"How is your vagina feeling today?"

Student director of the Vagina Monologues, Jully Merino (senior-women's studies/political science) starts off every rehearsal with this surprising question. According to this compilation of female-oriented skits, the vagina is no longer a private part of the female body.

The Vagina Monologues will have its first performance tonight at 8 in Schwab Auditorium. The performance, which will be presented through Saturday, serves as a campaign for "V-Day," an international movement to stop violence against women. While the show itself is free, donations will be collected for the Centre County Women's Resource Center.

"In the Vagina Monologues, we are trying to shed light on different issues like rape, lesbianism and African American women," Merino said. "It's very inclusive."

The monologues range from hilarious topics such as, "What would your vagina wear or say?" to serious topics, such as women being tortured and raped during wartime.

Madison Flego (junior-integrative arts) performs one of the more solemn monologues of the evening, as a Bosnian refugee.

"My monologue is the contrast against all of the other funny ones," Flego said. "I have to be the downer -- but hey, it's reality."

Flego said she believes one of the major roles of the Vagina Monologues is to make the audience think about brutal issues such as rape and torture because these subjects are normally kept in the dark.

"Even though it's a funny play, there are also serious moments, because these issues happen to real women all the time," she said.

Merino decided to symbolize this particularly grave aspect of womanhood in the performer's costumes.

"The girls are wearing all black and a splash of red," Merino said. "The black and red symbolizes the secrecy that women have to deal with. People don't talk about their vagina, or about rape ... and red is the hurt and blood that comes from that secrecy."

Not all of the monologues are serious, though. Many of them are very light-hearted and funny, said Jacqueline Jones (junior-human development and family studies). For instance, Jones is reclaiming the word "cunt" in her monologue.

"I saw it as an opportunity to be outspoken," Jones said. "I'm very excited."

Jones reassured potential attendees that although the show is based on womanhood, guys could definitely enjoy themselves.

"They should learn a lot," Jones said, laughing.

Flego said she expects a good male turnout for the show.

"I want people to feel liberated when they leave the auditorium tonight ... especially the men," Flego said. "These topics that we're talking about shouldn't be so taboo."

Merino said she had the girls participate in many exercises to become more comfortable with these supposedly "taboo" topics. For example, all the girls were required to make posters picturing how they see their vaginas. This visual collection of metaphorically female images will be the backdrop for tonight's performance.

"I think it's going to be awesome," Flego said.