Women’s Club production a hit

OUR LAGUNA

“The Vagina Monologues” is an international outcry to stop the

violence against women and girls.

Standing-room-only audiences at the Woman’s Club of Laguna Beach

on Feb. 27 And 28 got the message loud and clear, responding with

standing ovations.

“This was a milestone for the club, which was founded more than 80

years ago to address women’s issues,” said Sande St. John, director

of the club’s Women’s Resource Center.

Laguna Beach residents Jonelle Allen, Lola Gillebaard and Connie

Merritt performed the monologues, which Merritt produce. Laguna born

Andy Hedden directed it.

Professionals all, they donated their time and talents

One performance to raise money for anti-violence groups is allowed

by the author Eve Ensler annually without copyright fees. The Women’s

Resource Center and Working Wardrobes were the beneficiaries of the

event.

“This was truly a community project,” Hedden said.

The statistics that inspired the monologues are true and

horrifying.

Still, the show is controversial. Some of the language grates on

women, who may have never heard some of the words spoken aloud in

mixed company, or spoken only as a put-down -- a form of abuse. Just

the title makes some people uneasy.

“When I heard the title, I didn’t know if I would be comfortable

at a performance, but it was a very enlightening evening,” Bill

Morris said. “Those women [in the cast] were so amazing. I bought one

of the scripts and an autographed journal.”

Call it an education.

The fund-raiser on Feb. 28 included a silent auction and a

reception. A dress rehearsal was held the night before for an

invitation-only audience.

“The cast told me that the audiences both nights were equally

enthusiastic and adept at picking up the nuances,” club member Anne

Johnson said.

There was little to detract from the monologues. The cast wore

everyday clothes, and the set was simple: three chairs, three

microphones and three stands to hold the scripts.

“It is not supposed to be memorized,” said Merritt, a motivational

speaker and author.

Merritt drew tears from the audience with her performance of a

Bosnian girl’s monologue about the systematic rapes by Serbian

soldiers. Merritt’s sweet smile and soft voice made the damaged

girl’s story all the more poignant.

“It took more out of me than I expected,” Merritt said after the

dress rehearsal.

Allen, vibrant after at show-stopping performance, was thrilled

that the audience got the message.

“They laughed in all the right places,” said Allen, whose

theatrical credits include a Tony Award nomination for best actress

in the Broadway musical “Two Gentleman of Verona,” a Drama Critics

Award, a long-running role as Grace on “Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman” and

numerous guest shots on TV.

“You never know until you are in front of the audience,” said

Allen, whose beautiful, expressive hands illustrated her monologues.

Allen’s monologue on moans, from a child’s petulant whimper to a

Jewish woman’s “Oy Vey!” to an exuberant howl was a tour de force,

was applauded as fervently by Merritt and Gillebaard as by the

audience.

Allen got more exercise sitting in her chair during that monologue

than most women get in a Jazzercize class.

Gillebaard, an author and sit-down comedian, is a master of “The

Look,” calculated to stop pretensions in their tracks. “Vulgarities”

somehow seemed funnier uttered in her gentile southern accent.

“She shocked me the most,” Ashleigh Weststyne, 18, said.

Weststyne was probably the youngest person at the dress rehearsal.

She came prepared, having seen snippets of the show on cable.

“This was awesome,” she said.

How would she have felt seated in the audience next to an unknown,

older woman?

“Maybe not too comfortable,” Weststyne said. “My mother would have

been fine -- we would have been punching one another [playfully],

laughing. My stepfather would have been OK, too. I wouldn’t have been

quite so easy with my grandmother.

“Gramps? No.”

How about a boyfriend?

“I would have been going, ‘See! See! See!’” Weststyne said.

The performance lasted about 90 minutes, with no intermission to

interrupt the intensity.

“I saw the author perform the show about a year ago in Boston and

I liked this performance better,” said Hillary May, daughter of club

member Joan Trivett.

Ticket sales exceeded $11,000, but were limited by the seating,

Kimberly Salter, the club’s president said. The auction raised

another $1,500 for the club.

Donated auction items included a half-day treatment at Sue Marie

Spa, jewelry from Just Looking, a lapiz and silver necklace from

Khyber Pass, a gold-trimmed bowl from Slowsky Glass Arts, a gift

certificate from Mosun, hookers earrings from Barbara Barnett, a vase

from Warren Imports and gift baskets from Bubbles of Laguna, Marsha

Bode and Trader Joe’s in Crystal Cove.

Zinc Cafe, A La Carte, June Neptune and Katy Moss were among the

donors of food for the reception.

Salter, St. John and Veronica Nice represented the club on the

event committee. Anne Wood, Johnson and Trivett were among the

volunteers.

In the audience were: Mayor Toni Iseman and Steve Miller, Bevins

Hunt and school board member Kathryn Turner, Marv Johnson, John and

Peggy Thomas, Anita Mangels and Realtor Bobbi Cox.

“It was wonderful,” Salter said. “I just hope we can make it an

annual event.”

Check www.vday.org or www.conniemerritt.com/ Vmo3.html for more

information about abused women, like those portrayed in the

production.

NO DOWN TIME

The second Laguna Beach Woman Artists Event will be held from 3 to

6 p.m. Sunday, at the clubhouse at 286 St. Ann’s Drive.

“We are hoping for about 20 exhibitors,” Salter said.

Exhibitors donate a work of art as an entry fee. Other works will

be for sale.

Donated works are auctioned to raise funds for the club. There

will also be a silent auction. Laguna Outreach Community Arts will be

one of the beneficiaries.

Admission is free. Refreshments will be served. For more

information, call 497-1200.

* OUR LAGUNA is a regular feature of the Laguna Beach Coastline

Pilot. Contributions are welcomed. Write to Barbara Diamond, P.O. Box

248, Laguna Beach, 92652, hand-deliver to 384 Forest Ave., Suite 22;

call 494-4321; or fax 494-8979.