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Audience members should prepare themselves for a great night of laughter and inspiration where seven spectacular women take the audience on a journey of insight and discovery, revealing through monologues what it means to be a woman.
After a sold out run in 2011, this epic work of feminine strength returns to the Rose Marine Theater. Celebrating Hispanic heritage month, the Artes de la Rosa performing company is presenting the Spanglish edition by Eve Ensler. An extremely en pointe rendition, with a very empowering message that dives into the mystery, humor, pain, power, wisdom, outrage and excitement buried in women’s experiences. This Obie Award winning whirlwind tour of a forbidden zone celebrates the power, passion and diversity of women. Rated PG-16 for language and subject matter.
Please don’t let the subject mater, or especially the name of the show, keep you from an amazing theater experience and an all around fantastic night out! The high level of passion, energy and production quality brought to this presentation of “The Vagina Monologues” is directly linked to the love, care and ambition that Artes de la Rosa pours into all of it’s productions. They are dedicated to presenting, promoting and interpreting the art, lives and history of Latin culture for all to enjoy.
The Marine Theater, home of Artes de la Rosa, opened as a movie house in 1917 near the stockyards in Fort Worth on North Main Street. Through its history it presented Spanish speaking films to Fort Worth’s growing Latin community. The theater is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the Rose Marine has a seating complement of 254 seats, and adjacent to the theater is a gorgeous art gallery and out door patio.
From the moment the lights go up and the seven women take the stage, I was keenly aware that this show was going to be like no other. Done in a series of – as the title dictates – monologues, there is no underlying story or plot that ties the individual stories together other than the need to bring to light the joy, pain and struggles that women face.
Throughout the show there are brief movements where all or some of the women are on stage together in a type of Greek muse ensemble to help move the show along, and it works well. I was never left waiting for the next story to happen. Timing, stage direction and choreography were brilliantly executed. I did feel that the energy level of the actors was a little low on opening night, but will attribute this to a half-full house. An acting troop always performs better to an energetic audience which was sadly lacking Saturday night.
The casting of seven very diversely shaped and aged women adds a distinct feather in the production’s cap. Thank you Artes de la Rosa for giving all women a voice on stage in “The Vagina Monologues: Spagnlish Edition.” Not only did the stories the actresses told touch my heart and soul, but the diversity that was on stage made me find pieces of myself in their stories.
The show is only running for one more weekend – Thursday Sep 22 – Sunday Sep. 25. Tickets can be purchased online at www.artesdelarosa.org or by calling the box office at (817) 624-8333.
