In the tiny Geery Theater on the corner of 22nd and L Streets anaudience of a little over 50 people can enjoy the emotional”Vagina Monologues,” playing for the next two monthsand hosted by the acting company SacActors.com.

Eve Ensler, the writer of the production, began collectingstories while working in homeless shelters in New York. She thenexpanded her interview to include women from all walks of life. Shebegan presenting her pieces in various locations, evolving from thesimple sharing of facts to performance art pieces and finally towhat it is now, a theatrical event.

Her dedication to telling the truth about female anatomy andexperiences has touched so many women’s lives and given manyother women a love for their own essence. Some of those very womenperform at the Geery.

“”The Vagina Monologues’ incorporate all theuses of the vagina: pleasure, beauty, function and life,”actress Mardres Story said. “I got involved because I knew itwas controversial. Eve Ensler is a real maverick of ourtime.”

“It’s such a great play that it’s hard not toget emotionally involved,” said first time actress and motherof two Karilyn Edwards. “The monologues really take you on anemotional rollercoaster ride. It’s fun, but it takes a lotout of you.”

Although the majority of the audience was female, the storiesaim to educate every gender, age group and culture about the vaginaand females.

“The show is for anyone who is interested in the essenceof women,” said Shirley Sayers, who acts in Interview #2 and#5.

The show runs for 80 minutes without breaks, and doesn’tbegin until everyone is in their seats. The ambiance is personaland intimate with a violet glaze over the crimson curtains on stagethat surround two chairs that face each other.

The actors are so close to the audience that theemotional energy washes back and forth in the room. Tears, laughterand moans came from all directions as information of infidelity,love, mutilation, abuse and affection were told.

Actresses Story, Edwards and Amber Kloss begin by announcing allthe slang terms given to the vagina including pussy cat, poonanie,mooshmallow and confusingly, Nabby dugout. Some of the monologuesare based on one woman’s interview, like Interview #2: Flood,about the woman’s rejection of her own flood, and others arebased on a collection of women’s responses to questions like”If your vagina could talk, what would it say in twowords?” “What does your vagina smell like” and”If your vagina put something on, what would itbe?”

Others simply state facts like “there are 8,000 nervefibers in the clitoris, which is two times the number found in thepenis. There are no other places in the body, male or female, wheresuch a concentration of nerves can be found except for theclitoris.”

The last monologue is about Ensler’s own experience withseeing the birth of her grandchild, ending the production with theidea that “everyone forgets the vagina. What else wouldexplain our lack of awe and wonder?”

The show is graphic in nature, but that’s to be expectedgiven the title. It’s unfortunate that every male dominatedproduction out there only has one production to answer to,”The Vagina Monologues.” The show will be at the Geerytheater through Dec. 19.

From the play’s opening day until Halloween, $5 from eachticket sale will go to benefit Women Escaping a ViolentEnvironment. Information about future show times and productionscan be found at www.sacactors.com, or call (916) 448-9109.