Nazareth College Presents Benefit Production of "The Vagina Monologues," Feb. 9-11

ROCHESTER, NY (02/07/2012)(readMedia)-- For the eleventh consecutive year, Nazareth College proudly presents Eve Ensler's ground-breaking, Obie Award-winning play, The Vagina Monologues. The student-directed production will take place Thursday, February 9 through Saturday, February 11, at 8 p.m. in Room A13 of the Nazareth College Arts Center, located at 4245 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618. The performances are open to the public, with a suggested donation of $3-5 for all attendees. All proceeds from the production will go to Alternatives for Battered Women, an organization that provides crisis counseling, support and prevention/education for those affected by, or at risk of, domestic violence. To learn more about Alternatives for Battered Women, please visit www.abwrochester.org. For more information on the performances, please contact (585) 389-2789.

Nazareth's production of The Vagina Monologues is presented in cooperation with V-Day 2012, an annual global movement aimed at eradicating violence against women, including rape, battery, incest, genital mutilation and sexual slavery. After Ensler noticed how the play had inspired female audience members to share their own stories of survival, she established V-Day as a non-profit organization in New York City in 1998. Its first event was a star-studded benefit performance of The Vagina Monologues that raised $250,000 in a single evening. Now in its fifteenth year, over 5,800 performances and events are produced annually as a part of the V-Day movement.

Directed by Theatre Arts student Gloria Gambino, the cast of The Vagina Monologues includes Emily Sebian, Bella McGrath, Morgan Naum, Lainey Catalino, Nicole Cupo, Samantha DiMora, Katie LeSuer, Jen Menter, Hannah Karpenko, Lauren Berger, Tiffany Widrick, Maggie Gebo, Noelle McElrath-Hart, Allie Tabor, Joya Giambrone, and Kayla Lyon. The crew includes Kayleigh Yancey as stage manager, Drew Alexander as assistant stage manger, Erin Hassett as producer and acting coach, Matt Allen as set designer, Aubrey Eaton as props manager, Mary Kate Loddick as costume manager, and Zak West as advertising manager.

Founded in 1924, Nazareth College is located on a close-knit, suburban campus in the dynamic, metropolitan region of Rochester, N.Y. The College offers challenging academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences and professional programs in health and human services, education, and management. Nazareth's strong cultures of service and community prepare students to be successful professionals and engaged citizens. The College enrolls approximately 2,000 undergraduate students and 1,000 graduate students.