A woman must admit her true sexuality to her husband.
Another realizes she is an outsider in her couples’ group of friends. Another is raped by her first love.
These are just a few of the stories recounted by women during the Michiana Monologues this year.
Michiana Monologues is a production put on for the past three years by V-club. The cast consists of 28 members who read stories pulled out of a total of nearly 70 submissions.
It uses experiences of local women to bring awareness and donations into local women’s help organizations. The stories are submitted anonymously and read by actors onstage.
Cassandra Wynn has been involved in Michiana Monologues for two years. She is an actor in the show and said the show changes lives.
“[It] really gives women a chance to be heard, in a way that they never have been before,” Wynn said. “This could be the first time the woman has ever really told her story.”
Having it read anonymously makes it real to the women, according to Wynn.
According to Zorina Jerome, who is in charge of the program, the show encourages women to talk about problems that they usually keep to themselves.
“There are many issues that I was dealing with myself, and hearing the stories make you realize that you are not alone and it’s [okay] to feel a certain way,” Wynn said.
There are three parts to Michiana Monologues, the cast, the silent auction, and the workshop.
The workshop is where women write their stories or find inspiration to write. The cast then reads the stories and no cast members are allowed to read their own stories. The final part, the silent auction, takes place during the show with proceeds for the event and the auction going to care centers in the area.
According to Wynn the four beneficiaries this year are YWCA, Saint Margret’s House, a daycare center, SOS Madison Center and the Elkhart County Women’s Shelter
Everyone involved volunteers and according to Jerome, it takes a lot from everyone to put the show on. This year is one of the more difficult.
“This is the first year we’re actually doing more than one show,” Jerome said. One will be at IU South Bend, one at Goshen College and one at the Historic Roosevelt Center in Elkhart.
Aside from the silent auction, there will be T-shirt sales and button-making to bring in more money for the beneficiaries.
“The show is about the women,” Jerome said. “These stories need to be heard outside of the care centers.”
Michiana Monologues awareness brings awareness to the area
Published: Sunday, February 14, 2010
Updated: Sunday, February 14, 2010
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