Students to perform real-life stories in 'That Takes Ovaries!'

Second-year student Chartia Robinson decided to get involved with the upcoming production of “That Takes Ovaries!: Bold Women, Brazen Acts” because she felt a connection to its message.

Grand Valley students in “That Takes Ovaries!” will use theater to tell real-life stories of women and girls who have performed courageous actions. Grand Valley’s production of the play on March 22 and 23 will use short stories from the book, That Takes Ovaries!: Bold Females and Their Brazen Acts, and stories written by women from the West Michigan community.

“I found out about ‘That Takes Ovaries’ at Campus Life Night and it just spoke to me, so I thought it was something I needed to do,” Robinson said, who is majoring in accounting and human resources management. She is one of 10 student directors for the production and will perform in a skit about a woman who overcame insecurities about her body.

“That Takes Ovaries!” is set for performances at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 22, on the Allendale Campus and Saturday, March 23, at Wealthy Theatre in Grand Rapids. Tickets are $15 for community members and $10 dollars for students; prices increase by $5 at the door. Tickets for the performance in Allendale can be purchased at the 20/20 desk in the Kirkhof Center. Tickets for the performance at Wealthy Theatre can be purchased online at www.wealthytheatre.org/ovaries or by calling (616) 459-4788.

Brittany Dernberger, assistant director of the Women’s Center, said about half of the scenes in this year’s production are true stories submitted by the Grand Valley campus and community. Scenes submitted include stories about a woman who tried out for her high school football team, a man who talks about his mom and how she provided for her five sons as a single parent, and a woman who leaves an abusive relationship with the support of her mentor.

The Women’s Center at Grand Valley will use the production to raise funds for local and international women’s and girl’s rights efforts. In the past 11 years, the Women’s Center raised more than $100,000 for organizations that support women and girls, including the Center for Women in Transition, YWCA and the international V-Day Movement.

Learn more about the book and play at www.thattakesovaries.org.

For more information, contact the Women’s Center at 616-331-2748 or email [email protected].