On Thursday Evening April 21st, Hope Rising will present the 2016 Return of Eve Ensler's THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES as a benefit for The Turning Point Rape Crisis Center, Collin County's ONLY Rape Crisis Center.
The month of April is Sexual Assault awareness month and in conjunction with many local and national organizations such as TAASA (Texas Association Against Sexual Assault), The National Sexual Violence Resource Center and, of course, The Turning Point this presentation is meant to raise awareness. 1 in 5 Women and 1 in 71 Men will experience sexual violence in their lifetime. 44% of victims are under the age of 18 and 80% are under the age of 30 and 68% of assaults are never reported to the police, according to RAINN (Rape Abuse Incest National Network).
The Turning Point was established in 1982 by Carol Finch in Collin County, after observing that victims of Sexual Assault required additional counseling and emotional support beyond the initial crime report. The Turning Point strives to deliver the highest quality of comprehensive treatment services for survivors of all forms of sexual violence and to set the standards for prevention education that promotes social change to end bullying, sexual harassment and sexual assault. They have provided FREE education, advocacy and counseling services, as well as a 24 hour Hotline for 30 years to the residents of McKinney and all of Collin County. They work closely with Hospital Partners by providing SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) and SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) programs to Victims.
Hope Rising seeks to raise awareness and funds for Sexual and Domestic Violence services through art projects in the Collin County community. Through main stage productions, staged readings, flashmobs and much more, they have raised over $30,000 for organizations that provide services to victims in their short 3 year existence.
Eve Ensler's THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES is a series of episodic stories based on her interviews with over 200 women about their memories and experiences of sexuality. This Obie Award-winning masterpiece gives a voice to women's deepest fantasies and fears, guaranteeing that no one who sees it will ever look at or think of sex or a woman's body the same way again. THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES is a celebration of female sexuality in all its complexity and mystery, and in it, Ensler gives us real women's stories of intimacy, vulnerability and sexual self-discovery.
This is Hope Rising's third production of THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES, always directed by Pamela Harden, the 2016 production includes 18 women, from McKinney and beyond, ranging in age from 24 to 60. Some of these brave women are new to this bi-annual production, a few have never done anything like it before, and many are returning cast members.
THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES has one performance only on Thursday, April 21st at TUPPS Brewery, 721 Anderson, McKinney, TX 75069. Doors to the brewery will open at 6:30pm with a Silent Auction, the show begins at 7:30pm. ALL proceeds will go to The Turning Point Rape Crisis Center, Tickets are $25 each and available at www.HopeRisingTX.org. For more information you may contact Lisa Miller at president@HopeRisingTX.org.