No Fooling: The Vagina Monologues Are Coming to the Rivertowns

What started as a girls' night out among local friends ended with an ambitious plan: to bring the Vagina Monologues to the villages. On April 28, 20 Rivertown women will do a staged performance of Eve Ensler's national hit with purpose in Hastings at the . 

But first, the women need to sell tickets.

Today, Sunday, marks a fundraiser/art reception/pre-show party at the  from 4 to 6 p.m., featuring: artwork by painter Lynda Fassa who focusses on women and children, a chance to get your tickets to the Vagina Monologues, hear a monologue, take the V-Day Pledge, enjoy refreshment, and meet many of the women who will be in the show. 

Co-Producer Tracy Brown spoke in a press release of the origins of the idea, "While enjoying the lively conversation of the very creative women in our community, I said ‘we should put on The Vagina Monologues.’ The response was so positive I knew right away it was happening."

“We emailed, we registered, and we committed,” said Co-Producer, Elyssa Feldman-Most. “Our individual reasoning for committing differs from woman to woman and of course our experiences and histories are varied, but our desire for all women and girls to feel safe, empowered and proud unites us.”

V-Day, founded by Ensler, is a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls, according to their website. Through local V-Day campaigns and productions of The Vagina Monologues and other related shows, women are raising awareness and funds for anti-violence organizations in their communities.

In this case, all proceeds of the Sleepy Hollow-Tarrytown 2012 production will benefit V-Day (10 percent) and Hope's Door in Pleasantville (90 percent). Hope's Door, formerly The Northern Westchester Shelter, is, as its website says, "a private non-profit organization, which was founded in 1980 to provide a safe haven and caring services to survivors of domestic violence...Hope's Door seeks to end domestic violence and to empower victims to achieve safety, independence and healing from the trauma of abuse."

For more information, check out its Facebook page, VDayTarrytownSleepyHollow2012.