by Virginia Boyd
Staff Writer
The third year of Sewanee Monologues is taking place on Monday, February 17 at 7 p.m. If you want to experience a variety of stories that will make you laugh, cry, and think, Sewanee Monologues is guaranteed to trigger all of these emotions. The purpose behind Sewanee Monologues is to create an opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to hear true stories that have been anonymously submitted by Sewanee students. They focus on mental illness, sexuality, sexual assault, relationships on campus, grief and loss, and there is even a story about video games. This year the audience can expect to hear a wide variety of perspectives, which confront serious issues and even call the current state of Sewanee into question.
There will be funny and awkward monologues that address life as a Sewanee student in general. Students volunteer to read these monologues so those who have submitted their stories do not have to attach a face to their voices. These selected students come from a variety of organizations and circles throughout campus. They read other students’ monologues while dressed in all black leaving their hearts on the stage, as the audience remains captivated by the compelling stories that are to be read.
In its first performance, Sewanee Monologues was the winner of the Best New Educational Program. The event is inspired by Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues, but the subject matter has drifted away from stories solely about sex in order to broaden the spectrum and share what really happens here at Sewanee. The audience who stays until the end can expect a surprise, according to Kelsey Koontz (C’14), who is a co-director of the event. It is guaranteed to be an outstanding night that will change, inspire, and make you think about your perspective of Sewanee.