The production of the play The Vagina Monologues in Gibsons in March not only excelled with moving and hilarious performances, it also exceeded its charitable-donation goal by more than 40 per cent.
“It took a bit of time to get our sponsor dollars in with the [pandemic] lockdown occurring a couple days after the show,” producer Jennie Biltek said in an email to Coast Reporter. “But the donation will total $7,125! We are over the moon because initially, we thought we might get to $5,000.”
The popular play by American writer Eve Ensler covers a range of topics dealing with women’s health, safety and social roles, and has more than a dozen speaking parts, ranging from uproariously funny to deeply touching. Directed by Kim Fenton, it was performed March 7 before two sold-out houses at the Heritage Playhouse. The play can be produced without a royalty fee to the author if it’s mounted as a charitable fundraiser. The proceeds were handed over to the Sunshine Coast Community Services Society (SCCSS) in late April, earmarked for the society’s six Together Against Violence programs, which include support for the Yew Transition House and victims-of-violence counselling.
“We raised about $850 doing door prizes, and people were really very generous. We had those gift baskets and we had buttons and lollipops for sale, and then, about another $1,000 in sponsorships,” Biltek said. Combined with ticket sales, the total went well over the hoped-for $5,000.
The amount donated is “amazing,” said Denise Woodley, the SCCSS Director of Program and Staff Development. “And I mean ‘amazing’ on a couple of different levels. The money is always welcome. But the [dramatizations] of how violence affects women is another thing, getting that word out that although we’ve come a long way in supporting women who’ve experienced gender-based violence, it’s still out there.”
