National Council of Jewish Women, Michigan (NCJW|MI), a 132-year-old grassroots community volunteer, voter advocacy and social justice organization dedicated to improving the lives of women, children, and families, will be performing its Spring Play fundraiser on Sunday May 21, at 4 p.m. at Temple Shir Shalom (3999 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield).
This year’s play is "The Vagina Monologues," an episodic play written by Eve Ensler in 1996 which covers many aspects of the feminine experience including sexual identity, body image, reproduction, sexual violence and more, all told through the eyes of women from different backgrounds, ages, and races. This is the second time that NCJW|MI has chosen to perform the play which deals with sensitive issues, but which is sometimes laugh-out-loud funny; the first time was in 2008.
“This play is about women, the choices they make, and how they are sometimes discriminated against because of those decisions. It’s as relevant now, maybe even more so, than it has ever been,” said Sandi Matz, one of the co-chairs of the play committee and a past president of NCJW | MI.
One of the cast members is Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds Lisa Brown. For her, taking part is a full circle moment. In 2012 she was a state representative and was banned from speaking on the floor of the House of Representatives because she had said the word vagina in a debate. She then went on to participate in a performance of the “The Vagina Monologues” on the steps of the Michigan Capital in Lansing.
“I have been a member of NCJW for many years and wholeheartedly support their mission and impactful work,” she said. “Taking part in this play is meaningful to me as a call for women to not be ashamed of, and to exert control, over their bodies,” she says.
NCJW|MI President Sallyjo Levine pointed out that “The Vagina Monologues” was written by a woman, is being produced by two women, and will be performed by 20 local women. “The camaraderie of reading and listening to these lines truly brings together the actors and the audience,” she said. “Women face many challenges in life and this play highlights the suffering and obstacles so many women deal with. It is a thought-provoking and sometimes hilarious play which shows the resiliency so many women exhibit in their lives.”
Patron tickets (preferred seating) for the performance are $75, general admission is $36 and student tickets are $18. Good wishes playbook ads are $18. In addition, audience members are asked to bring feminine hygiene products to the performance which will be donated to Orchards Children’s Services. All proceeds from the play will support NCJW|MI programs which include Kosher Meals on Wheels, the Back2School Store for low-income Detroit children, the Backpack Project for homeless and low-income children in Oakland County, fleece blankets for children in hospitals and foster care, environmental projects, voting and reproductive rights, and many others. To purchase tickets, go to www.ncjwmi.org or call 248-355-3300 ext 0.
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