Tehachapi News

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Last night The Vagina Monologues played to a sold out house at Mama Hillybean's Coffee & Community.  Thank you Tehachapi!   This was the third showing, with three different casts, in three different venues, since September.  Whew, what a ride it's been.  I couldn't have done it without the help of a lot of dedicated people, Mark Fisher, Michael Gossage, Karl Schuck, Kenny and Barbara Chugg, Gwladys Peterson,  Everyone at Mama Hillybean's and Tehachapi Art Center, Gary Mazzola, Mel White, Jackie Lawlor, and my-anchor-in-times-of-insanity, David Reed.

The real thanks goes to the women who performed, they took audiences from laughter to tears and back again, they put their hearts into every word spoken, every movement made. They cast away their inhibitions and preconcieved notions about what women are supposed to talk about and not talk about. They faced their  fears of what people might say about them doing this provocative piece. One woman was told by a certain group of people that they didn't want to be "guilty by association" because she was going to perform this piece, she performed anyway, and for that I am truly grateful and proud of her.  This group of beautiful and diverse women are:  Jackie Lawlor, Terri Asher, Mel White, Sherry Meehan, Monica Nadon, Tammy Anderson, Cynthia Hynes, Cindy Latham, Hillary Melville, Tara Lemes-Jones, and Heather Ringle.  They will forever be my, Vagina Warriors, I love them all.

In Peace,

Annette Kirby