By Liam Reilly
@liampreilly852
Over the weekend, students filled the seats in the Fuller Art Center to see the school’s annual Vagina Monologues show. Vagina Monologues is a play originally created by activist V, formerly Eve Ensler, in 1996 based on interviews she conducted with women about sexuality and violence against women.
2025 marked the 18th year the Monologues show was held at Springfield College. It took place from April 3-5, with the second show on April 4 being the most attended. While the play features some comedic skits, the main focus was allowing women the chance to express themselves.
The cast was made up of 51 students, as well as BOBs, a person chosen by a first year or senior cast member that helps with the show’s setup as well as being part of the show’s gags. The moniker BOB came from a man named Bob in the original play, who is known for treating women with respect. Being chosen as a BOB is an honor, as that person selected has served as an important cornerstone in that cast member’s life.
Preparation for the show started in the Fall, with the cast meeting weekly for a two hour rehearsal to practice their monologues and bond as a cast. Once tech week came around, they hit the ground running.
Sierra Gato, a junior in the physical therapy program, participated in Monologues for the first time this year after being inspired by watching the show previously. Gato was a part of the show’s introduction, explaining how Vagina Monologues came to be. To Gato, holding an event like Monologues at Springfield is significant.
“It’s so important with the climate of women’s rights,” Gato said. “Everybody needs to understand the weight we’re under in order to make changes for our future.”
The theme of this year’s show was Rooted in Resilience, focusing on the ability to adapt to stress and staying afloat in the face of adversity. The theme was picked as it was something that everyone could relate and connect to.
Each year there are three directors for the show. This year the directors were Megan Perry, Mackenzie Feeley and Dikshya Upadhyaya. Each director has had different experiences with Monologues as Perry has written skits, while Feeley was part of a previous show’s introduction and Upadhyaya participated in workshops. Being named director was an honor for Perry.
When I found out I was named one of the directors for this year it honestly did not even feel like real life,” Perry said. “Monologues had been my home on campus for the prior 3 years, and I watched so many powerful women direct the show. I could not believe that the cast saw the potential in me to put on such an amazing show.
The show included many skits from the original play, spanning across two acts. Some of the crowd favorites included bits where the cast walked out with strong New York and southern accents. Outside of the theater, the crowd had the chance to write meaningful messages and place them in a bag with a cast member’s photo on it.
The show ended with each director telling their story and what inspired them to be a part of Monologues.
“For me personally it was hard to write my writing this year,” Perry said. “It signified coming to the end of my journey in monologues. Each of our stories were different yet so powerful in their own ways, and I just felt so proud seeing it all come together. It can be hard to share your own story on that stage, but being up with Mac and Dikshya I felt unstoppable.”