Graduation date: 2008
Passage through The Vagina Monologues: A College Anti-Violence Rite examines the ways in which the audience at Oregon State University (OSU) responds to the annual production of the play in connection with the international college campaign to raise awareness about violence against women and to raise money for community organizations addressing the issue. OSU has produced the play since 2000 raising thousands of dollars for the Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence in Corvallis, OR and sending part of the money raised through V-Day International to a selected spotlight group of women each year. The play, and its production each year, provide a unique look at the way this example of activist theatre represents (and challenges) feminist and performance theories. Using a mixed methods approach, I utilize quantitative survey data and qualitative interview data to explore what the production means to the audience, cast and producers of the show. Both sets of data show that the community finds great value in producing the show each year, even when it is perceived to function imperfectly.