An e-mail opposing the upcoming presentation of The Vagina Monologues at the State Theatre prompted its executive director to file a police report Thursday.
Mike Negra, the State Theatre executive director, said he filed the report with the State College Police Department after reading the subject of the message regarding the 7 p.m. Sunday performance.
"I was concerned about the subject line and the threatening of one of my employees," he said.
Negra said an e-mail sent by Gary L. Morella, a Penn State research assistant, opposed the performance at the theater but was not threatening. Negra said Morella's e-mail criticized the depiction of rape in the performance and the use of the word "vagina."
Morella could not be reached for comment by press time.
Negra said the e-mail was circulated, and the theater then received another forwarded message with the same content as Morella's original message, but a different subject line, which Negra deemed threatening.
A copy of the e-mail was not available to The Daily Collegian.
State College Police Lt. Dana
Leonard said an investigating officer reviewed the e-mail, but nothing unlawful was found in its content. Any subsequent messages of a harassing, obscene or threatening nature would lead to further investigation, he added.
Leonard said he couldn't recall any objections to other performances that involved police.
Negra said there has been no objection to any other performance at the State Theatre, 130 W. College Ave., since it opened last year.
The theater has received about five other e-mails about the performance, some criticizing the theater's decision to present it, Negra said. However, the theater should not be held responsible, he said, because it is only renting the space to the women performing The Vagina Monologues.
Producer Valerie Jarrett said she reviewed the e-mails on Thursday. She said she had expected some opposition to the downtown performance, even though the monologues have been performed on campus for the last nine years.
"We knew there would be controversy literally bringing The Vagina Monologues across the street," she said.
Sarah Kosar (sophomore-theatre), assistant director of the on-campus production of The Vagina Monologues, said that during the past two years, no one involved has received any negative or threatening feedback.
Kosar said the purpose of theater is not to please everyone.
"The theater exists to challenge ideas and challenge people's views," she said. "If people react, then you know you're doing something right."
Written by Eve Ensler in 1996, The Vagina Monologues features a group of women speaking about their sexuality. Different women perform monologues ranging from comedic topics, such as what their vaginas would say if they could talk, to more serious women's issues, like a retelling of women being raped and tortured during wartime.
Jarrett said she is glad opposing opinions have surfaced, so awareness of sexual assault and domestic violence discussed in the performance can surface.
"I welcome the controversy because at least people are talking about the issues," she said.
Proceeds from The Vagina Monologues will benefit the Centre County Women's Resource Center, 140 W. Nittany Ave.
"It might be a controversial subject, but certainly not a controversial benefit," Negra said.
Ellen Slingerland, of State College, who is performing in the downtown Vagina Monologues, said some people believe the show promotes violence and rape, when, in fact, it is meant to show the prevalence of such actions.
"It happens here, and people like to think it doesn't happen here," said Slingerland, who also works at the women's resource center.
Jarrett said the performance will go on as planned Sunday without any changes.
