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38 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday February 29, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Artscene · FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2008 Shelter to benefit from Vagina Monologues By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF hen she read Eve Ensler's script, the first thing that went through Jenni Burke's mind was "Oh my goodness, I can't believe I'm going to say that word." The word she's referring to: vagina. But Burke got over that pretty quickly. On Saturday, the Oakville resident is performing in the play for the second time of her career. "The Vagina Monologues is one of the most empowering things you can go see, and one of the most empowering things you can perform in," said the accomplished actor, whose resume includes roles in television series' and movies. "In our society, talking about sexuality and your vagina is so taboo, so after the first page or two of the play, all the giggles and the nerves are out the window, and now it's out on the table." The White Oaks Secondary School and Sheridan College graduate is a cast member in the March 1 performance of The Vagina Monologues at Mississauga's W Stage West. The lunch-time performance is part of the 10th anniversary V-Day campaign to raise awareness and to work towards a world without violence toward women and girls. Every penny raised from the Stage West performance will go to Interim Place, two Peel-based emergency shelters for women and children. This is the third year Interim Place has teamed up with Mississauga's Stage West and with V-Day Peel to host a fundraising performance of The Vagina Monologues. The play is especially relevant for many of the women Interim Place shelters, says its director of development, Sue Alksnis. "I think it will have a strong impact on people. It's a very, very funny play, and a heartbreaking play," said the Oakville resident. "It really covers every element of women's experiences. It comes from interviews with women, so it's based in reality. It seems nothing was left out, all of the humour and all of the tragedy." Burke will be reading two parts in the Saturday performance of The Vagina Monologues, a series of speeches she says "represent womankind as a whole." One of the monologues Burke will be reading, she says, is an example of the "powerful monologues" that came out of Ensler's interviews with women. "One I'm reading is an experience that this woman had about a series of negative experiences from when she was a child. There was a bit of sexual abuse involved, there was confusion involved, there was insecurities involved," she said. "It sort of talks about how a sexual experience with a woman at the right time in her life turned everything around for her, just because it made her feel beautiful for the first time in her life." Burke, whose acting resume includes roles in This is Wonderland, Blue Murder, Blues Brothers 2000 and Undercover Brother, in addition to a slew of theatrical roles, was hand-picked for the show by award-winning director Di Nyland-Proctor, best known as the title star of The Trouble with Tracy. The all-professional cast also includes Jenni Burke See Production page 39 Winter is the best time to buy an air conditioner. And get 50% off a Carrier furnace today!* Act before March 31, 2008 and get: · 50% off our regular price* on a new high-efficiency furnace when you buy an air conditioner. That's a savings of $2,100! · Our Price Match Guarantee ­ if you find a lower price on the same system, we'll not only match it, we'll beat the difference by 10%.** * Only 247 systems available. Call 1-866-678-0262 today. * OAC. The financing deferral and savings promotion is only available on the following furnace and air conditioner Promotional Package Combination: Carrier Furnace ­ 92% High Efficiency, single-stage motor; Carrier Air Conditioner ­ 13 SEER with Puron and digital thermostat. 50% savings is in reference to our regular price for the feature Carrier furnace. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Offer expires on March 31, 2008 or upon the sale of all 247 Promotional Packages; whichever comes first. Call for details. ** Price Match Guarantee will be applied after the applicable Reliance and manufacturer rebates have been applied against the purchase price. Price Match Guarantee is only applicable to the Promotional Package Combination as listed above. Financing cannot be applied in conjunction with the Price Match Guarantee. Competitor's price must be publicly advertised. Guarantee does not apply after the equipment has been installed. Guarantee only applies for up to 48 hours after receipt of a Reliance quote and at no point is it valid after the promotional period stated above. Guarantee is subject to change without notice. Guarantee is not available in all areas.