Teresa LeYung-Ryan

Posts Tagged ‘The Vagina Monologues’

I still can’t believe I was in the cast of The Vagina Monologues, the award-winning play that is performed in colleges & universities across the United States.  I thank Eve Ensler for interviewing the 200+ women; I thank the women who told their stories to Ms. Ensler; I thank everyone who supports spreading awareness about and putting an end to the atrocities against women and girls in every culture on this planet. I got onto the Internet to find articles about Ms. Ensler and the play, so, I keyed in the words: The Vagina Monologues Eve Ensler in Google search and found:
http://www.ted.com/talks/eve_ensler_on_happiness_in_body_and_soul.html

Eve Ensler spoke eloquently on TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) in 2004.  In 20 precious minutes, Eve talked about how The Vagina Monologues came to be; Marsha Lopez in Afghanistan; Esther Chavez in Juarez, Mexico; Agnes In Kenya, help stop female genital mutilation; her belief in Mr. Alligator who would come to her rescue when she was a girl; 1 in 3 women are beatened or raped; Susan Sarandon, Glenn Close, Whoopi Goldberg; purpose & intent; date-rape, drugs; Vagina Warriors; when we give what we want the most.

author Elisa Southard with Vagina Monologues cast member Teresa LeYung Ryan & creativity coach Mary Knippel photo by Ellen Gailing

I am so honored that I got to speak some lines from the play. For the past 8 years I’ve been working on my second novel, the story of a first-time published author who is afraid to talk about human-trafficking. I got my chance to speak out with Ms. Ensler’s script.

The performance was a benefit for Community Violence Solutions http://www.cvsolutions.org/. Caring attitude from Director Kathy McCarty, her production team, and members in the cast (women of all ages and diverse cultures from the community); audience was gracious; folks from Community Violence Solutions showed dedication.

I learned to listen for the lines assigned to a fellow actress so that I could speak mine in a seamless fashion.  I learned to get into my body while listening to all the lines; creating a circle of energy was most important.

Thank you, community spirits, for stepping out to say: “Stop the violence.  Stop the suffering.”

Thank you, Elisa Southard http://breakthroughthenoise.com/, for talking to Director Kathy http://galateanplayers.com/ when she announced her desire to direct the play again.

Thank you, Mary Knippel http://openuptoyourcreativity.com/, for getting me there on time on performance day, for getting me home after a long day.

Thank  you, Pat Phillips, Lakshmi Kerner, Amira, Leslie, Debbie, all of Lakshmi’s friends, Joey, Joey’s sisters, Michaela, Mike (sorry I didn’t get a chance to say thanks in person).  Thank you to all my friends, my sis & bro-in-law, my hubby for sending good thoughts.

I’ve met remarkable women in this production; hope to connect with them this year. I reconnected with Cynthia Peterson of CVS; what a joy. Where is our colleague and poet Shirley Phelps?

Ellen Gailing http://ellengailingphotography.com/ took vibrant photos; I’ll post more as I receive them.

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung Ryan

I, Teresa LeYung Ryan, use my novel Love Made of Heart to:

• shed light on the secret agonies suffered by immigrant women, men and children.
• inspire understanding of mental illness/traumas of the mind.
• help survivors of violence find their own voices through writing.

Love Made of Heart, the story that sheds light on the stigmas & secret agonies suffered by a mentally-ill immigrant moth

http://LoveMadeofHeart.com/

April is National Poetry Month
April is School Library Media Month
April is Informed Woman Month
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
April is National Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention Month

Wednesday April 7, 2010 Richmond, CA

I went to my second rehearsal tonight of The Vagina Monologues.

I have lines in these 2 sections of the play:

“I Was There In the Room” The  lines are beautifully poetic.
Vanessa, Vicki, Natalie, Michelle, Martha and I had a good time saying our lines.

“A teenage Girl’s Guide to Surviving Sex Slavery” I can’t describe to you what this passage is; you have to see the show–Monday April 12, 2010, 7:30pm

Teresa LeYung Ryan rehearsing with fellow actresses "I Was There In The Room" in The Vagina Monologues

Director Kathryn G. McCarty said:  “A cast member asked me to include a few words on why I am doing this show.  Back in November, I stood with fellow teachers and friends at the Candlelight Vigil for the victim of the Gang Rape in Richmond (a student of mine).    A few weeks later, a fellow teacher told me he heard another young woman at our school say ‘I don’t know what the big deal is about rape.  It happens to everyone.’

“Everyone?  Did I hear this clearly?   I wondered what I could do.  After some thought, I spoke with several friends & decided  The Vagina Monologues was a show that needed to be done.

“We really need help getting the word out about the show, which is a benefit for Community Violence Solutions, a rape crisis center.  We would really like to reach young people who might not go to such events – but who will learn from this show.  Thanks for your help!”

Director Kathy McCarty is so good with us newbies. We’re all working hard rehearsing, spreading the word about April 12th, and making new friends.

See you at the Craneway Pavillion, 1414 Harbour Way South, in the Marina district of Richmond, CA, convenient to the 580 freeway.   www.craneway.com

Tickets at:  http://galateanplayers.com “Family Vagina Warrior Discount”  The $30.00  online discounted ticket is available April 7 – April 10.  If you can’t make it to the show, there is also the “Each One, Reach One” ticket, where you can donate $20 to help sponsor someone else’s coming to the show.  $25 for students & seniors. Or https://www.goldstar.com/ for $20 tickets & $5 fee.

Thanks, Elisa Southard, for cheering me on; this newbie likes being an actress.

authors Teresa LeYung Ryan & Elisa Southard in Pittsburg, CA commemorating Denim Day 2005

Thursday, April 8, 2010 third rehearsal. Tonight I remembered 90% of my lines.  I had fun. I was deeply moved by the other gals’ deliveries of their lines.

http://www.goldstar.com/events/richmond-ca/the-vagina-monologues.html

“On April 12, 2010, 7:30pm Women from throughout the East Bay unite to perform Eve Ensler’s award-winning play The Vagina Monologues as a benefit for Community Violence Solutions. V-Day is a global movement and series of consciousness-raising events geared toward ending violence against girls and women worldwide. The Vagina Monologues is based on more than 200 interviews with women. The monologues help give voice to experiences and feelings not traditionally exposed in public.”

Directed by   Kathryn G. McCarty   a benefit for Community Violence Solutions

In an interview:  “Somehow the Craneway Pavillion seems an appropriate venue,” said Clay David, who is helping to produce The Vagina Monologues. The venue is in the Rosie the Riveter National Park, he explained. “The V-Day Movement possesses a very ‘We Can Do It’ grassroots effort. It’s a movement that started small, in colleges throughout the country, and it’s done magnificent work.”

http://galateanplayers.com/THEVAGINAMONOLOGUES.html
Further information about V-Day:   http://www.vday.org

Teresa LeYung Ryan rehearsing lines in "A Teenage Girl's Guide to Surviving Sex Slavery" in The Vagina Monologues

Sincerely,

Teresa

I, Teresa LeYung Ryan, author of Love Made of Heart, help survivors of violence find their own voices through writing.

www.LoveMadeOfHeart.com