, Cate Blanchett, Winona Ryder, Lily Tomlin, Rosie Perez and Marisa Tomei have taken to the stage to deliver the monologues.

While Ensler originated the role, she has turned over performances to a trio of actresses. Her Boston run and another booking in Washington, D.C., will mark her final time at bat.

"I started it and took it on the road; it's time to pull out," she said. The earlier bookings prevented her from including Hawai'i as her swan song city.

Ensler said her life has been nothing but good since the success of "Vagina." "It's all upside," she said. "My life really has changed for the good; I'm saying what I've wanted to say, and it's somewhat of a miracle that people are listening, that someday, women are going to be free and safe from abuse and violence. It's hard to think of a negative, except I'm tired a lot, because of travels, but it pleases me to know that there has been worldwide support to stop women from being mutilated, raped and sold for sex. If we end all that abuse, we don't need to put on 'The Vagina Monologues'; our work will have been completed."

Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, e-mail wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or fax 525-8055.