Ukiah Players Theatre Presents Powerful Life Stories
Something remarkable has been happening at the Ukiah Playhouse during the past two months. Every week a group of teenage girls and a group of adult women have been gathering to give voice to what would normally be unspoken aspects of their lives. Working under the direction of Kate Magruder, Michelle Ramsey and Ellen Weed, the teens and women have been creating monologues from their own experience, reflecting on what it means to be female in this culture.
This creative collaboration is culminating in a weekend of performances at the Ukiah Playhouse titled Unspoken Lives: Stories from the Female Front. Teen stories will be shared Thursday, April 25 at 7pm and Saturday, April 27 at 8pm. Adult stories will be featured Friday, April 26 at 8pm and Sunday, April 28 at 2pm. All tickets are $5; they can be purchased in advance at Mendocino Book Company, or reserved by calling the Playhouse box office at 462-9226.
The two monologue workshops sprung up in the wake of UPT's community performance of Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues," an award-winning play that is both a celebration of women's sexuality and a condemnation of its violation. Our local sold-out production of Ensler's play was part of the worldwide "V-Day" campaign, a global movement initiated by Ensler to end violence against women and girls by raising consciousness and money for grassroots groups that work to end rape, domestic battery, incest and genital mutilation. Proceeds from Ukiah's performance of "The Vagina Monologues" benefited Project Sanctuary, as well as RAWA, the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan.
Galvanized by the positive energy and dynamic community discussion generated by "The Vagina Monologues," Project Sanctuary joined SPACE (Near and Arnold's School of Performing Arts and Cultural Education) in partnering with Ukiah Players Theatre to produce the Unspoken Lives workshops and performances. Additional support has been provided by the Mendocino County Community Foundation.
Michelle Ramsey, director of the teen workshop, grew up in Ukiah and remembers vividly what it was like to come of age in this community. "The issues I faced at that time in my life are even more difficult to grapple with today. The monologues that these teens are creating explore struggles with body image, gender roles, family relationships and the contemporary dangers in navigating the landscape of sexuality. I am totally inspired by the courage and candor of these young women." Teen participants include Kim Ales, Kylie Bushby, Amanda Combs, Rosie Deese, Julee Giocomini, Chrissy Golding, Allison Gruensban, Amanda Kosek, Brianna Leon, Amber McCay, Sara Munoz, Jessie Shrive and Tanna Skinner.
Kate Magruder and Ellen Weed have been leading the adult workshop, whose members include Crystal Cook, Isa Davila, LaSara Firefox, Judith Fuente, Katie Gibbs, Jean Harmon, Michelle Ramsey, Nancy Roca, Karen Rosen, Lisa Star, Jill Temkin, Jean Winters and Jen Wood.
"This workshop has given us an incredible opportunity to connect with women we might otherwise never have known," explains director Ellen Weed. "It is for our own growth and to give ourselves a chance to voice what has been voiceless for us up until now. It is also for the audience: to give them a vision of truths that may have been unspoken in them, and truths they may never have imagined. We want to make them laugh and cry with us over foibles and fantasies that might just as well have been their own. We want to make them think and wonder and feel."
Unspoken Lives: Stories from the Female Front is recommended for mature teen and adult audiences. For more information about the performances call Kate Magruder, UPT"s Community Development Director, at 462-1210.
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