“Stagnant. Bitter. Angry.”
Eleven figures standing in three rows, facing the audience, reciting these words.
This is how VAGINA: OurStories 2013 opened. A play created to raise awareness of gendered violence, OurStories took place this past weekend at the Wyatt Pavillion. The cast and crew, from actors to writers to directors, was made up completely of UC Davis students and alumni.
The show included trigger warnings, an in-house counselor, PGPs (preferred gender pronouns, for the uninitiated), gender-neutral bathrooms and a fragrance-free atmosphere, all key components of their introduction to the play.
Over the span of two hours, the cast members acted out their 11 stories, some self-written, others created by the four cast writers. They were funny, they were intense, they were a minute-and-a-half long rendition of an orgasm and they were all peppered by snaps from the audience.
Funds from OurStories went toward the organizations INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence in the Bay Area and Garment Worker Center in Los Angeles.
For any questions or comments, contact the Women’s Resources & Research Center at wrrc@ucdavis.edu.
— Tanya Azari
