Talking Down (There)

Monday night, for the fourth year in a row, Charleston will be treated to a benefit performance of Eve Ensler's play, "The Vagina Monologues" at the West Virginia State University Capitol Center Theater. It's part of the V-Day Worldwide Campaign, which will receive the proceeds from the performance. This performance is sponsored by the Samaritan Players, in conjunction with Kanawha Players.

V-Day is a global movement to end violence against women and girls that raises funds and awareness through benefit productions of Playwright/Founder Eve Ensler's award-winning play. In 2005, more than 2500 V-Day events took place in the U.S. and around the world. To date, V-Day has raised over $30 million and educated millions about the issue of violence against women and the efforts to end it; crafted international educational, media and PSA campaigns; reopened shelters; funded safe houses in Kenya, South Dakota, Egypt and Iraq and over 5000 community-based anti-violence programs. The 'V' in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina. You can read more about it here.

Local performers featured in this year's production include Aila Accad, Bethany Cline, Penny Fioravante, Debbie Haught, Janet Johnson, Shannon Kessler, Ariana Kincaid, Olubunmi Kusimo, Katie Pleska, Amy Prunest, Kate Rainey, Julie Wirts, Monica Young and others. My Animated Discussions partner, Melanie Larch, will also be performing. It's her fourth year in the show. In fact, the reason there is no Animated Discussions column today is because she's been tied up all week with Vagina practice. AD will be back next week.

If you go: The performance starts at 7:30 p.m., March 6 at the West Virginia State University Capitol Center Theater, 123 Summers Street. Tickets are $20 ($15 for students).