So I’m nervous because I’m doing a benefit show this weekend called A Memory, A Monologue, a Rant and a Prayer. It’s to raise money for Act Like a Grrrl (a program my theatre company does for teenaged girls in autobiographical writing and performance (and kickassery.)) It was commissioned and edited by Eve Ensler, much like her first show, The Vagina Monologues, which we’ve done about six times. This one is a compilation of around 40 monologues written by playwrights and writers (Moises Kaufman
, Alice Walker, Maya Angelou, Carol Gilligan, etc.) on the topic of how they and the people in their lives have been touched by violence against women. Eve instructs each director to choose ten of the monologues for a show, which is a good thing because sitting down and reading all of them in one sitting made me want to swallow drain cleaner. Some of them are kind of funny, or touching, not so wrist-slitty. But we’re doing the one about Darfur. And one about Imette St. Guillen. And one by Carol Gilligan (who will actually be in town on the Friday night performance to read her own piece, so woot!) So there are some that are very, very… I don’t know. Moving? Heavy? Important? They’re all important. But then there’s the scat poem we do as a cast which is just win. And of course my monologue was written by Kathy Najimy so it’s pure comedy. And there’s a Chinese woman, Xiu Hong, who is singing an a cappella Chinese aria that is… when she did it in rehearsal we all sat there in silence for a moment when she was done and then gave her a standing ovation.
There are a lot of really talented people in the world.
There are also a lot of women and girls who have had the ever-loving shit beaten out of them. Or been raped. Or been mentally abused. You think you don’t know anyone who has. But you do. Statistically, it’s one in four. You know someone. They just don’t generally like to talk about it. Some of them find a way through it. Some suffer a permanent loss of self-esteem and become insecure and unsure of themselves. In any case, as Vali, the director, says, it takes a tremendous amount of guts to tell your story, and we’re just trying to honor that. Telling the stories helps survivors reclaim their power. It’s a very awesome thing to be part of.
I used to act because I just really loved being on stage. Loved the dressing rooms and the make-up. Loved the curtain calls and the going out after shows to get rip roaring drunk and sing karaoke (heh, that was a VM show). Then I hit 30, and you can mark out the rip-roaring drunk part and the karaoke. Then the company started writing and performing shows that focused on oral histories. The stories of real people who had important things to communicate but who didn’t know of any other way to share them, beyond an actor giving them voice. So now you can mark out all the other crap. And ZOMG this is getting to be so kum ba ya acting is so important it’s all about the art, what about THE CHILDREN???!!
Oh well. I can’t be vaudeville and jazz hands all the time. Anyway. I’m afraid I can’t ever go back to doing Oklahoma or Steel Magnolias at this point in my acting career (although I would be a great Weezer.)
Oh wait, Cats though. Seriously. I would totally do Cats. Goddammit. Now I’m gonna have “Memory” stuck in my head the rest of the day.
*Also, I’m editing this now to include a word about the men in the production. They are awesome, these guys. Seriously. A word, if I may, with the Men who read my blog. (I think there may be one or two) Take heed. There is nothing hotter, nothing sexier, NOTHING, than a man who you know beyond the shadow of a doubt would never under any circumstances hit or otherwise abuse a woman. Who, in fact, is vocal about his opinion on the subject. I told Kamal, one of the guys in the show, he was probably going to be mauled by women after the show. He laughed and said, “but that’s not why I’m doing this. I’m doing it for my grandma and my mom.” And then I straddled him and stuck my tongue down his throat. Just kidding. But I wanted to.
Here’s the official blurb:
Actors Bridge Ensemble is pleased to present the Nashville Premiere of A
MEMORY, A MONOLOGUE, A RANT AND A PRAYER (MMRP) as part of “V to the 10th” — V-Day’s 10th Anniversary Celebration. Commissioned by Eve Ensler, MMRP is a groundbreaking collection of monologues by world-renowned authors and playwrights, like Carol Gilligan, Maya Angelou, Alice Walker, Kathy Najimy and Moises Kaufman. These writings are inspiring, funny, angry, heartfelt, tragic and beautiful. Together they create a true and profound portrait of how violence against women affects all of us.
Directed by Vali Forrister, MMRP features Annie Sellick, Mike Eldred, Thandiwe Shiphrah, OlaOmi Akalatunde, Rebekah Durham, Rachel Agee, CJ Tucker, Kamal Angelo Bolden, David Chattam, Kanya Lai, Alicia Ridley, Jessika Malone and the Rev. Becca Stevens. Friday night author Carol Gilligan will read her monologue from the collection.
A MEMORY, A MONOLGUE, A RANT AND A PRAYER edited by eve ensler
A fundraising performance for act like a grrrl
Friday-Saturday, Feb 22-23 – 8 p.m.
Belmont University’s Black Box Theatre
Compton Ave at Belmont Blvd.
Tickets are $18
For reservations, call 341-0300 or visit actorsbridge.org
