The Vagina Monologues.

"Down the vagina trail"

"The Vagina Monologues" writer Eve Ensler on laughter, desire and reentering her own nether regions.

By Pamela Grossman
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April 19, 2000 | "' V agina.' Doesn't matter how many times you say it, it never sounds like a word you want to say." That's Eve Ensler in the prologue to her immensely popular play "The Vagina Monologues," which began as a one-woman show performed by Ensler off-off-Broadway four years ago. The play is currently in production off-Broadway, with rotating three-woman casts. Alanis Morissette, Julie Kavner and Marlo Thomas were recent performers; Claire Danes is among those onstage now.

The play condenses 200 interviews Ensler conducted with women about their vaginas into a series of character-driven monologues. The research process transformed Ensler from a woman who hesitated to say the word "vagina" to a performer who said it 128 times per show. Ensler has taken advantage of the play's success, using it as a political vehicle and in fund-raisers for international women's charities. "V-Day" benefits, staged by celebrity actors on Feb. 14 for the last three years, have routinely sold out; one show in Los Angeles alone raised approximately $250,000. Meanwhile, college students across the country are eagerly staging the show, and HBO will tape Ensler performing it in August.


I recently met Ensler for breakfast at City Bakery in New York, days before she left on a four-month worldwide trip to research her next project. I found her confident and hugely enthusiastic, amazed and overjoyed about recent self-discoveries -- physical and emotional. "Through the course of doing the show," Ensler said at one point in our interview, "I feel like I've reentered my vagina. And that has completely changed my life."

The New York Times said that many people think of you as "the Messiah heralding the second wave of feminism."

Deeper into the ....story.

Speaking as a man, the more women talk about their vaginas the better off we all are.

Vaginas RULE!!!

LOL! I am very happy with mine - and quite happy to talk about it at appropriate times - but it does not occupy a huge amount of my attention, except when I am using it.

I love my vagina, and talk about it constantly.

I haven't seen "Vagina Monologues", but want to -- especially now that you've brought it up! I tend to forget about my vagina until I want something from it, or if it gets upset because I haven't eaten enough yogurt. I don't think I've thought of it as taboo, but not as a "woman flower" either.

Great, now I'm going to be pondering my vagina all day.

What next, The Blue Man Group and Duck Tours on television?

Does anybody have directions to the Hatch Shell?

What happens to your vagina when you don't eat enough yogurt?

Anyway,

I LOVE VAGINAS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't know, but I am running to find some yogurt pronto.

Yogourt is good.
Vaginas are better for our knowledge of yogourt.



I think reading Our Bodies, Ourselves 20+ years ago changed my perspective of, feelings about, my vagina. My vagina is my friend.

heehee Vaginas LOVE yogurt -- it has lots of helpful little things in there to keep the woman flower healthy and happy!

Hmm, I have heard that yogurt is very good for yeast infections, but I didn't think eating it was the solution...women be proud! Your vaginas rock my world! If the word is uncomfortable, what would be your choice to rename said organ? Woman flower is nice, but there has to be other choices...

I dunno, but I really dislike "woman flower".

Had to edit, soz, woman flower is indeed a little creepy in a hippie sorta way...

after the agonies i went through to name my new car, i don't think i'm up for this project.

Too bad there's no version of the Car Talk Car Naming software for this. (or is there?)

Oh maaaann...I kind of liked that one! Wasn't there a Madonna song once about the vagina reminding us that it's where all life begins? We could call it a garden of eden, or a big bang. No, both of those are pretty creepy...hmmmm

So wait...are you supposed to EAT the yogurt, or...

yes, you eat yogurt.

Eat the yogurt? Where's the fun in that?

By the way, I love all of your vaginas. Keep up the good work.