Eve Ensler has said that her fascination with vaginas began from growing up in a violent society. She began interviewing women about their views on sex, their bodies and violence against women. She talked to 200 women in all.

The result was a frank, funny, and at times gut-wrenching monologue that Ensler performed herself until January 2000; since then it has been performed by trios of actresses. “The Vagina Monologues” has been translated into 25 languages and performed all over the world.

What began 11 years ago as a one-woman campaign to get women thinking about their vaginas has become a global movement to stop violence against women and girls. The “V-Day” movement began in 1998 with a reading by stars such as Glenn Close, Whoopi Goldberg and Susan Sarandon.

V-Day participants stage benefit performances of the show worldwide each Valentine’s Day to raise money for programs that assist victims of domestic violence.

Director Judie Hanel is excited about finally bringing “The Vagina Monologues” to the Gorge. She said that making the final casting decision was particularly difficult, given the level of talent demonstrated by the 14 women who auditioned for the roles.

“Sarah Oaks, Desiree Amyx-Mackintosh and Ani Sinclair bring talent, breadth of experience and a beautiful generosity to their roles in the show,” she says. “I’m honored to have worked with this great cast and crew who poured their heart and soul into this show and I’m excited that 35 women and their businesses are sponsoring ‘The Vagina Monologues.’” The women-only opening night show is already sold out, she said.

The show is not for everyone. There are mature themes and language and even those not easily shocked may be a little taken aback. After all, the vagina just doesn’t figure very prominently in everyday conversation.

Ensler asked the women she interviewed things like, “If your vagina could talk, what would it say?” and “If your vagina got dressed, what would it wear?” as well as other, more personal questions.

She talked to younger women, older women, married women, lesbians, single women, college professors, corporate professionals, actors and sex workers. She talked to African-American women, Hispanic women, Native American women, Caucasian women and Jewish women.

Ensler also spent months interviewing Bosnian women refugees in camps and in centers after seeing a photo on the cover of “Newsday,” of six young Bosnian girls who had just been returned from a rape camp in the former Yugoslavia. One of the more sobering monologues was written for the “brave, beautiful women of Bosnia and Kosova.”

CAST partnered with Soroptimist International of Hood River to present this show and they hope to continue this partnership, bringing future shows about women to the Gorge. The two groups also sponsored a photography contest for an exhibit, “Celebrating Women,” to run concurrently with the show.

The contest winner, Lynn Weyand, was announced at the July 6 First Friday. Her entry is being used on promotional posters and on the show’s program cover.