In support of the V-Day global campaign to end violence against women and girls, Una is premiering “A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant, and a Prayer (MMRP.) MMRP is a series of monologues edited by Eve Ensler, which focuses on a wide range of issues relating to violence against women and girls, and has a global perspective.
The proceeds from the MMRP event are going to the V-Day Spotlight Campaign, which this year is raising money for the women and girls of Haiti.
In addition, Una is presenting “The SLU Monologues.” This upcoming event features a series of 16 real-life stories from members of the SLU community. The SLU Monologues focuses on issues regarding sexuality, body image, self-defense, identity, gender, rape, domestic violence and sexual assault. The SLU Monologues gives students the opportunity to share their stories while keeping their identities anonymous, if they so choose.
When asked about the response that she has gotten from the Monologues in previous years, alumna Caitlin Bancroft, an Una core team member, said, “Students have come forward with so much gratitude toward us for telling the stories, especially when they have gone through similar situations.”
Although some of the stories recount trauma, they allow students to broaden their perspectives and have a more profound understanding of the serious issues that so many people are confronted with on a day-to-day basis.
“The SLU Monologues expands everyone’s horizon, and students have something to relate to when they feel as if they are alone,” Theresa Meinert, Una core team member, said. “It is an extremely powerful and eye-opening experience to learn about people we encounter every day and to see that they deal with so much. These monologues show that though experiences are a part of a person, they do not define them.”
The opening monologue, entitled “Denial,” portrays an individual being in denial about being a feminist. The closing monologue entitled, “Friends” illustrates the struggles that people may have with their friends and how they can grow apart from them. However, it also brings to light that friends are a support system when people face tough times in their lives.
The performers speak about several different subjects, which is a mere reflection of the wide range of real-life problems that SLU students have deal with on a day-to-day basis.
“The stories are vastly different, but at the same time, there is a connection between them,” Bancroft said. “The SLU Monologues represent the true faces of the students in the SLU community, as well as the true stories of those at SLU.”
A monologue entitled “Hot for Teacher” is a piece about a student who is sexually attracted to her teacher. This segment addresses how, sometimes, one cannot control one’s own feelings for another person.
“Sometimes, we get feelings for people we don’t expect or we feel that society doesn’t allow,” junior Megan Hill, Una core team member, said. “So, this story is to say that feelings happen, you’re not the only one having them, and it’s okay.”
Ultimately, The SLU Monologues and MMRP will raise awareness of a variety of issues experienced by SLU students, and people worldwide.
MMRP will take place on Feb. 16 and 17 at 7 p.m. in the Saint Louis Room in the Busch Student Center. “The SLU Monologues” will be performed on Feb. 24 and 25 at 7:00 p.m. in the Carlo Auditorium in Tegeler Hall. Tickets for the individual performances are $10 each, or $15 dollars for both.
