Fresno State graduate student Deshunna Monay Ricks performed “My Angry
Vagina” at the Satellite Student Union this past weekend in the Fresno
State production of “The Vagina Monologues.” Director Oscar Perez said
the play was a success and nearly sold out on Saturday evening.
Esteban Cortez / The Collegian

Nearly 500 people attended the opening night performance of the world-renowned play “The Vagina Monologues” at the Satellite Student Union Saturday.

The play, which is based on the screenplay by Eve Ensler and was first performed in 1996, was made up of a panel of 13 actresses who openly discuss stories relating to their vagina. Sex, love, rape and masturbation are just a few of the topics the actresses addressed in the production.

Director Oscar Perez, a social work graduate student said this year’s production was a huge success.

“It was hard, but it was worth it,” Perez said about directing the play. He also directed last year’s play and has been involved with the production for four years.

Perez said that the play nearly sold out on Saturday night, and more people attended on Sunday than he expected.

Although the play tackles controversial topics, some monologues use humor to tell a story. Deshunna Monay Ricks, a Fresno State graduate student, performed “My Angry Vagina,” a monologue that channels frustration toward society for its attempt to control the female anatomy.

“You’ve got to convince my vagina, seduce my vagina, engage my vagina’s trust,” she read angrily on Sunday as the audience laughed and cheered. “You can’t do that with a dry wad of…cotton!”

Perez also said that for the first time in Fresno State history, “The Vagina Monologues” was produced entirely by students. In the past, non-student community members helped produce the play.

The production is one of the best-known installments of V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women and girls.

Perez, who is a member of other clubs that promote women empowerment, chose to direct “The Vagina Monologues” because he thinks it impacts the entire community. He added that many members of this year’s cast were audience members from last year that chose to get involved and share their stories.

Proceeds from the production will be donated to the Marjaree Mason Center, the Violence Prevention Project and S.P.E.A.K., a student organization that strives to inform people about healthy relationships.

Fresno State graduate student Berenice Vega has worked on the production for three years, but helped produce the play for the first time this year.

“It was a great group and cast,” Vega said. “I was very honored to produce the production.”