‘Monologues’ Leaving Broadway And

Coming To CT In February

NEW HAVEN — The Vagina Monologues, the hilarious, daring and groundbreaking play that has shocked and captivated audiences all over the world, will open at The Palace Theater in New Haven on February 13. Written by the award-winning playwright, poet, activist and screenwriter Eve Ensler and produced by David Stone, the play will run until February 18.

The New Haven cast will feature the acclaimed stage actresses Sherri Parker Lee and Starla Benford, as well as a Canadian performer in the third role. Like the New York show, the starring cast member will change throughout the New Haven run. Casting for this role will be announced shortly.

The Vagina Monologues is a chorus of lusty, outrageous, poignant, brave, highly original and human stories. Based on interviews with a diverse group of women — from a Long Island antique dealer to a Bosnian refugee — the play brazenly explores the humor, power, pain, wisdom, outrage, mystery and excitement that surround the possession and perception of vaginas.

The Vagina Monologues opened its phenomenally successful off-Broadway run at the Westside Theater on October 3, 1999. The show continued its standing-room-only engagement with three women sharing the stage at every performance for a succession of two-week engagements.

Stars who have participated to date include Calista Flockhart, Teri Hatcher, Robin Givens, Annabella Sciorra, Julie Kavner, Juliana Margulies, Andrea Martin, Alanis Morissette, Rita Morena, Rosie Perez, Phylicia Rashad, Gloria Reuben, Brooke Shields, Marisa Tomei and Ricki Lake.

One of the year’s most critically acclaimed productions, The Vagina Monologues has been called “a bona fide phenomenon” (The New York Times), “alternately funny, poetic and provocative “ (Entertainment Weekly) and “a work of art and a piece of cultural history” (Variety).

The Vagina Monologues is being presented by SFX Connecticut and the ctnow.com Oakdale Theater. Tickets go on sale Saturday, December 2, and will be available through www.tickets.com, phone lines and participating outlets.

Performances are February 13 through 18, with the curtain Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 pm, Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 2 pm and 8 pm, and Sunday at 2 and 7 pm. Tickets are $45 and $35 for the weekday shows as well as the weekend matinees, and $47 and $37 for Friday and Saturday night. Rush seats for students will be available prior to performances.

A portion of the proceeds from sales of every ticket will be donated to both The V-Day Fund, which supports local groups working to end violence against women, and Domestic Violence Services of Greater New Haven, Inc.